Siphon Brewer Working Principle_How to Use Siphon Coffee Maker_Which Coffee Beans Are Suitable for Siphon

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Siphon Pot Working Principle

The main principle of coffee extraction using a siphon pot is achieved through pressure difference. First, the water in the lower chamber is heated to boiling, then the upper chamber is inserted, creating a vacuum state in the lower chamber. Due to the pressure difference between the lower and upper chambers, hot water rises to mix with the coffee grounds in the upper chamber for extraction. After the extraction process is complete, the heat source under the lower chamber is removed, causing the pressure difference between the upper and lower chambers to instantly decrease. The gravitational force between the upper and lower chambers promotes the coffee extract to flow back to the lower chamber. If you want to speed up the return flow of the coffee extract, you can wipe the lower chamber with a damp cloth, which will further reduce the pressure difference between the chambers and make the coffee extract return faster.

Basic Tools Required for Using a Siphon Pot

Let me first introduce the basic tools needed to use a siphon pot:

1. Siphon pot (upper pot, lower pot, siphon pot filter cloth)

2. Stirring rod

3. Halogen lamp/alcohol lamp or other heat source

4. Ground coffee powder (medium grind)

5. Timer

Preparation Work

1. Add water to the lower chamber of the siphon pot. I am making coffee for two people, so I will add water to 5mm above the 2-cup mark of the siphon pot. This is because the coffee grounds will absorb water, so if you want coffee liquid for two people, you need to add slightly more water.

2. Grind siphon pot coffee beans, prepare 25-30 grams of coffee powder (about 15g for a single cup). Medium grind is required, meaning the particles are between white sugar and brown sugar in size.

3. After adding water, remember to wipe the outside of the lower chamber dry with a soft cloth. Do not leave water stains to avoid the pot bursting during heating.

4. Put hot water in the lower chamber and heat with an alcohol lamp. Generally, about 120cc of water is used for a single cup of coffee, and 250ml for a double portion.

5. Alright, let's start heating the water.

While the water is heating to brewing temperature, install the filter cloth in the upper chamber. Be sure to hook it as shown in the picture below! Otherwise, when the water from the lower chamber rushes to the upper chamber, the filter will be pushed open.

Early Grounds Addition Method

Early grounds addition means putting the coffee grounds into the upper chamber first, then letting the water rise to the upper chamber. This method requires higher control over the heat source. While the water is rising, you need to adjust the flame to the appropriate size to avoid generating large bubbles that would disrupt the blooming process. At the same time, with early grounds addition, it's best to pre-burn a pot of water empty to test whether the filter position is centered; if not centered, it will also generate large continuous bubbles. The advantage of early grounds addition is that it provides a gradual moistening process for the coffee grounds, which can reduce the number of stirring cycles in the first stir and is more conducive to forming a blooming effect. However, temperature control will be poorer, so mastering the timing of inserting the upper chamber into the lower chamber will be particularly important. In other words, early grounds addition may seem simple, but compared to later grounds addition, it actually requires more practical experience.

Late Grounds Addition Method

Contrary to early grounds addition, late grounds addition means waiting for all the water from the lower chamber to rise to the upper chamber before adding the coffee grounds. Before late grounds addition, we have sufficient time to reduce the heat source flame to just enough to support the water in the upper chamber from falling back. Then adjust the position of the lower filter to keep it centered, and finally we can wait a few minutes to let the water temperature drop slightly. Generally, when the water from the lower chamber just rises to the upper chamber, the water temperature will be around 90-95 degrees Celsius, so we can let the water temperature drop by about 2-5 degrees before adding the coffee grounds. Generally speaking, the higher the water temperature, the more bitter the coffee will be, and it may even have a burnt taste, while the lower the temperature, the more prominent the acidity and aroma, but if too low, it will also lead to under-extraction, reducing body and making the acidity very sharp. Therefore, selecting an appropriate water temperature to add the coffee grounds according to the coffee being extracted is crucial.

We can try both grounds addition methods, and even after accumulating some experience, we can choose different grounds addition methods according to different coffee bean characteristics or different extraction requirements.

Then stir the coffee grounds clockwise from outside to center for 10 seconds to ensure all coffee grounds are immersed in water; then start timing, after 45 seconds (this process is usually called blooming), use the stirring rod to stir the coffee liquid again in a clockwise/cross pattern for 5 seconds; after 50-55 seconds, turn off the heat, then quickly remove the alcohol lamp and extinguish the heat source, and the coffee liquid will start to flow back from the upper chamber to the lower chamber; then stir slightly, and wait for natural cooling to let the coffee from the upper chamber flow down.

Summary

Early Grounds Addition emphasizes high clarity, sufficient aroma with long persistence, and complete flavor presentation. However, it requires high mastery, and poor control can easily lead to under-extraction or over-extraction with large deviations.

Late Grounds Addition yields rich texture with full body and prominent mid-range flavors. The clarity is relatively weaker, and the aroma is not as prominent or uplifting. Temperature control is relatively important.

(The above is personal brewing experience sharing; you still need to practice and summarize more yourself)

Recommended Siphon Pot Coffee Bean Brands

FrontStreet Coffee's freshly roasted single-origin siphon pot coffee beans - such as Yirgacheffe and Mandheling coffee - have full guarantees in terms of brand and quality, suitable for brewing with various equipment. More importantly, they offer extremely high cost performance. A half-pound (227 grams) bag costs only about 70-90 yuan. Calculating based on 200ml per cup of single-origin coffee with a powder-to-water ratio of 1:15, one bag can make 15 cups of specialty coffee, with each cup costing only about 5-6 yuan. Compared to cafés that often sell for dozens of yuan per cup, this offers extremely high cost performance.

FrontStreet Coffee: A roastery in Guangzhou with a small storefront but diverse coffee bean varieties, where you can find various famous and lesser-known beans. They also provide online store services. https://shop104210103.taobao.com

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473