How to Make Vietnamese Drip Coffee

If you’re a fan of pour over coffee, iced coffee or a solo coffee drinker, you should try a Vietnamese Drip coffee maker. The dripper, also called a Phin, is an easy to use single cup brewer that makes a delicious cup of Charleston Coffee Roasters coffee in about 4-5 minutes that is somewhere between pour over and a French press.

Pour over is certainly one of the simplest methods for preparing coffee. It only requires that you have ground coffee, a filter, and something to hold the filter. As the name suggests, you simply pour hot water over the coffee grounds, and allow the water to drip through the grounds and into the vessel below.

The Vietnamese dripper is similar to the pour over technique in that the apparatus sits on top of your mug and has a filter. In this case, it is a reusable stainless steel filter. But the Phin takes it one step further by weighing down the coffee grounds with another thin screen. This makes it also similar to a French press since you’re pressing on the grounds.

The resulting cup of coffee is smooth and clean like a pour over with less bite than espresso. Since there isn’t a paper filter, the oils from the beans will pass through to the finished coffee, similar to a French press, and you might get a little sludge in the bottom of your cup too.

 

Vietnamese Drip Coffee Grind

The water will be passing through the coffee grounds and the filter, so be sure to use a medium coarse grind, similar to a French press grind.  Use a burr grinder to freshly grind the beans if you can, so that the grinds are fairly even in size. You are looking for a grind that looks something like coarse salt or sugar. Check out this article if you need a refresher on grinding.

You could certainly use a brand of Vietnamese coffee for brewing. But we are partial to the rich full-bodied and smooth taste of our Charleston Coffee Roasters Rainforest Blend. These beans are certified by the Rainforest Alliance, and the dark roast brings out the slight notes of chocolate when sipped.

 

How to Make Vietnamese Drip Coffee STEP-BY-STEP

As you might have guessed, this method of brewing coffee is the first step to make traditional Vietnamese drip coffee. So be sure to stir in some condensed milk after brewing for hot Vietnamese style coffee if you like, and add some ice if you prefer the cold version of this delicious coffee drink.

Here is the step-by-step method for making a great cup of Vietnamese drip coffee using a Phin dripper:

1. Unscrew the thin top filter from the dripper and set aside.
2. Add 2-3 tablespoons ground Charleston Coffee Roasters Rainforest Blend coffee to the dripper. Shake gently to distribute evenly.
3. Replace the thin top filter on top of the ground coffee and screw it to weigh down the grinds. Do not screw on too tightly.
4. Place the dripper on top of a 8-ounce mug.
5. Bring 6-8 ounces of cold filtered water (per cup) to a boil. Remove from heat, and let sit for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
6. Pour a little hot water into the dripper, just enough to dampen it. Allow this water to drip through the grounds.
7. Once the grounds have “bloomed”, continue slowly pouring the rest of the water into the dripper.
8. Cover with the metal cover to trap in the steam, and allow the water to slowly drip through the grounds.
9. After all of the water has passed through the filter (about 4-5 minutes), carefully remove the dripper with the grounds and discard.
10. Pour yourself a cup and enjoy!