The siphon pot is no longer common in mainstream coffee shops today, but its unique extraction method still attracts a group of loyal enthusiasts. When many people try to brew coffee with a siphon pot, they find that the resulting cup tastes weak and lacks complexity. The reasons behind this often involve multiple factors such as the timing of adding coffee grounds, grind size, coffee-to-water ratio, stirring technique, and the choice of heat source. Drawing on Front Street Coffee's hands-on experience, this article systematically covers the siphon pot's structure and principles, differences in filter materials, characteristics of heat sources, the debate over when to add coffee grounds, grinding parameters, coffee-to-water ratio, and stirring methods, along with a complete operating procedure to help readers consistently brew a rich and full-bodied siphon coffee at home.
\n\nFor more specialty coffee knowledge, welcome to follow our WeChat official account: Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee)\n\nBy today's standards, the siphon pot can be considered a coffee tool full of vintage charm. Nowadays, many coffee shops either no longer offer siphon coffee or only carry it as a specialty item rather than a main offering. However, for siphon coffee devotees, if you can't get it outside, you just make it yourself. In this article, Front Street Coffee attempts to discuss siphon coffee using the simplest possible language.\n\n-Siphon Pot Structure\n\nThe siphon pot roughly consists of three parts: the upper pot, the lower pot, and the stand. The stand connects to the lower pot, serving to secure and support it. The lower pot is approximately spherical, a shape that helps distribute heat evenly during heating. The upper pot is cylindrical, with a narrowed bottom that extends into a slender tube, and a rubber gasket fitted around the narrowed section.\n\nWhen the upper pot is inserted into the lower pot, the rubber gasket creates a seal. When heat is applied to the lower pot, the water generates steam from the heat, and the pressure inside the lower pot rises, pushing the water up into the upper pot. The upper pot is where the coffee grounds meet the water. When the heat source is removed, the pressure in the lower pot drops, and the coffee liquid flows back down into the lower pot, completing the siphon coffee extraction.\n\n
\n\n-Cloth Filter vs. Paper Filter\n\nNo one wants a mouthful of coffee grounds, so a filtering device is needed to intercept the coffee grounds. Common options include flannel cloth filters and circular paper filters. Flannel is a more traditional siphon filter material, with the advantage of retaining the oils in the coffee; the downside is that it is relatively cumbersome to use and clean.\n\nPaper filters are a newer filter material, characterized by more thorough filtration—even fine particles (including but not limited to oils) can be intercepted. If you are only brewing for yourself and don't brew coffee frequently, Front Street Coffee recommends choosing flannel, as it allows you to experience the flavors of siphon coffee more fully.\n\n
\n\n-Heat Source\n\nCurrently common heating methods include gas stoves, halogen lamps, and alcohol lamps. Both gas stoves and halogen lamps allow you to adjust the flame intensity, heat up quickly, and are stable—the only issue is the slightly higher cost. Alcohol lamps are low-cost, but the heat source is less stable and heating takes longer.\n\nFront Street Coffee believes that all of these heat sources can produce good coffee; the key is to make corresponding adjustments based on each one's heating characteristics. However, if conditions permit, it's still best to choose a gas stove or halogen lamp.\n\n
\n\n-Adding Coffee Grounds First vs. Adding Coffee Grounds Later\n\nThere are two different approaches regarding when to add coffee grounds during siphon brewing. The traditional school advocates adding grounds first. The other school believes that if grounds are added first, the water will come into contact with some of the coffee grounds as it rises, causing that portion of coffee to be "extracted prematurely," potentially resulting in uneven extraction and ultimately a weak-tasting cup. Therefore, they wait until all the water has risen into the upper pot before adding the grounds. This is quite similar to the timing debate in pour-over coffee about whether to pour water first or add coffee first.\n\nFront Street Coffee believes that for beginners, the method of adding grounds later is more reliable, with fewer uncertain variables than adding grounds first.\n\n
\n\n-Coffee Grind Size\n\nThe grind size for siphon coffee is slightly finer than for pour-over. According to Front Street Coffee's measurements, it's approximately 90% passing through a No. 20 sieve. If using the shop's EK43s grinder, the corresponding setting is 9; if using a C40 hand grinder, it corresponds to 20 clicks.\n\n
\n\n-Coffee-to-Water Ratio\n\nThe coffee-to-water ratio for siphon coffee is typically controlled between 1:10 and 1:12, with 1:12 being more commonly used. For home brewing of a single serving, you might refer to Front Street Coffee's commonly used parameters: 18 grams of coffee grounds, 200 milliliters of water.\n\n
\n\n-Stirring Methods\n\nThere are many stirring techniques, including the rotational stirring method, cross stirring method, Z-shaped stirring method, ∞-shaped stirring method, and the patting method, among others...\n\nFront Street Coffee recommends that beginners start with the patting technique, patting the coffee grounds layer along the trajectory shown in the diagram below. The stirring rod uses the center as a pivot point, with both ends moving back and forth in a staggered manner.\n\n
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\n\nThere is no single correct method—Front Street Coffee simply believes this technique is relatively easy to control and easy to pick up.\n\n-Determining When to Stop\n\nAs for when to turn off the heat for siphon coffee, some people like to judge by smelling the aroma, which requires a high level of personal skill and is also difficult to describe clearly in words. Therefore, Front Street Coffee recommends that beginners use a timer. If using the add-grounds-later method, start timing from when the grounds are added; if using the add-grounds-first method, start timing from when you are about to swing the stirring rod. The time to turn off the heat source is approximately between 50 and 70 seconds.\n\n
\n\n-Specific Operating Procedure\n\nUsing Front Street Coffee's usual brewing process as an example\n\n
\n\n1. Pour in 200 milliliters of hot water, wipe the lower pot dry, and turn on the heat source.\n\n
\n\n2. Insert the upper pot into the lower pot at an angle, making sure the anti-explosion bead touches the bottom of the lower pot.\n\n
\n\n3. When continuous small water droplets appear in the lower pot, straighten the upper pot and press it firmly. Wait for the water in the lower pot to be drawn up into the upper pot.\n\n
\n\n4. Add the coffee grounds and start timing. In the first stage, use the stirring rod to pat all the coffee grounds down into the water so they absorb water evenly.\n\n
\n\n5. In the second stage, at 25 seconds, stir using the method recommended by Front Street Coffee, so that the coffee clearly separates into three layers: coffee liquid, coffee grounds, and coffee foam.\n\n
\n\n6. In the final stage, at 50 seconds, stir in the same direction. At 60 seconds, remove the heat source and wait for the coffee liquid to flow back down.\n\n
\n\nThe siphon coffee brewed this way has a rich aroma. Although it is not as clear and clean as pour-over coffee, the oils floating on the surface add a great deal of body and richness.\n\n
\n\nIn Front Street Coffee's view, compared to pour-over coffee, the siphon pot is clearly more cumbersome to operate. First, you need to set up a heat source before brewing, you cannot be distracted during the entire extraction process, and after brewing you need to clean up promptly, washing the flannel used for filtering the grounds. In a shop with high output volume, siphon pot production would only be more troublesome.
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
