Making Coffee with Coffee Brewers - Siphon Coffee Brewing Process

FrontStreet Coffee's Guide to Siphon Coffee Brewing

For more premium coffee knowledge, please follow our official WeChat account: FrontStreet Coffee

Don't worry about what others say—as long as it works for you, is convenient to brew, and brings you joy, that's the most suitable coffee brewing method for you. Some people love using convenient and fast American-style coffee makers, others prefer the romantic elegance of siphon coffee, some are fond of the simplicity and purity of French press, the Italian style of moka pots, or the flavor of pour-over coffee... Regardless, what works for others may not be best for you. Choosing the most suitable and favorite coffee brewing method is the primary condition for enjoying the fun of DIY coffee brewing. Now, please follow FrontStreet Coffee as we explore the world of siphon brewers:

What is a Siphon Brewer?

The English name for a siphon brewer is "SIPHON," also called a siphon pot. It uses the thermal expansion and contraction caused by water vapor produced when water is heated to push hot water from the lower pot into the upper chamber to mix with coffee grounds. When the temperature decreases, the water flows back to the lower pot through the vacuum tube, resulting in coffee liquid.

The History of Siphon Brewing

Regarding the origin of siphon brewers, we can trace back to the early 19th century, nearly a hundred years earlier than pour-over coffee. According to relevant records, in 1826, German physicist Johann Norremberg invented the siphon brewer using laboratory equipment. His original intention was to demonstrate the power of steam to students, so he did not apply for a patent, and his design did not become popular. It wasn't until the mid-19th century that this device was improved by French inventor Marie Fanny Amelne Massot, and the convection-style siphon brewer was born. She obtained relevant patents in 1842, allowing this device to enter the market for sale.

Around the same period, Scottish engineer Robert Napier designed his Napier Coffee Pot, which also used vacuum principles to brew coffee. Although it won an award from the Institution of Mechanical Engineers in 1856, Napier never patented it. Since then, similar vacuum brewing devices began to spread across Europe and were introduced to America and other regions. However, due to the later emergence of automatic drip coffee, the use of siphon brewers gradually decreased in America.

Siphon Coffee in Modern Times

Although pour-over coffee and siphon brewers entered domestic specialty coffee shops around the same time, it's not difficult to find that there's a huge gap in their frequency of appearance. In other words, siphon coffee has been replaced by pour-over coffee and become one of the mainstream brewing methods today. For this nostalgic piece of equipment, even friends who regularly drink coffee may not have seen it in person.

Siphon Brewer Usage and Key Details

In most people's impressions, siphon brewers always carry a mysterious aura, mostly due to their high technical requirements for operating complex procedures and lengthy time, making their appearances few and far between, creating a sense of mystery. Today, FrontStreet Coffee brings out the siphon brewer again to share the brewing method and principles with everyone!

Siphon Brewer Introduction

The name "siphon brewer" comes from the siphon principle it employs, achieving extraction through pressure differences caused by temperature changes! The English name for a siphon brewer is "SIPHON," also called a siphon pot. It uses the thermal expansion and contraction caused by water vapor produced when water is heated to push hot water from the lower pot into the upper chamber to mix with coffee grounds. When the temperature decreases, the water flows back to the lower pot through the vacuum tube, resulting in coffee liquid.

Friends who have drunk siphon coffee know that the difference between siphon coffee and pour-over coffee is quite significant, both in terms of mouthfeel and taste. Pour-over coffee tastes cleaner, with more distinct layers and more prominent flavors; while siphon coffee has a richer mouthfeel, more intense aroma, and more substantial texture.

Therefore, to highlight this characteristic, FrontStreet Coffee recommends using medium-roasted coffee beans such as FrontStreet Coffee's Huelan, FrontStreet Coffee's Paradise Bird, FrontStreet Coffee's Diamond Mountain, and FrontStreet Coffee's Queen's Estate for siphon brewing. These can make coffee simultaneously possess nutty aroma and rich body.

Siphon Brewer Structure

Siphon brewer construction: The structure of a siphon brewer is divided into: upper pot, lower pot, and stand. The stand mainly serves to stabilize the lower pot, keeping it in an elevated state. The lower pot is roughly spherical, mainly to ensure even heating during warming; while the upper pot is cylindrical with a tapered bottom, extending a slender tube. The tube gets narrower as it goes down, with gasket treatment at the junction for sealing.

Filter System

If you don't want to get a mouthful of coffee grounds, we need equipment to filter them during brewing! The siphon brewer's filter consists of a circular iron piece connected to a spring chain. Before use, the iron piece is wrapped with filter material, most commonly specially shaped flannel filter cloth! After the shrinkage of both sides' thread, the filter cloth will wrap around the iron piece (remember to tie it after tightening and trim excess thread), forming a complete filter system placed inside the upper pot.

Heat Source

The heat source for siphon brewers is not restricted—you can use open-flame gas stoves, safe halogen cookers, or alcohol lamps with a scientific touch. It all depends on what you want to use—the result is the same heating effect!

Coffee Grind Size

FrontStreet Coffee has already calculated the grind level for siphon coffee—it should be slightly finer than pour-over, with a 90% pass-through rate on a #20 sieve. (Regular pour-over typically uses 80-85% pass-through rate)

Coffee-to-Water Ratio

The usual coffee-to-water ratio for siphon coffee is between 1:10 to 1:12. Many people prefer to use the 1:12 ratio, while FrontStreet Coffee's standard parameter is 1:11, using 20g of coffee grounds with 220ml of water for brewing.

When to Add Coffee Grounds

The timing of adding coffee grounds is a controversial topic in siphon brewing: add grounds first, or wait until all water has risen from the lower pot before adding? Traditionalists chose the former, believing adding grounds first results in fuller flavor; but most people believe adding grounds first can easily lead to uneven extraction, as the rising water will first contact the small amount of grounds at the bottle's bottom, causing this small portion to start extracting before stirring begins when the rise is complete. Therefore, many people choose to add grounds after the water level has completely risen. FrontStreet Coffee believes that beginners should choose the latter method, as it can reduce unstable factors.

Stirring Method

There will be three stirs throughout the process: when coffee grounds enter the water, halfway through the steeping time, and before turning off the heat at the end. There are many stirring methods: cross-stirring, Z-stirring, infinity-stirring, rotational stirring, patting method, and more! The method is not unique, but for beginners who haven't mastered much stirring experience, FrontStreet Coffee recommends using the patting method! It's easy to control and easy to learn—you can pat the coffee ground layer along the trajectory shown in the example below, with the stirring rod pivoted at the center, moving back and forth with misaligned ends.

Determining When to Finish

Regarding when to turn off the heat for siphon coffee, some people like to judge by the aroma produced, but this tests one's fundamental skills too much, so FrontStreet Coffee recommends beginners use timing. If adding grounds first, start timing when you begin stirring; if adding grounds later, start timing when adding grounds. The time to turn off the heat source should be around 50-70 seconds.

Practical Session

Prepare Tools:

Siphon brewer, coffee beans, alcohol lamp (other heat sources are fine), hot water, dry cloth

Step 1:

Set up the alcohol lamp and lower pot, and install the upper pot filter cloth hook in advance (place the filter device in the upper pot, pull the hook from below the tube and hang it on the tube's end)

Step 2:

Pour in 220ml of hot water.

Step 3:

Wipe dry the lower pot and turn on the heat source (wiping dry the lower pot prevents it from cracking during heating)

Step 4:

Insert the upper pot diagonally into the lower pot, with the explosion-proof ball touching the bottom of the lower pot

Step 5:

When the lower pot starts boiling and water droplets appear, straighten and press down the upper pot, waiting for the water from the lower pot to be drawn into the upper pot.

Step 6:

When the upper pot stops drawing water, add coffee grounds and start timing. Use the patting method for the first segment to press coffee grounds into the water, beginning even extraction.

Step 7:

At 25 seconds, begin using FrontStreet Coffee's recommended stirring method to shake evenly, allowing the coffee to clearly separate into three layers: coffee foam, coffee liquid, and coffee grounds.

Step 8:

Finally, at 50 seconds, stir clockwise, and when reaching 60 seconds, remove the heat source and wait for the coffee liquid to flow back to the lower pot. (After removing the heat source, wiping the lower pot with a dry cloth can speed up the return time)

And there you have it—siphon coffee is ready! Compared to clean and clear pour-over coffee, the siphon brewing method produces a richer mouthfeel! No matter what method people use for brewing, it all points to being able to drink a cup of coffee that makes them feel comfortable and at ease. Good coffee is that simple, and that pure.

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473