Vac pot, siphon coffee maker, and vacuum brewer are just some of the many names used to describe a vacuum coffee maker. Originally invented in Berlin, Germany in the early 1800’s by Loeff, the invention of the electric coffee maker in the mid 1900’s all put replaced the vacuum maker in many American households. Recently though this unique coffee maker has been making a strong comeback.
The vacuum coffee maker has 4 basic part to it: Top globe where you put the coffee; Bottom globe where you pour fresh water; Siphon tube between the globes; And a filter in the tube that filters out the hot fresh brewed coffee from the coffee grounds. Science plays the key roll in brewing with the vacuum coffee maker; the water vapors expansion and contraction create the vacuum effect. When the water is heated in the bottom container, water vapor is created. As the pressure builds, the vapor pushes the water up the siphon tube to the top container where the coffee grounds wait. The water vapor gas follows the behind the water to the top globe when the water recedes enough to expose the siphon tube. Perfect brewing is achieved as the water vapor escapes to the top chamber, keeping the water in the top at the optimal brewing temperature. The top container appears to be boiling but its not, it’s the vapor forcing its way through the water. Until the vacuum brewer is removed from the heat source the brewing process takes about 2 minutes. The reverse reaction is created when the coffee maker is removed from the heat. The coffee from the upper container is sucked back through the siphon to the lower (now cooling) chamber. The process is so effective the upper chamber is sucked dry, the coffee grounds barely damp.
When the originally vac pot was invented, it used very basic wick burner as its heat source, some even do to this day. Today though, we have many options to heat our coffee makers. Self-contained heaters are one option, consisting of a wick and a stable fuel such as alcohol or butane. The more popular option is your basic stove top. Butane burners are the fastest option, while wick burners, while more traditional, are the slowest heating elements. Butane burners are fast, but without a controllable flame are of little use if you want great vacuum coffee. Siphon coffee makers come in a wide variety of sizes but most are in the range of 12 ounce, 20 ounce, and 32 ounces sizes.
There are a couple different designs, but it the two-globe design of vacuum coffee maker is the most common. This design has one globe on top of the other, connected with the siphon tube. Balance siphon brewers are another type. Same principle here but instead of a vertical design is a side by side design, but the same great tasting coffee.
Only a few companies still make vacuum makers. With their resurged popularity, many manufactures are talking about re-introducing them to the general public. Many Japanese companies are still producing siphon coffee makers. This is because electric drip coffee makers have never really been popular in this Asian country. Europe still makes a few of these devices as well. Bodum makes the excellent and commonly found Santos Vacuum Coffee Maker.
Vacuum coffee makers gain in popularity is sure to open some eyes to those who have never tasted its superior tasting coffee, plus its way funner to watch that the old automatic drip machine.
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