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Siphon

Siphon

    The most delicious theatrics in all of coffee

    Siphon coffee was invented in the 1840s more or less simultaneously by a French housewife and Scottish marine engineer. It’s been refined many times, but a few principles hold true: It produces a delicate, tea-like cup of coffee; it can be quite persnickety; and it is, for our money, one of the coolest brew methods available.

    WHAT YOU'LL NEED

    Coffee
    Grinder
    Scale
    Siphon set
    Thermometer
    Timer

    BREW TIME

    2 - 2½ minutes



    Coffee bean icon

    COFFEE AMOUNT

    20-25 grams

    Grinder icon

    GRIND SIZE

    Sea Salt

    Water temp icon

    WATER AMT & TEMP

    300 grams
    185-195°

    Clock icon

    BREW TIME

    2 - 2½ minutes

    Step One

    Prepare the filter

    After soaking your filter in a warm water bath for at least five minutes, drop it into the bottom of your siphon’s top component, or “hopper,” and hook to the bottom of the hopper’s glass tubing.

    A filter being inserted into the siphon

    Step Two

    Fill your siphon’s bottom component, or “bulb,” with 300 grams of hot water (12-oz).


    A kettle pouring water into a siphon

    Step Three

    Insert the hopper, filter and all, into the bulb.

    You don't have to press too hard; just make sure it's securely and evenly in place. Position the entire assembly above your heat source.

    Siphon

    Step Four

    Weigh and grind your coffee

    While the water is heating, measure out between 20-25 grams of coffee and grind it just little bit finer than you would for regular drip coffee.

    Ground coffee

    Step Five

    The water in the bulb will begin boiling and rise up into the hopper.

    For some physics-related reason we don’t fully understand, a little bit will stay in the bottom. Don’t worry about this little bit.

    Siphon

    Step Six

    Once the water has moved into the hopper, turn your heat down so that the water is between 185-195°.

    Siphon with a thermometer inserted into the water.

    Step Seven

    Add your coffee, and gently (but thoroughly) submerge it with a bamboo paddle or butter knife.

    Ground coffee being added to the top chamber of the siphon.

    Step Eight

    Let the coffee brew, undisturbed, for one minute and 10 seconds.

    Siphon brewing

    Step Nine

    In one brisk motion, remove your siphon from the heat and give it ten stirs with a bamboo paddle.

    Coffee in the top chamber of a siphon being stirred.

    Step Ten

    Your coffee should take another minute or so to draw downward and finally rest in the bulb.

    You'll know it's ready when a dome of grounds has formed at the top of the filter, and when the coffee at the bottom has begun to bubble at approximately the pace and strength of a kitten’s heartbeat.

    Remove the hopper and serve. In order to guarantee the most complex cup, give the coffee a few minutes to cool.

    Siphon brewed coffee being poured into a glass mug.