The siphon pot is a coffee brewing device full of vintage charm. Although it is rarely seen in cafés nowadays, a loyal group of enthusiasts still insist on using it to make coffee. This article will start with the structure and principle of the siphon pot, then introduce the choice between cloth filters and paper filters, a comparison of heat sources, recommended coffee beans, as well as the order of adding coffee grounds, grind setting, coffee-to-water ratio, stirring method, and how to judge when to turn off the heat. The article also includes Front Street's usual complete operating procedure to help beginners get started quickly and make a cup of siphon coffee with rich aroma and a full-bodied taste.

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From today's perspective, the siphon pot can be regarded as a coffee device with quite a bit of history. Many coffee shops no longer offer siphon coffee, or treat it only as a specialty item rather than a main offering. However, for people who like siphon coffee, if they can't drink it outside, they just make it themselves. In this article, Front Street will try to use plain language to talk about siphon coffee.

-The structure of the siphon pot

The siphon pot is roughly composed of three parts: the upper pot, the lower pot, and the stand. The stand is connected to the lower pot and serves to secure and support it. The lower pot is shaped close to a sphere, and this design allows heat to be distributed more evenly during heating. The upper pot is cylindrical, with a narrowed bottom that extends into a slender tube, and a rubber gasket is installed at the narrowed position.

When the upper pot is placed above the lower pot, the rubber gasket forms a seal. At this point, when the lower pot is heated, the water produces steam after being heated, the pressure inside the lower pot increases, and the water is pushed up into the upper pot. The upper pot is exactly the area where the coffee grounds and water come into contact. When the heat source is removed, the coffee liquid flows back into the lower pot, and the extraction of siphon coffee is thus completed.

-Cloth filter and paper filter

No one wants a mouthful of grounds when drinking coffee, so a filtering material is needed to intercept the coffee grounds. The two most common choices are flannel cloth filters and round paper filters. Flannel is a relatively traditional siphon filter material. Its advantage is that it can retain the oils in the coffee, while its drawback is that use and cleaning are relatively troublesome. Paper filters are a newer filtering material, characterized by a cleaner filtration effect, able to block even some fine substances (including but not limited to oils). If you are just drinking it yourself and do not brew coffee very often, Front Street suggests choosing flannel, so you can experience the flavor of siphon coffee more completely.

-Heat source

Currently common heating methods include gas stoves, light-wave stoves, and alcohol lamps. Both gas stoves and light-wave stoves can adjust the flame intensity, heat up quickly and stably, and their only drawback is slightly higher cost. Alcohol lamps are cheap, but the heat source is not stable enough, and heating takes longer. Front Street believes that all these heat sources can make good coffee, and the key is to make corresponding adjustments according to their respective heating characteristics. However, if conditions permit, it is still preferable to choose a gas stove or light-wave stove.

-What coffee beans are suitable for the siphon pot

Because the extraction time of the siphon pot is relatively short, if you want the coffee to present a good taste, in addition to increasing the extraction yield by adjusting to a finer grind, you also need to put some thought into the choice of coffee beans. For making siphon coffee, it is recommended to use Front Street Sidra, Front Street Strawberry Candy, Front Street Mozart, and Front Street Little Tomato. These single-origin coffees can all display a full flavor when extracted in a siphon pot.

-Adding coffee grounds first vs. adding coffee grounds later

Regarding the timing of adding coffee grounds in siphon brewing, there are two different practices. The traditional camp advocates adding the grounds first. The other camp believes that when the grounds are added first, the water comes into contact with some of the coffee grounds during the rising process, causing part of the coffee to be "extracted early," which may lead to uneven extraction and ultimately a bland-tasting coffee, so one should wait until all the water has risen into the upper pot before adding the grounds. This is similar to the debate in pour-over coffee over whether to start timing before pouring water or after pouring water. Front Street believes that for beginners, the method of adding the grounds later is more reliable, with fewer uncertain factors than adding the grounds first.

-Coffee grind level

The grind for siphon coffee should be finer than for pour-over. According to Front Street's measurements, the grind level is about 90% passing through a No. 20 sieve. If using the EK43s grinder used in stores, the corresponding setting is 9; if using the C40 hand grinder, the corresponding setting is 20.

-Coffee-to-water ratio

The coffee-to-water ratio for siphon coffee is usually controlled between 1:10 and 1:12, with 1:12 being more commonly used. If brewing a single serving at home, you may refer to the parameters commonly used by Front Street: 18 grams of coffee grounds with 200 milliliters of water.

-Stirring method

There are many kinds of stirring techniques, including the rotational stirring method, the cross stirring method, the Z-shaped stirring method, the ∞-shaped stirring method, and the tapping method, etc.… Front Street suggests that beginners first use the tapping technique, tapping the coffee grounds layer along the trajectory shown in the figure below. The stirring rod uses the center as a pivot, and both ends move back and forth while remaining offset.

There is not only one method, but Front Street believes this method is relatively easy to control and quick to learn.

-Time to determine the end

When should the heat be turned off for siphon coffee? Some people like to judge by smelling the coffee aroma, which places high demands on personal basic skills and is also hard to describe clearly in words. Therefore, Front Street recommends that beginners use timing. If adding the grounds later, start timing from the moment the grounds are added; if adding the grounds first, start timing from the moment you prepare to swing the stirring rod. The time to turn off the heat source is about 50 to 70 seconds.

-Specific operation method

Taking the brewing process customary at Front Street as an example

1. Pour in 200 milliliters of hot water, wipe the lower pot dry, and turn on the heat source.

2. Insert the upper pot diagonally into the lower pot, and the explosion-proof bead should touch the bottom of the lower pot.

3. When continuous small water droplets appear in the lower pot, set the upper pot upright and press it tight. Wait for the water in the lower pot to be drawn up into the upper pot.

4. Pour in the coffee grounds and start timing. In the first stage, use the stirring rod in a tapping manner to press all the coffee grounds into the water so they absorb water evenly.

5. The second stage begins at 25 seconds. Stir using the stirring method recommended by Front Street, so that the coffee clearly separates into three layers: coffee liquid, coffee grounds, and coffee foam.

6. The final stage begins at 50 seconds, stirring in the same direction. At 60 seconds, remove the heat source and wait for the coffee liquid to fall back.

The siphon coffee made this way has a very rich aroma. Although it is not as clear and clean as pour-over coffee, the oils floating on the surface add quite a bit of body to it.

In Front Street's view, compared with pour-over coffee, the operation of a siphon pot is obviously more cumbersome. First, a heat source needs to be prepared before brewing, and the entire extraction process does not allow for distraction. After brewing the coffee, it must also be cleaned promptly, washing the flannel used to filter the grounds. If it were placed in a shop with a large volume of orders, siphon pot production would only be even more troublesome.

The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.