There’s something of the science lab about making coffee with the Hario Syphon Coffee Maker!
You don’t need to understand the science to enjoy coffee making this way – and it’s not complicated, but it is incredible. Not understanding the science of air pressure, vacuums, and heat effects just actually makes it appear to be magic! And therefore enthralling.
The Hario Coffee Syphon is not based on new ideas at all – in fact the first syphon coffee makers are traced back to origins in the 1800s.
The thrill of seeing the water bubble up to the top chamber of the coffee maker is spellbinding. Then shortly after it will slowly seep back down into the lower chamber as brewed coffee. It really does seem like magic.
The device comes with a small alcohol burner which is the main control over the process. There’s a lower borosilicate glass chamber where you place pre-boiled water, and an upper chamber where the coffee grounds are placed (with a filter held in place by a clever weighting mechanism). The whole thing is held on a stand to hold the coffee maker above the alcohol burner. Can you see why it feels like a science lab way of making coffee?
The water is heated further from below, and (here’s a Mickey Mouse bit of science) the expanding pressure in the lower chamber forces the coffee up through the connecting pipe into the top chamber where the coffee grounds are sitting.
This mixes the hot water with the coffee and begins the brewing process. If you can draw yourself away from being mesmerised by this coffee making device, you can help the effectiveness of the process a little at this point by stirring the water and coffee grounds in the top vessel.
The heat source now needs removing and covering, to extinguish the flame. This starts to reduce the air pressure below ( which has almost become like a vacuum – because the contents that were in the lower chamber are now in the upper chamber).
The reduced pressure below now gives the brewing coffee somewhere to go – down!
So gradually the contents of the upper chamber will sink into the bottom glass vessel – straining through the filter in the middle section to give a clean, clear brew.
The top section then needs removing, as its work is done – and the stand that the bottom glass vessel is held by becomes the pouring handle to pour out your coffee!
See the Hario Coffee Syphon at Artistry Coffee – we stock the 3-cup version.
Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions, which give full explanation of the device, how to use it and any safety requirements.