There are different types of Vietnamese coffee. Here’s an explanation of how they work!
by Nigel Ong
One of the most popular Asian coffees may be Vietnamese coffee. Based on French coffee traditions, it has since adapted to the palates of local Vietnamese and developed its own style and taste.
Vietnamese coffee is also widely available, as the diaspora take the coffee styles with them everywhere. Unlike Kopi Luwak, Vietnamese coffee is more palatable to many and does not harm animals. This also makes it more popular.
In this post, I visited one of the local Vietnamese cafes around my city and sampled some Vietnamese coffee. I also explore some ways you can enjoy the coffee better, such as flavorings and food pairings.
What Is Vietnamese Coffee?
Vietnamese coffee actually points to a style of coffee preparation and serving common in Vietnam. It is an umbrella term for many types of Vietnamese coffee recipes.
As a result, it is different from your regular Latte or Cappuccino. These coffee styles come with a set recipe or formula. Unlike them, Vietnamese coffee can be prepared in many ways, using different recipes.
The most iconic Vietnamese coffee may be the cà phê phin or the cà phê đá. The cà phê phin is Vietnamese drip coffee, using a special dripper called Phin. The cà phê đá is the ice version of the Vietnamese drip coffee.
For some reason, Vietnamese coffee generally tastes different from regular Western coffee. First is the generous use of Robusta coffee beans instead of Arabica.
Vietnam is one of the world’s largest producers of Robusta beans. As a result, many of its local coffee blends contain a large portion of Robusta grounds. As a result, Vietnamese coffee tends to be less aromatic but has a more robust flavor.
It also hits harder on the caffeine. Robusta beans generally have the highest caffeine content compared to other bean types.
Aside from Vietnam itself, Vietnamese coffee is also popular across Southeast Asia. The Vietnamese diaspora has also brought coffee overseas, with many Vietnamese restaurants serving them too.
How Do You Prepare Vietnamese Coffee?
Preparing Vietnamese coffee can be broken down into two major parts, roasting and brewing.
Roasting
Vietnamese coffee beans are usually washed and processed, which means the coffee cherries are removed from the seed before being dried. Up to 97% of the coffee produced in Vietnam is Robusta means, meaning Vietnamese coffee itself is usually Robusta beans.
These beans are usually roasted dark to compensate for Robusta beans’ bitter and earthy flavor. Dark roasting also helps to bring out a nutty and caramel-like flavor, which helps to make the coffee taste better when brewed.
These beans are then ground down to be sold. It is more common to get Vietnamese coffee as ground instead of beans. However, this is changing as more and more high-quality Vietnamese coffee enters the market.
These days, you can actually purchase whole-bean Vietnamese coffee. There are also coffee bags and pods, such as K-cups.
Brewing
Vietnamese coffee is regularly brewed using a Phin. Phin is a coffee brewer that works via filtration and titration methods. Hot water is dripped on the ground coffee to brew and draw out flavors.
Brewed coffee flows out from the Phin through a bottom opening and into your cup. Phins are small enough to fit into your palms but large enough to sit on a regular cup.
A Phin has three parts – the main body, a filter plate, and the top lid. To brew a cup of Vietnamese coffee using the Phin, follow the steps below:
- Place the main body of the Phin on top of a cup, mug of choice. It should sit flat and stable, as it will be holding hot water and your coffee.
- Add your Vietnamese ground coffee into the Phin. Put about 2 tablespoons of coffee grounds into the Phin for a regular cup. Adjust coffee grounds to your taste.
- Put the filter plate on top of the coffee ground. Lightly tamp the coffee ground to become more compact and harder for water to pass through.
- When tamping, use about 10-20 pounds of pressure. This should be like lightly pressing with the power from your hand.
- Add about 150ml of hot water into the Phin, and put on the top lid to cover the hot water.
- Now, wait and watch as the hot water drips into the bottom cup, turning into a great cup of coffee.
- Done? Serve and enjoy. Feel free to add flavorings to suit your taste. Common ones include sugar, condensed milk, and ice.
How Does Vietnamese Coffee Taste?
For this review, I visited a nearby Vietnamese cafe and ordered some coffee to sample. I asked for a serving of hot Vietnamese coffee (Cà Phê Sữa Nóng), and an iced one (Cà Phê Sữa Đá.)
Initial Impression
My cup seems to come with sweet condensed cream on the side. Perhaps the cafe is not sure how sweet they should make the drink. This allows me to add the condensed milk as I see fit.
The cup is served with the Phin on top, and the coffee is dripping into my cup. When it was served, I noticed a faint aroma of coffee. Not as intense as your regular Western coffee, but it’s there.
Suppose this is because Vietnamese coffee is made of Robusta beans, which are not known to be very fragrant. I waited 2-3 minutes for the coffee to drip through before removing the Phin.
Taste & Flavor
I took the first sip, with the coffee hot and black. The coffee is smooth and has a silky texture. The flavor of the coffee is not strong, and it does not deliver a strong punch, unlike your regular dark roasts.
My palate picked up some nutty and almost hazelnut-like flavor, which can be quite common with Robusta beans. The coffee has a long finish, with the taste lingering in my mouth long after I swallowed it.
I then added some sweet condensed milk to my coffee and stirred it to even out the sweetness. The coffee turns slightly brownish but on the darker side. The coffee becomes silkier still and pleasantly sweet.
The sweetness is intense and complements the nutty taste of the coffee well. I am not a fan of sweet coffee generally, but this is a style I can enjoy.
I turned to the cold, black Vietnamese coffee and took a sip. This is also deeply satisfying. Cold, nutty-tasting coffee that is not too bitter is very thirst-quenching. I can imagine the coffee tasting even better when sweetened with condensed milk.
Food Pairing
Vietnamese coffee is quite flexible and can be enjoyed any time of the day. It can also be drunk as an aperitif (pre-meal coffee) or a digestif (post-meal coffee.) You can also enjoy Vietnamese coffee on its own or pair it with food.
As for myself, I usually enjoy drinking a cup of Vietnamese coffee after a bowl of pho rice noodle soup. The sweet, hot coffee rounds up the savory taste of the pho soup.
I also enjoy sipping the coffee while biting into a beautiful Banh Mi Vietnamese sandwich. Banh Mi is a localized version of a French sandwich, using baguette bread as a base. You usually find meat slices, pate, coriander, and shredded carrots inside.
For this visit, I ordered a traditional Banh Mi sandwich to accompany my cup of Vietnamese coffee.
What Are The Common Styles Of Vietnamese Coffee?
Vietnamese coffee is an overarching term describing coffees from Vietnam. As a result, there are many ways to enjoy your Vietnamese coffee. Some of the more common styles of Vietnamese coffee you can try out include:
Cà Phê Phin (Hot Black Coffee): This is Vietnamese coffee in its most naked form. Black and hot, you get to sample the true flavor of Vietnam with this coffee. Usually served with the Phin still dripping into your cup. Feel free to flavor with sugar to your desired sweetness.
Cà Phê Sữa Nóng (Hot Coffee with Condensed Milk): Instead of sugar, Vietnamese coffee usually uses condensed milk to sweeten the coffee.
A regular Cà Phê Sữa Nóng usually has condensed milk added to the bottom, with the Phin on top, dripping coffee into the cup. You then stir it to your desired sweetness and enjoy.
Cà Phê Đen Đá (Iced Black Coffee): This is similar to Cà Phê Phin but uses a tall glass filled with ice instead. The dripped coffee instantly turns cold when contacting the ice, giving this drink a satisfying cold, bittersweet taste.
Cà Phê Đen Đá is one of the most popular ways of drinking Vietnamese coffee, owing to how hot Vietnam can be.
Cà Phê Sữa Đá (Iced Coffee With Condensed Milk): If you like your iced coffee sweet, Cà Phê Sữa Đá will work very well for you. The drink is rich in coffee taste, sweet, and satisfyingly cold.
Cà Phê Trứng (Egg Coffee): This is one style of Vietnamese coffee you cannot find elsewhere. In this recipe, egg yolks and condensed milk were beaten together until they formed a meringue-like texture.
It is then added on top of your hot or iced coffee. What you get is a rich, creamy top to complement the coffee. It is a very satisfying and hearty coffee to sip on.
Cà Phê Muối (Salt Coffee): This is also a unique style, using salt to slightly alter the taste of the coffee. You beat some salt with heavy cream together for several minutes.
Then add it to your Vietnamese coffee, hot, cold, or sweetened. This is also a rich, creamy and thick topping for your coffee, making it a very hearty drink with a slight savory twist.
Sinh Tố Cà Phê (Fruit Coffee): This is fruit-flavored coffee, usually made using Avocado or banana. These fruits are turned into smoothies before milk, cream, and coffee are added to them.
Where Can You Sample Vietnamese Coffee?
If my descriptions of Vietnamese coffee are causing you to salivate, well, you are in luck. Unlike Asian White Coffee or South Indian Filter Coffee, it is easy to find Vietnamese coffee in the West.
As a start, take a visit to your nearby Vietnamese restaurant. Chances are, they may be able to serve you a decent cup of Cà Phê Phin. You are more likely to be able to order one in a proper sit-down restaurant than a takeaway joint or a stand.
If you cannot find any, you can always make your own Vietnamese coffee. The good thing about this is you can get everything you need from Amazon. Pick up a Phin, ground Vietnamese coffee, and sweet condensed milk; you should be ready to brew your own cup.Finally, if you just want something quick, you can pick up instant Vietnamese coffee. These are also widely available on Amazon. For example, you can choose between black or sweetened coffee.