Siphon Brewing: Characteristics of Siphon Coffee and Principles & Techniques for Brewing

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

A siphon pot is a coffee brewing device that resembles laboratory equipment but has a performative quality. Although the brewing process takes longer, it yields a cup of coffee with bright, clean flavor! FrontStreet Coffee has conducted many brewing experiments previously, including comparative articles on siphon brewing, mentioning many key points of siphon coffee brewing. However, since it's not a mainstream coffee brewing method, some points weren't mentioned. Therefore, FrontStreet Coffee wants to share another article about siphon coffee brewing today, detailing the key points of siphon brewing!

Siphon Pot: A Brewing Device Based on Scientific Principles

How does a siphon pot work? When water in the lower chamber is heated, gas begins to escape, creating a vacuum state that causes water to rise to the upper chamber. When the heat source at the bottom is extinguished, the air begins to cool, causing the coffee to return to the lower chamber. Although it sounds complex, operating it once isn't that difficult (of course, making siphon coffee taste good consistently is very challenging).

What Kind of Coffee Can a Siphon Pot Brew?

This method combines immersion brewing (like French press) and drip brewing (such as V60), producing a coffee that is both rich and clear in texture. The siphon pot is excellent for showcasing coffee quality, and its balance of flavor and texture makes siphon coffee so unique.

How Does FrontStreet Coffee Use a Siphon Pot to Brew Coffee?

Taking FrontStreet Coffee's Costa Rica Piedras Negras Honey as an example:

Coffee Information:

• Estate: Piedras Estate
• Grade: SHB
• Processing: Black Honey
• Altitude: 1700-1800m
• Varieties: Caturra, Catuai
• Flavor Notes: Fermented wine aroma, citrus, almond, hazelnut, cream

FrontStreet Coffee's brewing parameters: 15g coffee, water temperature 90°C, coffee-to-water ratio 1:15, medium grind (BG 6L: 80% pass rate through China standard #20 sieve)

First, boil water and clean the filter. Place it at the bottom of the upper chamber and hook the filter onto the bottom of the glass tube. Add 225ml of boiling water to the lower chamber and turn on the heat source. Place the upper chamber above the lower chamber. When water begins to rise from the lower to the upper chamber, grind 15g of coffee beans, using a medium-fine grind slightly finer than pour-over for brewing.

Once all the water has risen to the upper chamber, reduce the heat source as much as possible without causing the water to drop. Stir a few times to cool the water in the upper chamber (ideal temperature between 90-96°C). Add coffee to the water in the upper chamber and start timing, using a stir stick or spoon to stir the coffee grounds, using minimal turbulence to wet all coffee grounds.

Let the coffee brewing process continue undisturbed for about 90 seconds (time varies depending on brewing recipe, may be shorter), then turn off and remove the heat source, stirring the coffee a few more times. When the coffee in the upper chamber begins to cool, it will start flowing to the lower chamber, which may take several tens of seconds. When the descent process is complete, the coffee in the lower chamber will bubble due to air drawn in by the remaining coffee.

Remove the glass upper chamber and let the coffee cool (coffee brewed with a siphon pot is typically quite hot). Some people use a Chemex for assistance at this point. Finally, don't forget to clean the upper chamber and maintain the filter. If using a cloth filter, it needs to be boiled in hot water, cooled, and stored in the refrigerator to prevent residual odors and keep the filter from drying out and becoming brittle.

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473