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