Best Vietnamese coffee: so easy to make and enjoy at home

The best Vietnamese coffee (and most popular) an iced milk coffee (called cà phê sữa đá in Vietnamese) is a robust and flavorful cup of joe that has been part of Vietnamese culture for centuries. It’s made from robusta beans, brewed with a Phin filter, and then served with condensed milk and ice. Making it a highly caffeinated drink that packs an intense flavor punch and can be enjoyed both hot or cold. So get ready to learn all about this delicious drink – you won’t regret it!

What is a Vietnamese coffee

What would you say if I offered you a coffee brewed with intense and bitter robusta beans, topped off with condensed milk? Oh, did I mention the condensed milk is sweetened?

I know, it sounds plain wrong. But it’s how Vietnamese coffee is made.

It is traditionally brewed in a Vietnamese coffee maker, better known as a Phin filter (or phin coffee maker). It’s a type of pour-over coffee maker.

As the majority of coffee grown in Vietnam is robusta, the people had to find a way to make it as drinkable as possible. Hence it needed sweetness and a milky creaminess.

The catch is the Southeast Asian climate which is hot and humid. So any fresh milk available very rapidly goes off. Condensed milk is canned it has a much longer shelf life.

The locals prefer their coffee iced. Which also helps take the edge off the coffee’s bitterness and the sweetness of the milk. Oh, and yes it tastes great!

Check out our post for a deeper dive into Vietnamese coffee culture.

What does Phin coffee taste like?

Vietnamese Phin coffee is a sweet, aromatic and robusta-infused iced drink. It’s usually made with sweetened condensed milk stirred into the brewed coffee.

This results in a sweet, smooth flavor with rich notes of caramel and chocolate.

The iced version of Vietnamese Phin coffee is sweet but very refreshing, making it a great choice for a hot afternoon.

Best coffee beans for Vietnamese coffee

The best coffee to use is one of the authentic Vietnamese blends that are becoming ever more available. But you don’t have to buy special beans just to try out Phin coffee. Any good quality dark-roast coffee will give you the full experience.

Here are my current favorites:

Trung Nguyen Coffee – Gourmet Blend

A Vietnamese coffee blend of 4 varietals of coffee: robusta, arabica, excelsa and catimor. These produce a delicious coffee with notes of chocolate, spices and fruit.

Copper Cow Coffee – Classic Black Ground Coffee

Another genuine Vietnamese coffee, made with a blend of arabica and robusta coffee beans. It’s a dark roast with a deep and intense flavour and hints of nuttiness. look out for coppercowcoffee its worth tracking down.

Kicking Horse Coffee, Grizzly Claw

It’s roasted in the Canadian Rocky Mountains. But this dark roast coffee is every bit as good. It’s even got notes of chocolate and hazelnuts.

Grinding coffee for Vietnamese coffee

If you are using a Phin filter you need to finely grind the beans to a ground powdery texture. To accurately achieve this, the best type of grinder to use is a burr grinder.

How to brew Iced milk coffee (cà phê sữa đá)

It’s so easy to make an iced milk coffee (cà phê sữa đá) at home. Just follow my simple recipe.

Equipment

• Phin coffee maker or espresso machine or coffee maker
• kettle
• food thermometer (optional)
• measuring spoon or kitchen scales
• glass or mug
• spoon

Ingredients

• Robusta coffee beans or a blend of robusta and arabica beans
• sweetened condensed milk
• sugar (optional)
• ice cubes (optional)

Method

• Brewing a cup of Iced milk coffee (cà phê sữa đá) with a Vietnamese Phin coffee is surprisingly easy. To make this slow-drip, tasty coffee all you need is a Phin filter coffee maker, some freshly ground coffee, a can of sweetened condensed milk and 5-6 minutes of your time.
• Put 1-2 tablespoons of sweetened condensed milk into a glass. Then place the phin filter base plate and brew chamber on top of the glass.
• Spoon freshly ground coffee into the filter and give the filter a gentle shake. This ensures the grounds are evenly distributed. Then place the weighted (or screw-down) pressure plate into the filter.
• Pour a little water into the brew chamber – just enough to cover the pressure plate. Leave to stand for 30-40 seconds. This enables the coffee to bloom.
• Top up the brew chamber to the top with more hot water and put the lid onto the filter.
• Once brewing is complete take the Phin coffee maker off the glass and set aside (the lid makes a handy coaster).
• Spoon ice cubes into the glass to fill it and stir the mlik and coffee together.
• Finally, find somewhere to relax and enjoy your coffee!

Top tips for making Iced milk coffee (cà phê sữa đá) at home

• This is a recipe for the most popular Vietnamese coffee – iced coffee with condensed milk. Yes, it sounds awful. But, just try it for yourself., because, somehow everything works perfectly. Especially on a hot day.
• Although the authentic experience uses a Phin filter and Vietnamese coffee beans, there is no need to go to this expense. You can brew a strong coffee using any dark roast, or espresso coffee. And you can use any coffee maker you have available. you’ll get almost the complete experience as long as you make a strong coffee with condensed milk.
• Use freshly roasted and finely ground good-quality coffee beans.
• Heat about 6oz of water in your kettle. Aim for a temperature of about 195°F to 205°F (about 90°C to 96°C). But if it boils, just remove from the heat and stand for a minute or two.
• Make sure you bloom the coffee. Releasing the carbon dioxide allows a more controlled and even brew. It also releases more flavor and aromas.
• The brewing process takes about 5 minutes if you have ground the coffee to a perfect size
• If brewing takes much less time then next time grind the coffee to a finer powder.
• Or, if it takes much longer than 5 minutes to brew, next time try a coarser grind size.
• In Vietnam, as well as sweetened condensed milk, most people add a spoon (or three!) of sugar. Even if you have a sweet tooth, I recommend tasting the finished coffee before adding any extra sugar or other sweeteners. It’s better to add more than to be stuck with something too sweet to drink.
• There is no need to stir the coffee while it is brewing. The pressure plate will exert enough pressure to keep the water and coffee grounds in contact.
• For a stronger flavor, you can increase the amount of coffee grounds.
• The pressure plate (or screw-down plate) ensures the coffee grounds stay in contact with the water and generally propels them towards the filter mesh.

Different types of Vietnamese coffee

My selection of the easiest and best types of Vietnamese coffee you can make at home:

Vietnamese Egg Coffee

Whisk an egg yolk with 1 1/2 tablespoons of sweetened condensed milk to a thick creamy texture. then gently spoon over a freshly brewed Phin coffee.

Iced Coconut Coffee

Brew a Phin filter coffee. While it’s brewing whisk 1 tablespoon of coconut milk with 1 1/2 tablespoons of sweetened condensed milk to a thick creamy texture. When the coffee is ready, add the mix to the coffee and stir. On hot days fill the glass with ice cubes

Yoghurt Coffee

Whisk a tablespoon of yoghurt with 1 1/2 tablespoons of sweetened condensed milk to a thick creamy texture. Stir into freshly brewed Vietnamese coffee.

FAQs

What is the difference between Vietnamese Phin coffee and espresso

Vietnamese Phin filter coffee and espresso are both brewed coffee drinks, but they have some differences. Phin filter coffee is traditionally prepared using a Phin coffee maker, which is a type of pour-over coffee filter, taking about 5 minutes to brew. While espresso is normally made with an espresso machine and relies on high-pressure force water through the grounds for a rapid brew.

Why are robusta beans used in Vietnamese coffee

Although arabica beans grow in Vietnam, most coffee it produces is robusta. Also, Vietnam relies on exporting its coffee crops and arabica beans sell for a higher price. So the locals have to brew robusta coffee.

Why is Vietnamese coffee made with condensed milk

Vietnamese Phin coffee is unique, it’s a traditional coffee you make with condensed milk. This type of coffee originated in Vietnam and has become popular around the world due to its rich flavor and aroma. The use of condensed milk to make the drink is based on the hot and humid climate of Vietnam.

Condensed milk has a higher sugar content than regular milk, which helps to balance out the bitterness of the coffee. This gives Vietnamese Phin coffee its unique, sweet flavor that is not present in other coffee beverages. The condensed milk also helps to cool down the hot beverage and creates a more refreshing experience for drinkers.

The condensed milk not only adds sweetness but also creates a creamy texture. This is particularly beneficial for those who want to enjoy the coffee without the need for additional creamers or milks.

Overall, condensed milk is an essential part of Vietnamese Phin coffee as it provides a unique flavor and texture that makes this type of coffee special. It helps to balance out the bitterness and create