Beginner's Guide to Vietnamese Coffee

By Parul, Correspondent  |  Monday, 29 April 2024, 11:28:16 AM IST

Beginner’s Guide to Vietnamese Coffee

Coffee comes in many forms including Americanos, espressos, cappuccinos, mochas, lattes, and more. However, you may not have heard of Vietnamese coffee, which is distinct version made from brewed coffee and sweetened condensed milk. It has the rich coffee flavor that coffee aficionados love along with a sweet, creamy taste from the sweetened condensed milk. While the ingredient list seems simple enough, the technique of making Vietnamese coffee is just as important to consider as it requires a phin, which is a type of coffee press that is comparable to a French press. Here is a beginner’s guide to Vietnamese coffee.

The History of Vietnamese Coffee

Vietnamese coffee originated in the Southeast Asian country of Vietnam. During the French colonial period in Vietnam, which began in the late 19th century, the French introduced coffee into the country. However, many Vietnamese people found the taste of coffee to be too strong and bitter, which led to them adding sweetened condensed milk to their coffee to balance out the flavor and make it more palatable.

While sweetened condensed milk is a distinct feature of Vietnamese coffee with its thick viscosity, its use in this beverage has practical origins. Due to how expensive milk was and how challenging it was to access, sweetened condensed milk was a more appealing choice. It is also more stable than fresh milk as it doesn’t require refrigeration when it is unopened and once it is opened, it can be refrigerated for up to a week.

The Type of Coffee to Use

While you may think you can use whatever coffee you have on hand to make your own version of Vietnamese coffee, it is essential to use Vietnamese coffee beans to make authentic Vietnamese coffee. Vietnamese coffee has a unique strong taste that other types of coffee may not be able to match.

In Vietnam, Robusta coffee beans are commonly grown since it is easier to grow them in abundance in areas at low altitudes than Arabica coffee beans. Robusta coffee beans have twice as much caffeine as Arabica beans, along with a strong flavor and slightly more bitterness. Considering this, it is easy to determine why these particular coffee beans are so important to making authentic Vietnamese coffee at home. 

If you have an Asian grocery near where you live, you can check to see if it carries Vietnamese coffee. Otherwise, you should be able to order popular Vietnamese coffee brands such as Trung Nguyen’s Vietnamese coffee online.

Vietnamese coffee beans are traditionally roasted dark for a robustness of flavor. While they were previously roasted with a caramel-type oil to offer the beans a sweet flavor, today, they are roasted in butter, which impacts the taste and richness of the coffee.

If you have ever tried Vietnamese coffee outside of Vietnam, you may not have had it with Vietnamese coffee. However, the truth is that Vietnamese coffee beans are what makes this unique beverage Vietnamese coffee, and therefore, they are an integral ingredient.

The Equipment Needed for Vietnamese Coffee

In Vietnam, a piece of equipment known as a phin is essential for making Vietnamese coffee. The phin is similar to a French press in that it is used to brew slow-drip coffee with medium to coarse coffee grounds. The phin is a small metal pot that has a perforated bottom so that coffee can drip through it into a cup below it.

The coffee is placed in the phin, and then water is poured over the coffee before being pressed into a cup. While you can enjoy the coffee black, it is often mixed with sweetened condensed milk for a classic Vietnamese coffee.

To find a phin to use at home, check out your local Asian grocery store or search online. They are quite accessible online due to the rising popularity of Vietnamese coffee.

How to Brew Vietnamese Coffee

Brewing Vietnamese coffee at home is quite easy, particularly if you have the correct equipment. Here is how to brew Vietnamese coffee at home.

Pour some sweetened condensed milk into the bottom of a serving cup.

Place ground Vietnamese coffee in the phin filter and set it on top of the serving cup.

Pour boiling water over the coffee grounds; use the phin press to press the water out of the coffee into the cup. It is ideal to start with only a couple of tablespoons of water to allow the coffee grounds to expand and produce a more flavorful coffee before adding the rest of the water.

Allow the phin to sit on top of the cup until it has finished dripping, which should take about 5 minutes.

Remove the phin and stir the coffee with the sweetened condensed milk to combine.

Serving Vietnamese Coffee with Ice

While Vietnamese coffee with sweetened condensed milk is a comforting beverage to have on a cool day, many people love to enjoy it as an iced coffee on hotter days. If you would like to make iced Vietnamese coffee, once you have brewed it according to the above instructions, fill a glass with ice and pour the brewed coffee over the top.

FAQ

What type of coffee should I use for Vietnamese coffee?

For Vietnamese coffee, it is best to use Vietnamese-grown Robusta beans, which are high in caffeine, and produce that signature bitter and bold coffee flavor.

Can I use a French press to make Vietnamese coffee?

Yes, if you don’t want to invest in a phin, which is the classic press for making Vietnamese coffee, and already have a French press, you could use that instead. The process will be quite similar with the main difference being that you will have to pour the coffee into your serving cup rather than setting the press over the cup as you would with a phin.

Can I use coconut milk in Vietnamese coffee instead of sweetened condensed milk?

If you enjoy a dairy-free diet or simply love the taste of coconut, you could replace the sweetened condensed milk with coconut milk instead. However, for the creamiest results, try adding coconut cream rather than the more fluid milk.

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