Coffee Brewing Series 6 - Siphon
What is a Siphon/Syphon Coffee Maker?
This coffee maker design has two bulbs stacked on top of one another and are connected by a stem. A wide hole on top of the top bulb feeds into a smaller opening on the lower second bulb through a stem. The top bulb is filled with coffee grinds, while the lower bulb is filled with water. The stem of the vacuum pot features a seal that creates a vacuum within the lower bulb that holds the water, hence the name. A filter is put at the bottom of the top bulb. This filter allows water to ascend through it, followed by the brewed coffee being released back into the bottom bulb.
A siphon pot has a basic look, yet it can be difficult to understand how it works at first glance. This coffee maker is fantastic since it gives you complete control over practically every aspect of your brew. Temperature, steep time, agitation, grind size, and concentration are all adjustable and visible.
Parts of Siphon
Top chamber - this is where the coffee is brewed.
Bottom chamber - this is where brewing water is added.
Filter - has a chain that you need to pull down and attach its clip at the bottom of the funnel.
Heat source - heats the bottom chamber.
History of Siphon
Two glass "balloons" were held by a frame in Mme. Vassieux's coffee brewer. It was an exquisite delight for the eyes, with a metal crown and spigot on top. Mme. Vassieux, a French inventor, patented her siphon brewer in 1804. Inventor Napier came up with his own version of the vacuum pot, named the Naperian. It was never patented, but was very popular for a long time.
Brew with a Siphon Coffee Maker
- Place the filter in the top bulb after it has been assembled. Make sure the bottom bulb is in its stand or ready to go.
- Determine the amount of coffee you want to brew as well as the water-to-coffee-grounds ratio. When the siphon pot heats up, it usually leaves a small amount of water behind. This implies that if your ratio is off, you can end up with a diluted brew. For a stronger brew, use 4 oz of water per 8 oz of ground coffee, or 6 oz of water per 8 oz of coffee for a lesser brew.
- Bring your water to a boil, or almost to a boil, and then turn off the heat.
- Prepare your coffee by grinding it. Make sure you use a coarse grind. Like the one we use in a French press is ideal; experiment on your own to determine the right grind for you.
- Fill the bottom glass chamber or bulb with hot water. Lower the disc-shaped filter and its attached chain through the top chamber or hopper's entrance, connecting the chain to the funnel's bottom with a clip.
- Make sure the bulb is dry before inserting the top chamber into the bottom chamber (moisture can cause cracking). Turn the flame up high on the burner beneath it.
- Measure out the ground coffee as you're waiting for the water to boil. Water vapor forces the water into the top chamber as it nears the boiling point.
- Reduce the intensity of the burner's flame. Add the coffee grounds to the top chamber while there is still some water in the bottom chamber.
- Stir the coffee grinds into the water until well absorbed, then brew for 45 to 1 minute. The burner's flame should be extinguished.
- The coffee and water mixture is drawn through the filter by gravity, which creates a vacuum, and the bulb fills with filtered coffee.
- Pull the top bulb and stem out and set aside and pour the coffee from the bottom bulb once the coffee is brewed. Serve and enjoy!
The Siphon's biggest advantage is the coffee it produces, which is cleaner, crisper, and smoother than other brewing systems!
