Coffee Siphon

A coffee Siphon is a coffee maker, with 2 chambers. Ground coffee belongs in the upper chamber, and in the lower chamber, there comes water. The water is then heated and when the Water Pressure rises, the water near the boiling point is forced into the upper chamber, where it mixes with the ground coffee. There it’s stirred 2 times and the flame in the bottom gets removed. After a few seconds, the coffee cools down and goes back in the lower chamber.

Check out this video I took in a coffee shop, if you are interested to see how it works:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0wlbRvwknE

Do you call yourself a coffee lover?

Are you proud of your wise knowledge of coffee beans and brewing methods?

You believe you have tried most of the coffee beans all over the world from the most local to the fanciest ones?

However, if the name “Coffee Siphon” or “Vacuum Coffee maker” doesn’t ring any bell in your mind, you have just missed one of the most brilliant and also quite complex coffee brewing method.
Coffee siphon brings you a whole new experience of tasting coffee. Not as quick and convenient as Espresso or Cappuccino which can be made and taken away anytime of the day, coffee siphon requires patience, careful technique and close attention since the brewing process is not only delicate but also fun.

For those who never tried coffee siphon before, the laboratory style coming along with transparent glass equipment might be a great surprise. Coffee lovers are immediately attracted by the light taste: less bitter but still passionate of siphon and more surprisingly, it doesn’t cause any feeling of nervous tension like the usual coffee.

History/ Origin

Coffee siphon, syphon, vacuum coffee maker or vac pot, are different names for a coffee brewing method where vapor pressure and vacuum produce coffee.

It was first available in Europe back in 17th century when the process involved boiling coffee together with water in a pot. Not until the 18th century when culture and technology developed did people stack two chambers, one upon the other and place a cloth filter in between.

Then in 19th century, all necessary elements were ready for the glass vacuum pot as Siphon we know nowadays. This period of time also started the era of producing a wonderful cup of coffee.

Not long after it had been widely popular by Parisian, American people started to spread this coffee brewing system globally, however, it then fell out of favour in the US and Canada in the 60s and again, gained its popularity back in the 90s.

Up to now, many people all over the world have experienced Siphon and become a huge fan of this sophisticated brewing method.

In Japan, there is a worldwide competition called World Siphonist Championship held every year to honor the most skillful barista.

What makes coffee siphon special?

There must be a reason why many coffee nerds go crazy about vacuum coffee maker. If you love how coffee smell tantalizes your sense, you will definitely fall for vac pot. It is not only about enjoying a premium cup of coffee, vac pot users also have the joy of watching the process of coffee drips moving back down, feeling the freshly-brewed coffee fragrance, the rich in aroma together with motion and touch.

That can be seen as a great combination of science and sensory involvement.

Isn’t it great to feel like a scientist every morning? So far there have been questions raised on the differences between a vac pot and French press. They are quite similar as the two methods fully immerse the coffee grounds into the water. But once the immersion is over, they look different. Most people have admitted that Siphon gives a clearer flavor even though it is much easier to control the brewing time and temperature in French press brewing.

Vacuum coffee maker parts

A typical Siphon coffee maker usually has four parts

the bottom jug (normally made of metal, glass, or plastic) which contains water in the beginning and the final brewed coffee;

a top jug with a siphon tube attached to it and a hole in the bottom of the vessel where the coffee brewing takes place;

a type of sealing material to help create a partial vacuum in the lower vessel, and a filter, which can be made of glass, paper, metal, nylon or cloth.

A Heating source is also a necessary part and there are often three types from the slowest to the fastest one: a cloth-wick alcohol burner, gas/ electric stovetop, or a specialty butane burner respectively.

What are some available options for vacuum coffee maker?

Yes, from the beginning there were only coffee nerds seeking vac pot because of its complexity and rarity, however, nowadays it has become a trend among passionate coffee lovers.

Some manufacturers realized that this could be a great opportunity and decided to jump into this potential market.

Thanks to that, we now have many options to consider for our best coffee siphon pot.

Coffee fans have to make their wise choice out of hundred names like Bodum Santos (Pebo), Cona, Cory, Sunbeam, Roya, Silex, Nicro, Yama, Hario… Each brand comes with various functions and price that users should read review carefully before making decision.

How to use a vacuum coffee maker?

In order to make a proper cup of Siphon coffee, you need to follow the instructions carefully.

Multiple instruction videos are available on Youtube and coffee forums. However, please note that there might be different methods for various vacuum coffee makers available in the market and also depends on the culture.

Take Japan as an example where people stir coffee in order to reach a desired taste. The guide below just gives you a general picture on how a vac pot works:

Firstly, you need to pour the required amount of water into the bottom glass bowl, then place the jug either on an electric or gas stove.

The next step is to insert the filter in the funnel. There is often a small chain on the filter with a hook that you need to pull the chain gently and secure the hook to the edge of the tube. It’s now time to place the ground coffee in the funnel. Note that there is one scoop of coffee for each cup and any grind of coffee can be used.

When things are all ready, you can place the funnel on the jug and start boiling the water.

Very soon the water in the bowl will rise into the funnel and mix with the ground coffee. At the bottom of the bowl, there should be 2 cm of water remaining, otherwise, the bowl should be taken out from the heat right away to prevent the risk of being cracked.

Then, you should take away the heat and place the coffee machine on a surface with normal temperature. The coffee will pass into the lower bowl until it runs out of the funnel. Then you can remove the funnel and enjoy the coffee.

We recommend that you should drink coffee right after it has been taken away from the pot, without any extra sugar in order to feel the magical difference.

After you finish brewing the coffee, don’t forget to rinse every part thoroughly, especially the cloth filter, then store it in a cup of water in order to be reused several times. Now we all know it requires some experimentation to figure out how to get the siphon coffee right, and it takes times babysitting the pot while it brews. You cannot just simply leave it there and run some errands like some other coffee machines. The keys to successful cup of Siphon are high quality and fresh coffee, keeping the equipment clean and close attention. However the reward is simply wonderful and there is no doubt that you would have unforgettable moments with Siphon.