vac

For Christmas my wife got me a “coffee gift” as she likes to call them. I’ve been wanting to play with a vacuum or “syphon” pot for years but my collection of brewing and roasting equipment (and supplies) has been “sufficient” (well probably). Hobbyists never can never have enough right?

There are quite a few different types of vac pots designs and they are designed to work with different heat sources (gas stove, electric based, or sterno powered). I wanted something inexpensive I could use on my gas burner and suggested the Yama vac pot idea to Mrs. G (it runs about $50).

How does the vac pot work? You heat water in the lower pot until water vapor forms, which creates a pressure and forces the hot water to the top pot (filled with ground coffee) via a tube that runs between the two pots. There is a filter between the chambers that keeps the coffee grounds in the top pot. Eventually almost all the water travels to the top and the coffee “steeps” for a couple minutes until you remove it from the heat source.  After removing the heat the water vapor decreases and creates a small vacuum that siphons the freshly brewed coffee through the filter back to the bottom pot. This picture shows the stage where the water is still travelling to the top pot. This is half-science experiment and half coffee preparation. It’s fun to watch but more work than drip or press.

The Yama has only five parts and it’s very functional. I think the design is solid and seems to be well manufactured.  Particularly important with these devices, the gasket sealing the upper and lower pots is a pliable thick rubber material and provides a good positive seal. It’s also fairly easy to separate the upper and lower sections when brew is done.  The upper and lower pots are a nice thick tempered glass that you should not worry about breaking (but I store it back in the original box after cleaning).  There is also a lid  made of plastic that nicely doubles as a stand for the upper chamber (which is awkward to stand up due to the 5 inch glass tube at the bottom).  The filter is just a cloth-wrapped periforated stainless steel disc.  I’d highly recommend this pot to anyone who wants a n0-frill inexpensive vac pot.

So how does the coffee taste? The coffee is steeped, and so it shares some of taste you expect from a french press –  yet it’s a very clean taste. The coffee lacks the “sludge” of a french press which should be good, but I think it is almost too clean (disclaimer: I love the french press). I’ve tried several coffees with varied brew times and feel the vac pot does not produce the same lingering body as other brewing methods.  I still enjoy it and I am enjoying a cup right now!