When it comes to Vietnamese coffee, it is a rich cup dripped one drop at a time through a metal filter called a "phin." A dedicated tool sounds difficult, but once you get the knack you can easily reproduce the authentic taste at home too. The sweet-and-bitter ca phe sua, with condensed milk, can also be enjoyed right away if you have a phin.
This article covers everything from the phin's structure to the brewing steps, drinking variations and tips for brewing it deliciously. For the features and varieties of Vietnamese coffee overall, see The Complete Guide to Vietnamese Coffee as well.
Why brew with a phin?
There is a reason Vietnamese coffee is brewed with a phin. The main variety, Robusta, is strongly bitter, and its character comes to life only when it is extracted good and strong.
Because the phin drips hot water slowly, one drop at a time, it makes a richer, more powerful cup than paper drip. It is precisely this strength that creates the flavor unique to Vietnamese coffee, which holds its own even combined with the sweetness of condensed milk. That the tool is simple and reusable, and that you can enjoy the very time spent waiting for extraction, are also reasons it has long been loved locally. The ease of brewing anywhere with just a phin and hot water, using no electricity, also lies behind how it has settled into daily life.
The phin's structure | four parts
The phin is a simple metal tool made up of several parts. Knowing the role of each makes the brewing method easier to understand.
| Part | Role |
|---|---|
| Saucer | A base set on the cup. Catches the drips of hot water |
| Body (filter) | The cylindrical part you put the grounds in. It has fine holes in the bottom |
| Inner lid (press) | Placed on the grounds; its own weight makes extraction even |
| Lid | Serves both to keep the coffee warm and as a spout |
The inner lid comes in insert type and screw type. The screw type lets you finely adjust the pressing, while the insert type is easy to use. The basic brewing method is the same with either. Since the saucer can be used as is as a coaster, it also becomes a place to set the phin after extraction.
What to prepare
You do not need many things to brew with a phin. You can put them together from what you have at home.
- A phin (one for one to two servings is common)
- Vietnamese coffee grounds (a medium-fine grind is the guide; if using beans, grind and prepare them)
- Boiled water (around 90 degrees, let settle a little)
- Condensed milk (if making ca phe sua)
- A cup, and ice if making it iced
For the grounds, a medium-fine grind for Vietnamese coffee is suitable. Too fine clogs and drips poorly; too coarse makes the taste thin. If using condensed milk, choose the sweetened type of condensed milk.
How to brew with a phin | five steps
The basic procedure is as follows. Once you learn it, you can casually work it into your daily coffee time.
- Set the saucer and phin body on the cup. If making ca phe sua, put condensed milk in the bottom of the cup beforehand
- Put the grounds in the body, shake lightly to level them, and gently place the inner lid on
- Pour a small amount of hot water and let it bloom for about 30 seconds to wet all the grounds
- Pour the rest of the hot water, put on the lid, and wait for it to drip out one drop at a time
- When extraction is done, remove the phin, mix well, and it's finished. Add ice to make it iced
The time extraction takes is roughly four to five minutes as a guide. If it drips too fast, press a little harder; if too slow, loosen it to adjust. Controlling the dripping speed is the key to mastering the phin. Because it is a style of brewing one careful cup at a time, waiting without rushing is the tip for a delicious result.
Ways of drinking | ca phe sua and ca phe den
The brewed coffee changes its name and flavor depending on what you combine it with. Here are the representative ways of drinking it.
- Ca phe sua | the sweet-and-bitter standard with condensed milk added. The iced version with ice is ca phe sua da
- Ca phe den | black without condensed milk. For those who want to taste the bitterness as it is. The iced version is ca phe den da
- Variations | combining coconut milk or egg-yolk cream makes it coconut coffee or egg coffee too
In the hot season, iced coffee with plenty of ice is the standard. Strongly extracted coffee keeps its flavor even when diluted by ice, so the phin's strength comes into its own. Being able to adjust the sweetness by the amount of condensed milk is also an appeal that lets you enjoy it to your own taste. Cut the condensed milk when you want less sweetness, add a little more when you want richness—you can change it by the day's mood.
Tips for brewing it deliciously
Even with the same phin, a slight adjustment changes the taste. We have organized the tips worth keeping in mind.
- Setting the water temperature at around 90 degrees, a little settled from just after boiling, makes harshness less likely to come out
- Wetting all the grounds during the 30-second bloom makes extraction even
- Adjust the dripping speed by how hard you press, and let it drip over four to five minutes
- The amount of grounds is about two tablespoons per cup as a guide. Adjust the strength up or down to taste
As you brew several times, you come to grasp the strength you like. Because beans and grounds lose flavor after opening, using fresh ones makes the aroma rise and tastes much better. Noting down the amount of grounds and the grind makes it easier to reproduce your preferred taste.
Substitutes when you don't have a phin
Even without a phin at hand, you can enjoy the atmosphere of Vietnamese coffee. You can substitute with tools you already have.
With paper drip too, using more grounds and brewing it strong gives a close taste. Using a French press gives a rich extraction close to the phin. In either case, combining condensed milk gives a ca phe sua–style flavor. First try with the tools you have, and if you like it, get a phin to come closer to a more authentic taste.
Choosing and caring for a phin
If you are going to use it for a long time, how to choose a phin and care for it are also worth knowing. The material and how you use it change how the coffee drips too.
Choosing material and size
Phins come in stainless steel and aluminum. Stainless steel is sturdy and rust-resistant and lasts a long time, so it suits a first one. Aluminum's advantages are that it conducts heat easily and is light. A size for one to two servings is easy to handle, and this size is enough at home. Since the way the holes are made changes the dripping speed, it is good to use it a few times and get a feel for your own preference.
Care after use
When you have finished, throw away the grounds and quickly rinse it with hot water. Since leftover coffee oils dull the flavor, rinse thoroughly when using detergent. The fine holes clog easily, so cleaning them with a brush now and then keeps the dripping speed. Storing it after drying it well lets you use it cleanly for a long time.
Frequently asked questions
- Where can I buy a phin?
-
You can get it online and at Asian-grocery stores. It is often sold in a set with Vietnamese coffee beans or grounds, and it is popular as a souvenir too. A stainless-steel one for one to two servings is easy to handle and lasts a long time.
- Can I brew with ordinary coffee grounds too?
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You can, but using dark-roast Robusta grounds for Vietnamese coffee comes closer to the authentic taste. A medium-fine grind is the guide, and too fine clogs easily. It is good to try with the grounds you have and then choose to suit your taste.
- Why doesn't it drip well?
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Often the grounds are too fine, or the press is pushed down too hard. Making the grounds a little coarser, or just resting the press lightly, improves it. Conversely, when it drips too fast, add more grounds or press a little harder.
- How much condensed milk goes into ca phe sua?
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About one to two tablespoons in the bottom of the cup is the guide, but adjust to taste. In Vietnam it is often made sweet, and the contrast between the bitter coffee and the sweetness of condensed milk is the appeal. Putting in a little first and checking the taste while you mix keeps you from going wrong.
- Are there tips for making it iced?
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The tip is to extract it strong and then pour it into a glass with plenty of ice. Brewing it stronger than usual, allowing for dilution by the ice, keeps the taste from blurring. Ca phe sua da, with condensed milk added, is a cup perfect for the hot season.
Summary | with a phin, the authentic taste at home
The phin's structure is simple, and as long as you keep the grind, the press and the extraction time in check, you can reproduce authentic Vietnamese coffee at home. From ca phe sua with condensed milk, to black ca phe den, to iced—one tool lets you enjoy a wide range.
For talk of Vietnamese coffee's varieties and growing areas, The Complete Guide to Vietnamese Coffee and for choosing souvenirs of beans and phin, see our sister site's Vietnam Coffee Specialist Site as well.
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