Vietnamese Iced Coffee

When it comes to coffee, I’m pretty simple. I only like one kind.

I love Vietnamese coffee which should be no surprise given the name of this post. I also like it in ice-cream, crème brûlée and coconut coffee. But today, we’re talking about Vietnamese iced coffee with sweetened condensed milk (or cà phê sữa đá).

What is a phin and how do you use it?

A phin is a Vietnamese coffee filter and is used to brew Vietnamese coffee the traditional way. There is definitely nothing wrong with using a french press, espresso maker, or drip coffee machine to brew Vietnamese coffee. However, I really like the experience and process of using a phin.

There is something very calming about waiting for the coffee to slowly drip through the phin filter when I make Vietnamese iced coffee this way. There is no rushing the process. I am forced to slow down, take a deep breath, and just let it happen at its own pace.

A phin is usually made from aluminum or stainless-steel. I have also seen ceramic ones but they seemed more decorative than functional to me so I’ve never used a ceramic one. There is no need for a paper filter when you’re using a phin filter, making it a great ecological choice.

A phin consists of 3 to 4 components.

1. Lid – The lid is used to cover the filter while the coffee is brewing to help maintain the heat. When all the water has dripped through, the lid can then be flipped over and placed under the phin to catch any drips when you remove the phin from the glass.
2. Filter insert or filter plate – The filter plate sits on the coffee grounds inside the main chamber and will have a handle of some kind to allow you to pick it up easily.
   
   Some filter plates are designed to screw into a short center post in the main chamber. This is a nice feature for those who want to experiment with tightening down the filter to control the strength of their brewed coffee.
   
   I, personally, have found that evenly sprinkling the grounds into the chamber is enough to get the brew I want and is much easier than messing with tightening and loosening the filter plate.
   
   Phins without the twist-in filter plate are usually easier to find and tend to be less expensive.
3. Main chamber – The main chamber holds the filter plate, coffee grounds and hot water.
4. Perforated base – The base sits on top of the glass and holds the main chamber, filter plate and lid. In some models, the base and the main chamber are a single piece and in other models, they are 2 separate pieces.

Phins come in different sizes but 4-ounce phins are the most common ones you’ll find. I have a couple of 6-ounce phins which is my preferred size.

You can buy phins on-line from various Vietnamese coffee retailers or at most Vietnamese grocery stores.

How to brew Vietnamese coffee

To brew the coffee, you’ll need a Vietnamese coffee filter (phin), coffee grounds, sweetened condensed milk, and water.

1. Heat water until it just barely begins to boil.
2. Pour sweetened condensed milk into a glass.
3. Remove the filter plate from inside the phin and evenly sprinkle the coffee grounds into the chamber. Place the filter plate on top of the coffee grounds and place the phin on a glass.
4. Pour enough hot water into the main chamber to allow the coffee grounds to expand and bloom. When the coffee begins to drip through, add the remaining water. Place the lid on the phin and let the coffee drip into the glass.
5. When the coffee has stopped dripping, remove the phin, and stir the coffee and sweetened condensed milk together. Pour the stirred coffee into a second glass of ice, stir again, and serve.

And, if you really want to treat yourself – go for that extra bit of sweetened condensed milk. To quote my daughter, “it’s magical”.

What coffee to use for Vietnamese iced coffee

In theory, you can use any dark roast ground coffee (like a French roast) but I strongly recommend going to the trouble of getting some authentic Vietnamese coffee if you can. I love the Gourmet Blend from Trung Nguyen Coffee which I order on-line. They carry the traditional phin filters as well. I find most dark roast coffees to have a slightly bitter after taste that I don’t get with the Gourmet Blend coffee – it’s very smooth with just a hint of chocolate aroma.

Lots of people and restaurants also like the Cafe du Monde brand coffee with chicory for making Vietnamese iced coffee. It is usually easier to find in stores and is great to use. I used it for years before I discovered the Trung Nguyen Gourmet Blend.

I should also note that there is the Trung Nguyen Premium Blend coffee which I don’t use. This is just personal preference. I found the Premium Blend to be a bit too oily for my taste and prefer the Gourmet Blend. Try both and see what you like.