Sweet Maria's Tip Sheet: Yama Vacuum Brewing (also works for Bodum Santos Vacuum Brewer)

These are intended as a "starting point" for the respective type of brewing. Ultimately, you will figure out the best and most convenient ways to use these brewing devices, so please remake, twist, turn, distort, decomplile, torch, grind and brew these instructions to suit your own needs!

Check out our Yama Vacuum Brewing Pictorial!

Download and Print this Tip Sheet in a Single Page .PDF Format.

Please note that because of the design of the vacuum brewers, there is always a small amount of water that does not ascend to the funnel. This means that brewing less than the full capacity of the brewer makes more diluted coffee. With the Yama you can make a 2/3 pot without much of a problem, but brewing a 1/2 pot doesn't work too well.

Vacuum brewing is a wonderful visual experience that just happens to result in great coffee. While these instructions may make it sound like it requires a lot of time and dedication, after several times you will find it is only slightly more laborious than other brewing methods, but much more fun! The following is meant to supplement the instructions that come with the Yama --please read them too!

• Before you use the Yama for the first time, wash it thoroughly. I would perform a mock brewing with no coffee just to condition the filter, or soak the filter with very hot water for a minute or two.

• Heat some fresh water until it nears the boiling point in a kettle or pan.
  

• You can prepare the coffee in the funnel (the top glass piece) while the water is boiling. Install the filter in the funnel by pulling the chain through the funnel shaft and hooking the end of the spring on the lip. Place the funnel in the inverted plastic lid that doubles as a funnel stand.
  

• Add the correct amount of fresh coffee, ground as fine as you would for filter-drip brewing. This is medium fine, not to the point where it clumps when you pinch it between your fingers. What is the correct amount? For all brewing it is 7.25 grams per 150 ml water. Huh? Well, that’s a standard coffee measure (= a rounded tablespoon) per 5 oz. water. So your Yama needs 5 scoops. Of course, you should brew coffee to your taste, but most people use too little coffee, and it is ground too coarse. This will make weak brew in a Yama.
  

• Fill the bowl (bottom globe with handle) with hot or boiling water. It is 20 oz if you fill to the 5 Cup mark, but I use 22 oz. because there's no reason not too. Don't use any more water than that! Make sure the outside of the bowl is dry. (Note: you can start with cold water -the process will take much longer though and we have found that the coffee is not as good.)
  

• Make sure the outside of the bowl is dry (or it can crack when you turn on the flame). Pour your near-boiling water in the bowl, slowly to condition it to the heat.
  

• Push the funnel onto the bowl. Not too hard, just snug. The Yama flanged rubber gasket makes the airtight fit with no effort.
  

• If you have a gas burner set it to the LOWEST flame you possibly can. On an electric range, use the wire grid provided with the Yama and set it on a low heat, on a small burner. On my stove the water is starting to be syphoned upward within 15 seconds. When all the water, (with the exception of a small amount which must remain in the bowl) has been drawn into the top, wait 30 seconds to 1 minute for the coffee to infuse. Some people like to give it a stir with a spoon. (When you see vigorous boiling in the top, try to lower the heat next time. The boiling you see is water vapor pressure releasing from the bottom. Your coffee is not actually boiling!)
  

• Extinguish the heat. When all the coffee has drained into the bowl, remove the funnel with a slight twist. Place it in the stand, serve up your wonderful coffee ...you have earned it!
  

• The Yama is a stovetop model but you can use the Bodum Santos spirit warmer if you want, or some other type of alcohol lamp provided it can put out enough heat and has a flat platform for the brewer.

  
  *Please note that the bowl and handle are not microwave safe! Do not try to reheat the coffee in the bowl as there are metal parts in the handle that will cause it to melt!

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