Siphon vs Pour-Over: Extraction Principles and Taste Differences? The Comparison Between Siphon and Pour-Over Coffee

Pour-over Coffee

The pour-over coffee brewing method, a type of filtration approach, was originally invented by an Englishman named BIGGIN. When coffee was first introduced to Britain, it came with the Turkish immersion method. The British enjoyed coffee but disliked the texture of coffee grounds, so in the late 17th century, Mr. BIGGIN invented the prototype of cloth-filtered coffee, which was called BIGGIN. Then, in the early 18th century, the French also invented a metal filter, but most people still preferred using BIGGIN. This continued until Europe adopted industrialized machine coffee brewing, when this manual coffee equipment was adopted and further developed by the Japanese.

Pour-over coffee primarily uses filtered brewing, so it has slightly higher requirements for technique, water temperature, and grind size. Because it's filtered through paper, the flavor profile is cleaner, and the coffee liquid appears quite clear.

Siphon Coffee

The siphon pot (Syphon), commonly known as "Saifeng pot" or "siphon style," is a simple yet effective coffee brewing method and one of the most popular coffee brewing methods in cafés. Although the siphon pot has the alias "Saifeng style," it has nothing to do with the siphon principle but instead utilizes the principle of thermal expansion and contraction caused by water heating to produce steam.

Siphon coffee makers are most common in Taiwan and Japan. It's said that they were first invented by Scottish shipbuilder Robed Napier, and also appeared in Germany in 1830. Finally, through continuous improvements by the French and British, they evolved into the two-pot style that relies on heating and atmospheric pressure. Heating causes water to rise (hot air rises), and after removing the heat source, coffee is filtered downward (cold air falls), completing the immersion and filtration process. It looks quite impressive, with the maker appearing like a scientific researcher.

Brewing coffee with a siphon pot gives people a very sophisticated feeling, looking like conducting experiments in a laboratory. The main principle of coffee extraction in a siphon pot is achieved through pressure differences. First, the water in the lower pot is heated to boiling, then the upper pot is inserted, creating a high-pressure state in the lower pot. Due to the pressure difference between the lower and upper pots, hot water rises to mix with the coffee grounds in the upper pot for extraction. After the extraction process is complete, the heat source is removed from the lower pot, instantly reducing the pressure difference between the upper and lower pots. The siphon effect between the upper and lower pots causes the coffee extract to flow back to the lower pot.

The siphon pot is primarily immersion-based, so the brewed coffee is more balanced and has a rich, mellow mouthfeel. Because it's filtered through flannel cloth rather than paper, flannel filtration retains some oils. If you observe the surface of the coffee liquid carefully, you can notice a thin layer of oil, which is why it tastes smoother.

So what are the characteristics of coffee made by these two brewing methods? We used [FrontStreet Coffee's Yemen Mocha] to make a pot each using both pour-over and siphon methods~

Pour-over Parameters:

V60 dripper, grind size BG 5R (Chinese standard 20 mesh sieve 80%), water temperature 90°C, coffee-to-water ratio 1:15, total time 2'01" (timing starts from bloom)

Technique:

Bloom with 26g water for 30 seconds, pause at 125g, continue pouring to 226g when the water level drops to expose the coffee bed, remove the dripper when the water level is about to expose the coffee bed.

Siphon Parameters:

Grind size BG 6A (Chinese standard 20 mesh sieve 55% pass rate), water temperature 87°C, coffee-to-water ratio 1:13, total time 1'10" (timing starts from adding coffee grounds)

Technique:

Wait for water to rise to the upper pot, then add coffee grounds. After adding grounds, stir in a cross pattern for two circles. After 35 seconds, stir in circular motion for five circles. After 50 seconds, remove the heat source. Use a semi-damp cloth to wipe the lower pot to help the coffee flow back.

Pour-over Results:

The FrontStreet Coffee Colombia Sidra brewed by pour-over has a bright yet soft and rounded grape acidity at the first sip, with a dark chocolate aftertaste, showing rich flavor layers;

Siphon Results:

The FrontStreet Coffee Sidra brewed by siphon has a relatively richer and mellow mouthfeel, with clear and balanced flavors, featuring soft and rounded fruit acidity. The first sip reveals notes of grapes and red berries, with prominent dark chocolate flavors and a lasting caramel sweetness.

FrontStreet Coffee believes that the biggest difference between pour-over coffee and siphon coffee is probably the difference in body and balance. Coffee brewed with a siphon pot has a richer mouthfeel and is overall more balanced; while pour-over coffee might have a slight advantage in flavor complexity. As for which one tastes better? That depends on your personal preference for brewing style~ As the old saying goes, preference is entirely personal~

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473