How to Use a Siphon Coffee Maker? Expert Tips and Extraction Essentials for Siphon Coffee Brewing

Let's start with a brief introduction to the origin of the siphon brewer. The siphon (siphon) originated in Europe, about 70 years earlier than pour-over coffee. Between 1830-1840, Loeff from Berlin, Germany, first invented the glass material, upper and lower double-pot siphon extraction method and obtained a patent. Later, after continuous improvements by countries such as France, England, and Germany, it was brought to Denmark and Japan in the mid-20th century, beginning its large-scale market entry, reaching its peak popularity in the 1950s.

Siphon Principle

The lower pot of the siphon can be called the capacity pot, spherical in shape and marked with water level scales for several cups, used to hold coffee liquid. The upper pot is cylindrical, used to extract coffee. This principle actually utilizes the siphon phenomenon in physics.

When the water in the lower siphon pot is heated, it generates steam and pressure, pushing the hot water from the lower pot up through the glass tube to the upper pot, starting to brew the coffee grounds in the upper pot. After extraction is complete, turn off the heat and remove the heat source. At this point, the lower pot is in a semi-vacuum state and loses upward pressure, so the lower pot draws the coffee liquid from the upper pot down (if you want to speed up the return of coffee extract, you can wipe the lower pot with a damp cloth, which reduces the pressure difference between the upper and lower pots, making the coffee extract return faster). The coffee grounds are blocked by the filter cloth in the upper pot, completing the extraction.

There are various methods for brewing coffee. Different equipment, different techniques, different grind sizes, different times, etc., can all extract a cup of coffee. Or rather, using the same set of equipment, you can also experiment with different variations, and the extracted coffee might bring quite pleasant surprises! Today, let's share where the stirring technique and immersion technique are in siphon brewing!!

Don't worry, first let's follow FrontStreet Coffee to look at the basic information of this coffee bean we're using for today's brewing experiment~~

Costa Rica Canet Musician Series Mozart

FrontStreet Coffee: Costa Rica Mozart Coffee Beans

Region: Tarrazú, Canet Estate

Varieties: Caturra, Catuai

Altitude: 1950m

Processing: Raisin Honey Process

Flavor Notes: Raisin, Osmanthus, Berries, Pineapple, Caramel

This Costa Rica Canet Estate Musician Series Mozart bean possesses rich floral aromas, gentle fruit acidity, and the raisin processing method also gives this bean fermented aromas and berry and raisin flavors! Alright, without further ado, let's get brewing quickly. First, let's look at the stirring technique~

Stirring Technique

Parameters: 1:10 coffee-to-water ratio, 20g of coffee, fine grind (EK43s grinder setting 9 / China standard 20-mesh sieve pass rate 85%), water temperature 90°C.

Technique: Put 200g of water in the lower pot. When the lower pot water reaches 90°C, insert the upper pot tightly. When water rises to the upper pot, add the coffee grounds and stir to ensure full contact between coffee and water. After 30 seconds, stir back and forth in a cross pattern once to break the crust. At 56 seconds, remove the heat source to let the coffee liquid return (timing starts when adding grounds). Extraction time is 1 minute 8 seconds.

Flavor: Floral, berries, fermented wine aroma, raisin.

Immersion Technique

Next, let's try an immersion technique.

Parameters: 1:10 coffee-to-water ratio, 20g of coffee, medium-fine grind (EK43s grinder setting 9 / China standard 20-mesh sieve pass rate 85%), water temperature 90°C.

Technique: Put 200g of water in the lower pot. When the lower pot water reaches 90°C, insert the upper pot tightly. When water rises to the upper pot, add the coffee grounds and stir to ensure full contact between coffee and water. After immersing for 1 minute, remove the heat source to let the coffee liquid return (timing starts when adding grounds). Extraction time is 1 minute 32 seconds.

Flavor: Osmanthus aroma, berries, raisin, caramel.

Comparison of Techniques

The difference between using these two techniques with the siphon is that the stirring method extracts a more intense fermented wine aroma, with a rich body texture, and reveals sweet and sour raisin notes as the temperature decreases. The immersion technique, however, produces more prominent osmanthus aroma, with berries and raisin flavors at lower temperatures, and a slightly lighter but very clean and sweet body. One is richer, while the other is more refreshing.

Of course, taste preferences vary from person to person. Everyone can choose their preferred extraction method based on their own taste preferences~~ However, regarding siphon brewing, the editor still has something to say: siphon brewers extract coffee under continuous heating conditions. The water temperature should be maintained between 86-94°C as consistently as possible. This ensures higher extraction rates for the coffee grounds, maintains stability with fewer variables, and produces more stable coffee flavors. Even if you're a beginner just starting with coffee, you can brew a cup with rich body and aromatic flavor. Remember to clean the filter cloth after each use, and replace it after a period of time, otherwise it will easily affect the coffee's flavor~~

Important Notice :

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