How to make Vietnamese coffee with a phin

The phin is a small metal filter that sits on top of a cup. Hot water drips slowly through a bed of coffee held under a press plate, which gives a strong, dark coffee. In Vietnam it is most often poured over sweetened condensed milk.

Dark roasts and robusta blends are traditional here, and their bitterness works well against the sweet milk. The phin fixes the amounts, so fill it to its own line.

Vietnamese phin recipes

Cà phê sữa nóng

Hot phin coffee over condensed milk. The everyday classic.

20 g · 1:5 · 4:00 to 6:00

Cà phê sữa đá

The same strong brew, stirred with condensed milk and poured over ice.

20 g · 1:5 · 4:00 to 6:00

Nguyen Coffee Supply's phin

A smaller dose and a slightly cooler water for a gentler phin.

14 g · 1:8.6 · 4:30 to 5:30

Recipe

The size of your pot sets the amounts, so fill the basket and base to their own lines.

Coffee: 20 g
Water: 100 g
Ratio: 1:5
Water temperature: 96°C
Grind: Medium fine, a little coarser than for espresso
Time: 4:00 to 6:00

What you need

Phin filter with its press plate and lid
Kettle
Burr grinder
Digital scale
Heatproof glass or cup

Method

1
Spoon 30 g of sweetened condensed milk into a heatproof glass.
2
Put the phin on the glass, add 20 g of ground coffee and shake it level. Lay the press plate on top.
3
Pour 20 g of water just off the boil over the coffee and let it bloom for about 30 seconds.
4
Fill the phin to the top with hot water, put the lid on and let it drip.
5
It should take 4 to 6 minutes to finish dripping.
6
Lift off the phin, stir the coffee into the milk and drink it hot.