For many coffee lovers, syphon is the final frontier of manual brewing. Over 160 years old and still going strong, the syphon (also called siphon or vac pot) continues to enchant coffee connoisseurs. To some the syphon is reminiscent of an equipment in a chemistry lab, but to passionate patrons of this brewing method, its magic is akin to alchemy.
The syphon was invented in Germany in 1830s. The design and the materials used have evolved over time, but its sway on coffee lovers holds steady. It is a full immersion method of coffee brewing, where the dynamics of gravity and vapour pressure come together to produce the coffee. Syphon coffee brewing enjoys high popularity in countries like Japan, USA, Taiwan and France.
Brewing on the syphon is both a visual and sensory experience. Some find the equipment cumbersome to handle, while others revel in its intricacies. But the flavour nuances of the coffee brewed on it, makes it all worthwhile. Syphon coffee is a delicate, flavour-rich brew that can be enjoyed black or with a dash of milk or flavouring.
Steps to brewing on the syphon:
The Syphon comprises a bottom glass chamber which is filled with water and a top chamber with a filter and vacuum tube, both held in a frame. A heating source, in this case, this beautiful halogen burner, raises the temperature of the water in the bottom chamber until it begins to vaporise. The pressure of the vapour builds up till it pushes water into the top chamber. Coffee is added to the water in the top chamber and brewed to taste. When done, the syphon is pulled away from the burner. As the pressure drops, the coffee descends through the filter, collecting in the bottom chamber.
The Caffeine Baar recommends:
At our Experience Centre in Bangalore, syphon brewed coffee is immensely popular. Our baristas always encourage our customers to witness the coffee being brewed on the syphon and answer any questions they might have.
From The Caffeine Baar’s offerings of packaged coffee, we recommend our Pulp Sun Dried coffee, Carbonic Maceration and Pineapple Fermented coffee. For syphon brewing, medium grind size of coffee beans is used. Or pick the pour over or chemex grind size, as those too are suitable for syphon brewing.