Other · easy
Vietnamese Phin
The phin is a small metal filter that sits on top of a cup. Coffee goes in the chamber under a gravity press, you pour hot water on top, and it drips through slowly over about five minutes. It makes a small, strong cup, traditionally with dark-roasted Vietnamese robusta, and it's the base for cà phê sữa đá, iced coffee with sweetened condensed milk.
14 gCoffee
120 gWater
1:8.5Ratio
90-96 °CTemp
4:00-5:00Time
medium-fine, a little finer than pour-overGrind
Water by roast: light 96 °C · medium 93 °C · dark 90 °C
Steps
- PrepHeat water to 90-96 °C
- PrepSet the phin plate and chamber on your cup, add 14 g (about 2 tbsp) coffee
- PrepShake gently to level the grounds, then set the gravity press on top
- 0:00Pour about 30 g water, just enough to cover the press, to bloom
- 0:45Fill the chamber to the top (about 120 g total) and put the lid on
- 2:00First drips should have started by now
- 5:00Last drip, lift off the phinStir in condensed milk if you like
Variations
Cà Phê Sữa Đá (Iced with Condensed Milk)Nguyen Coffee Supply
The classic iced version. Brew a little stronger, straight onto condensed milk, then pour over a full glass of ice.
17 g · 120 g water · 90-96 °C · medium-fine
- PrepPut 2-3 tbsp sweetened condensed milk in a glass, set the phin on top
- PrepAdd about 17 g robusta coffee (a scant half tablespoon more than the hot cup), level, add the press
- 0:00Pour about 30 g water to bloom
- 0:45Fill the chamber to the top
- 5:00Last drip, stir well, pour over a full glass of ice
Phin with a Long BloomCopper Cow Coffee
Same dose with a full 60-second bloom and the lid on to hold heat. Drink black or with condensed milk.
14 g · 120 g water · 88-96 °C · medium-fine, not as fine as espresso
- PrepSet up the phin on your mug, add 14 g coffee, shake level, place the press without pushing
- 0:00Pour about 30 g water evenly to bloom
- 1:00Fill the chamber to the top and put the lid on
- 4:30Brew finished (3-5 minutes depending on grind)
Fix your cup
| Taste | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Watery, sour | Drips too fast, under-extracted | Grind finer, add a bit more coffee, make sure the press is seated |
| Very bitter, harsh | Drips too slowly, over-extracted | Grind coarser, loosen the press |
| Won't drip at all | Grind too fine or press too tight | Grind coarser, loosen the press, tap the side gently |
| Gritty cup | Grind too fine for the holes | Grind a little coarser |
| Too sweet, coffee lost | Too much condensed milk | Start with 1 tbsp and add to taste |
Tips
- Aim for the first drip before 2:00 and the last around 5:00. That timing tells you if your grind is right.
- If the press is the screw-down type, tighten it lightly. Too tight and it barely drips; too loose and it runs straight through.
- Robusta and robusta blends taste right with condensed milk. Light arabica can taste thin and sour this way.
- Preheat the glass with hot water first so the coffee doesn't cool too much during the slow drip.
- For iced, brew a little stronger, since the ice will water it down.
Common mistakes
- Using espresso-fine coffee. It clogs the phin.
- Skipping the bloom, so dry pockets of coffee let water channel straight through.
- Pressing the gravity press down hard by hand. Let the water settle it.
- Expecting a full mug. A phin makes a small, strong cup, about 60-90 g of coffee.
What you need
- Phin filter (plate, chamber, gravity press, lid)
- Heatproof glass or mug
- Kettle
- Scale or tablespoon
- Sweetened condensed milk (optional)