Vietnamese Phin

Slow down and enjoy life a little more.


What Is "Phin"?

"Phin" means "filter" in Vietnamese, and this magical powerhouse brews a punch of a coffee. Usually consisting of a round perforated damper plate, a brewing chamber and a lid, this slow drip brew tool is the most common and most popular coffee maker in Vietnam.

If you Google the phin, there are two types that you'll come across - a screw press and a gravity press. Both do the same job, so it's a matter of personal preference on which you prefer. For me, the one I bought managed to be a gravity pressed phin, so I use that. Both will yield you the same outcome, but if you want to learn more about these two types of phin, Mokabees does a great job at detailing the two.

What I particularly like about the phin is the slow brewing process. From start to finish, it will take me about five minutes to get my 6oz coffee, but this isn't the type of coffee where you can just walk away and expect to come back to a ready-to-drink beverage. There are steps that you as the coffee drinker must do to get your caffeine fix. You need to be present and that what I like about it. It offers a moment of lesiure and relaxation as I wait it out for my cup of coffee. Since it brews one serving, I always know I'm going to get a fresh up every time. It's really a special feeling knowing I'm allowing myself to really tone it down and focus on the moment, especially on those hectic days.



What Makes Phin Special?

  • easy to use icon
  • travel backpack
  • green leaf

Easy to Use

All you need is your favorite, freshly grounded or pre-grounded beans, hot water, gravity, and a little bit of patience.

Travel-Friendly

As long as you have a way to access to clean, hot water, the phin serves as a great travel buddy due to it's compact size.

Sustainable

Say goodbye to filter papers. The phin is a no-paper, no waste kind of brewing tool.
Save the trees! 🌳











How To Make Vietnamese Coffee

phin coffee gear

As mentioned earlier, I own the 6oz gravity press phin. If you have the screw press, you can still use this guide but the only difference comes in step 4 where instead of just placing the damper plate down and leaving it be, with the screw press, you would need to physically screw your plate in. But do so gently! You do not need to go beyond two twists.

Recommended Coffee Type: Robusta coffee bean brands like Truegrit will yield a stronger coffee, but you can definitely use your favorite bean brand, too. I personally use Cafe du Monde when I make my coffee.

Ratio:

Steps:

  1. Bring water to temperature of 195-205°.
  2. Add 2 tablespoons of ground coffee into brewing chamber.
  3. Even out the ground coffee in the chamber by tapping the side of the chamber and giving a few small shakes.
  4. Place the perforated damper plate into the chamber.
  5. Pour about 1 tablespoon of the brewed water to prep your coffee. Wait at least 30 seconds to let your coffee bloom.
  6. Pour in your hot water gently to the top and place your lid on top. The lid will retain heat.
  7. First drop should occur before 2 minutes or so and after several minutes (~5 minutes), you'll have your cup.
  8. Enjoy that cup of coffee! ☕

It should be noted that if you do not use freshly grounded coffee, your pre-grounded coffee will not "bloom" the way fresh coffee will. Your coffee will still be delicious however! Also, there is no wrong way to enjoy your coffee. If you like 3 tablespoons of coffee grounds, use 3 tablespoons. If you like it sweetened with condensed milk, then sweetened it to your heart's content. That is the beauty of preferences.


If you want a condensed milk recommendation to achieve that authentic Vietnamese coffee experience, I ask that you get your hands on the Longevity Sweetened Condensed Milk brand. It has more milk in it making the overall product creamier and thus, will yield you a true Vietnamese coffee. It will lighten up your coffee the way it should over the Carnation condensed milk brand or other brands you may find in America which may have other additives like vegetable oils or thickeners.

If you have a local Asian grocery store that sells South East Asian ingredients and utensils, most should carry this little contraption along with the recommended condensed milk. The phin should run no higher than $4-$5 there, but if you don't have one nearby you, you can also purchase them online! (hint: see button above!)

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