All rituals
A siphon brewer and its cupKenny Louie / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)
Siphon (vacuum pot)
Two glass globes, vapor pressure and a dramatic drawdown.
Where it comes from
Early versions appeared in Berlin in the 1830s, and a woman in Lyon patented the classic two-globe design around 1840. Exact credit is disputed.
In the US, the Silex siphon was sold from 1915, made with Pyrex glass.
How to make it at home
- Fit the filter in the top chamber and fill the bottom globe with hot water.
- Heat until the water rises into the top, then lower the heat to hold it there.
- Add the coffee and gently submerge it. Brew for 90 seconds.
- Remove the heat and stir a few times; the coffee draws down into the bottom globe.
- Remove the top chamber and serve.
More ways to brew
Turkish coffeeTürkiye: Coffee and water boiled together in a tiny pot, served with its foam and grounds settled in the cup.Vietnamese phinVietnam: A slow, strong drip over sweetened condensed milk and ice: cà phê sữa đá.Café de ollaMexico: Coffee steeped with cinnamon and piloncillo in a clay pot.Ethiopian coffee ceremonyEthiopia: Green beans roasted, ground and boiled in a clay jebena, shared over three rounds.