How to brew siphon coffee

The siphon was invented in 1830s Germany, refined in 1840s France, and developed further in Japan in the mid-20th century, where it remains the brew method of choice in Tokyo's most serious specialty coffee shops. Walk into any kissaten in Japan and you'll likely see siphons on the bar.

The siphon brews by vapor pressure: water in a lower glass chamber heats up, expands, and forces itself through a filter into an upper chamber where the coffee steeps. When you remove the heat, the upper chamber cools, creating a vacuum that pulls the brewed coffee back down through the filter, leaving the grounds behind.

What you need (and the honest commitment)

• A siphon brewer (Hario Next 5 or Yama 5-cup, $80 to $150)
• Cloth filter (most siphons use these; replace every 30 to 40 brews) or a metal filter
• A heat source: butane burner (best), alcohol burner (slower), or halogen lamp ($200 and up)
• 30g of coffee, ground medium
• 400g of water
• A bamboo paddle or wooden stirring tool
• About 8 minutes per brew, every brew

This is the brew method with the highest equipment investment of the ten in this guide. You're buying it because the ritual matters to you, not because the coffee is dramatically better than a V60. The coffee is great: clean, vibrant, with a unique mouthfeel. But the experience is a real part of the appeal.

The recipe

• Coffee: 30g
• Grind: medium
• Water: 400g
• Steep: 60 to 90 seconds
• Total time: about 7 to 8 minutes

Step by step

1. If using a cloth filter, soak it in hot water for a minute to soften it. Place it in the upper chamber and hook the chain through the filter's hole and onto the glass tube. Get it tight or water will escape around the filter.
2. Pour 400g of hot water into the bottom globe. Light your heat source under it.
3. Once the lower chamber is fully heated and bubbling, insert the upper chamber. Make sure it's seated firmly. Water will start rising through the tube.
4. Once most of the water has moved to the upper chamber (about 20 to 30 seconds), add your 30g of coffee. Stir gently with the paddle, about 5 turns. This ensures even saturation.
5. Let the coffee brew in the upper chamber for 60 to 90 seconds. The mixture should be gently turbulent.
6. At the 60 to 90 second mark, give one final gentle stir. Remove the heat source.
7. As the lower chamber cools, it creates a vacuum and pulls the brewed coffee back down through the filter. The grounds stay above; the brewed coffee descends below. Watching this happen is a real part of why people do this.
8. Remove the upper chamber (it's hot; handle by the wood). Pour from the lower globe.

What siphon is great at

Producing a cup that combines pour over clarity with French press body. The cloth filter passes more oils than paper but fewer fines, giving you a clean but textured cup. Floral and tea-like notes are especially pronounced. It's the method most often paired with high-end light-roast single origins in Japanese specialty shops.

The easiest way to try siphon coffee before buying equipment is to visit a specialty cafe in Tokyo, Kyoto, San Francisco's Blue Bottle, or any kissaten-influenced shop. Many list siphon on the menu.

Common pitfalls

• Cloth filter leaking. Either the filter is worn (replace it) or the seal isn't tight (re-seat it).
• Brew is bitter. You over-stirred or steeped too long. 60 to 90 seconds, gentle stirring.
• Lower chamber breaks. Don't put a wet lower chamber on direct heat. The glass cracks. Dry it first.
• Cloth filter gets unclean quickly. Rinse and store in cold water in the fridge between uses. Replace every 30 to 40 brews.

Why bother

You'll never make siphon coffee for a quick weekday morning. It's a slow weekend method, one you bring out when friends come over, one whose appeal is half about the watching. If that sounds appealing, it's a beautiful piece of equipment to own. If it sounds tedious, a V60 will give you 95% of the cup with 10% of the effort.