The Siphon is praised as being one of the best methods for brewing coffee. Although it requires slightly more maintenance, the process is enjoyable and the final cup is incredible. With the typical cloth filters, all the oils will pass through and be in the final cup, but not a single micro-ground will, resulting in an extremely flavorful and clean cup. There’s no method of brewing that looks like siphon brewing. It’s gorgeous, classy, and will make you appear like a genius. Siphons tend to be pricey, but are well worth the cost if you can bear it. For this guide, I’ll be using a
Hario Bonmac 3-Cup brewer and a
Yama Butane Micro Burner.
Guide:
1. Make sure that your brewing location is free of any fire hazards, as the siphon requires an open flame to brew.
2. Begin boiling water in a kettle. This will save you gas and take less time.
3. Weight out 23 grams of coffee and grind them medium.
4. Assemble the filter and place it in the upper glass piece. Then pull on the chain and hook the filter into place.
5. After the water has boiled, pour 300 grams into the lower glass piece. Now set the upper piece in place and gently press down to create a seal between the two pieces.
6. Before you turn on the burner, wipe down the lower glass piece to ensure that no water is on the outside of the glass.
7. Turn on the burner so that the water boils again. After a moment, it will raise through the glass tube and settle in the upper chamber. A small amount of water will stay in the bottom chamber. That’s okay. Now turn down the heat so that it doesn’t waste butane but keeps the water in the upper chamber.
8. Throw your 23 grams of coffee grounds in and start a timer for 1 minute.
9. Using a non-metal spoon, stir the coffee a couple times to saturate all the grounds. Most siphons now come with wooden stirrers that do the job wonderfully.
10. After 1 minute has passed, turn off the burner and remove it from being under the glass. Stir again to re-saturate the grounds.
11. Now just watch in awe as the final product drops down through the filter and glass tube into the bottom chamber. It should finish draining by 1:45.
12. From here I usually wash out the upper chamber and the filter while I wait for the coffee to cool.
13. To store your cloth filter, simply place it in a small amount of water within a container and set it in the fridge until next time.
14. Go back to the coffee in the bottom glass piece.
15. Pour, enjoy.
Minimal:
1. Initial Stir
2. Remove heat and stir at 1
3. Finish draining by 1:45
Variations:
1. Feel free to place the lid on the upper glass piece to preserve a bit more heat.
2. Stirring can impact the final cup. Try different amounts of stirring and see how it changes the flavors.
3. For two people, I use 30 grams of coffee to 250 grams of water, then brew for 1:15 before dropping. The final coffee will be more concentrated than normal and can be diluted and shared.
Common Problems:
1. If your coffee is too bitter, adjust the grind – it may be too fine. Also try decreasing the brew time. Siphons brew very quickly.
2. Don’t burn yourself.
More on the Siphon:
The History of the Siphon Pot