What Coffee Beans Are Best for Siphon Brewing_Siphon Coffee Brewing Video Tutorial_How Much Does Siphon Coffee Cost

Professional Coffee Knowledge Exchange

For more coffee bean information, please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat official account: cafe_style)

History of Siphon Coffee

In 1840, a laboratory glass tube triggered the invention of the siphon coffee maker. An Englishman named Nabi created the first vacuum coffee maker using laboratory test tubes as a blueprint. Two years later, Madame Bachin from France improved upon it, giving birth to the familiar up-and-down convection siphon pot we know today. The siphon coffee maker remained in France for a long time without gaining widespread popularity. It wasn't until the mid-20th century, when it was introduced to Denmark and Japan, that it began to gain popularity.

The Japanese approached coffee brewing with meticulous precision, carefully analyzing the complex relationships between coffee grind size, water, and time, developing a standardized coffee brewing method. Meanwhile, the aesthetically-minded Danes focused on functional design. In the mid-1950s, Peter Bodum, who imported siphon pots from France, found French-made pots expensive and inconvenient to use. He collaborated with architect Kaas Klaeson to develop Bodum's first stylish siphon pot, which was marketed under the name "Santos."

Main Components of a Siphon Pot

1. Upper chamber (for holding coffee grounds and mixing/extraction)
2. Lower chamber (for holding water and coffee extract)
3. Lower chamber stand
4. Upper chamber lid
5. Filter cloth (for filtering)
6. Alcohol lamp (for heating)
7. Alcohol lamp protective cover
8. Coffee scoop/stirring rod

Working Principle of Siphon Pot

The main principle of siphon coffee extraction 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 coffee grounds in the upper chamber for extraction. After the extraction process is complete, the heat source is removed from the lower chamber, instantly reducing the pressure difference between the upper and lower chambers. The gravitational force between the chambers causes the coffee extract to flow back to the lower chamber. To speed up the return flow of coffee extract, you can wipe the lower chamber with a damp cloth, which further reduces the pressure difference and accelerates the return flow.

Finally, here's a tutorial video on siphon brewing for your reference:

Siphon Pot Measurement Standards

1. Water Measurement Standards for Lower Chamber

Siphon pots generally come in 2-person, 3-person, and 5-person sizes. The 2-person size represents 2 cups, with each cup standard being 120ml, with a maximum capacity of 240ml. The 3-person size represents 3 cups, each cup standard being 120ml, with a maximum capacity of 360ml. The 5-person size represents 5 cups, each cup standard being 120ml, with a maximum capacity of 600ml. The markings on the siphon pot represent capacity - if it shows N markings, the water capacity is N × 120ml.

2. Coffee Bean Measurement Standards

Generally, brewing one cup of coffee (120ml/cup) with a siphon pot requires about 15g of coffee grounds. The corresponding coffee scoop for siphon pots is typically 10g per scoop, meaning one cup of coffee requires 1.5 scoops of coffee grounds. For multiple cups, add the corresponding amount of coffee grounds. For example, for two cups of coffee, typically add 3 scoops of coffee grounds, which is 30g of coffee grounds.

3. Summary

One cup of coffee requires 120ml of water and 15g of coffee grounds. Two cups of coffee require 240ml of water and 30g of coffee grounds. Of course, you can increase or decrease the amount of coffee grounds per cup according to personal taste, with the general range being between 10-20g.

Siphon Pot Demonstration

First, let me introduce the key points for selecting a siphon pot and necessary consumables:

Siphon pots on the market are generally divided into three categories: domestic, Taiwanese, and Japanese, with prices increasing accordingly. There are too many domestic brands to introduce here. Taiwanese brands include YAMI, while the more well-known Japanese brand is HARIO.

When selecting a siphon pot, pay attention to the glass material - choose one that is heat-resistant and can handle temperature differences. Secondly, consider capacity based on your needs. Siphon pots generally come in 2-person, 3-person, and 5-person sizes. Prices range from 100-200 yuan.

Most standard-priced siphon coffee makers come with an included alcohol lamp (as shown in the left image below), while some people purchase additional gas stoves (as shown in the right image below). Alcohol lamps cost about 10-20 yuan on Taobao, while gas stoves cost 80-100 yuan. Alcohol is relatively convenient to purchase and inexpensive, available at pharmacies. It's important to choose high-purity alcohol, 95% purity is sufficient.

When purchasing a siphon coffee maker, you should also buy an hourglass or kitchen timer, though using your phone's timer works too. Siphon pots have strict timing requirements for coffee brewing - exceeding or falling short of the time will affect the coffee's flavor. The siphon brewing process takes 50-60 seconds, with specialty flavored coffees needing 1 minute. You'll also need a stirring rod, which is usually included with the purchase. It's best to buy extra filter cloths (as shown in the image below). Filter cloths are made of thick cotton material and will yellow with regular use or mold if stored improperly, so they need frequent replacement to maintain filter cleanliness. You can prepare one or two extra sets, generally priced under 20 yuan for a pack of 10.

When assembled, the siphon pot looks like this - reminds you of chemistry class in school, doesn't it?

Siphon Coffee Brewing Methods

There are many ways to brew coffee with a siphon pot, and currently, no person or organization has established written regulations for the best or most standard method. The brewing process below is my personal method and may not be 100% correct, so please "senior coffee enthusiasts" refrain from criticism. However, I welcome you to share your methods in the comments. Now, let's begin the coffee brewing process:

1. Step 1: First, add cold water to the lower chamber of the siphon pot, preferably purified water. Then wipe the bottom and surface of the pot dry to prevent cracking during heating.
2. Step 2: Place the filter cloth in the upper chamber, pull out the small metal hook at the bottom of the filter cloth to hook onto the tube opening, then place the upper chamber on the lower chamber. Note: don't insert it vertically - place it at an angle.
3. Step 3: Add coffee grounds to the upper chamber according to the number of cups you plan to brew (refer to the siphon pot coffee grounds measurement standards).
4. Step 4: Light the alcohol lamp and place it under the lower chamber. It's best to adjust the alcohol cotton height before lighting to ensure you're using the outer flame for heating. Observe the lower chamber - when you see many large bubbles (indicating it's about to boil), insert the upper chamber vertically and secure it firmly.
5. Step 5: When the water is completely boiling, straighten the upper chamber so it inserts vertically into the lower chamber, ensuring a seamless connection between them. Due to temperature and pressure in the lower chamber, hot water will rise until over 95% of the water enters the upper chamber (the siphon pot's lower chamber will always retain some residual water). Maintain the alcohol lamp's heating state unchanged. At this point, you can slightly adjust the heating focus of the alcohol lamp to slightly deviate from the bottom of the siphon pot's lower chamber (mainly to prevent overheating, which could cause the glass to crack due to lack of water in the lower chamber).
6. Step 6: Coffee extraction: The entire cycle from mixing to completion of extraction and return flow should be within 1 minute. When more than 1/3 of the water from the lower chamber has entered the upper chamber, you can slightly move the flame away to reduce the heat, then stir the coffee grounds clockwise from outside to center. This process should last 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 counterclockwise for 5 seconds.
7. Step 7: After 55 seconds, turn off the heat, then quickly remove the alcohol lamp and extinguish the flame. The coffee liquid will begin to flow back from the upper chamber to the lower chamber. Stir gently again, then allow natural cooling for the coffee to flow down from the upper chamber.
8. Alternatively, during the coffee return flow process, wiping the lower chamber of the siphon pot with a damp cloth can accelerate cooling of the lower chamber, reduce its temperature and pressure, and speed up the return flow of coffee liquid from the upper chamber to the lower chamber.
9. Step 8: Remove the upper chamber. When removing, don't pull it straight up - it won't come out that way. Instead, rotate slightly and shake gently from side to side to loosen it for easy removal.

Finally, there's much to learn about siphon pots - enough to fill an entire article with experience, which I'll share after accumulating more experience. As you can clearly see, the advantages and disadvantages of siphon pots are quite clear. The advantage is that the coffee brewing process is full of fun, and this method can beautifully showcase the flavors of specialty coffee beans. The disadvantages are obvious: the process is somewhat complex with many details to consider, and it's not convenient to clean.

Siphon Pot Coffee Bean Brand Recommendations

FrontStreet Coffee's freshly roasted single-origin siphon coffee beans - such as Yirgacheffe and Mandheling - offer full guarantees in both brand and quality, suitable for various brewing methods. More importantly, they offer extremely high value for money. A half-pound (227g) bag costs only about 70-90 yuan. Calculating at 200ml per cup of single-origin coffee with a 1:15 coffee-to-water ratio, one bag can make 15 cups of specialty coffee, with each cup costing only about 5-6 yuan. Compared to cafe prices that often run dozens of yuan per cup, this represents excellent value.

FrontStreet Coffee: A Guangzhou-based roastery with a small shop but diverse bean varieties, where you can find both 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