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How to Brew Coffee with a Vietnamese Phin
A simple starting recipe for a rich, concentrated cup, with clear steps for adjusting grind, flow and strength to suit your coffee and taste.
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At a glance
Dose
20 g coffee
Water
100 g
Ratio
1:5
Temperature
92–94°C
Grind
Medium-fine
Brew Time
4:30–6:00
What You Need
Vietnamese phin · 20 g coffee beans · Grinder · Scale · Kettle · Timer · Serving cup
Step-by-Step Recipe
1. Preheat
Rinse the phin, lid and cup with hot water, then discard the rinse water.
2. Grind
Grind 20 g of coffee medium-fine: finer than pour-over, but coarser than espresso. Grind immediately before brewing.
For the reasoning behind grind adjustments, read Grind Size and Coffee Extraction.
3. Load the Phin
Add the coffee and gently shake the phin to level the bed. Set the filter press in place according to your phin design. Do not compress the coffee hard.
4. Bloom
Pour 20 g of water at 92–94°C, wetting the coffee as evenly as possible. Wait 30–45 seconds.
5. Main Pour
Slowly add the remaining 80 g of water, bringing the total to 100 g. Place the lid on the phin.
6. Let It Drip
Let the coffee drip naturally. As a starting target, aim for a total brew time of 4:30 to 6:00, measured from the first addition of water. Do not try to control flow by pressing hard on the filter during brewing.
7. Taste First, Then Adjust
Give the finished coffee a gentle stir before tasting. If the cup tastes balanced but simply too concentrated, dilute it with a little hot water rather than immediately changing the grind.
Adjust Your Brew
Flow is too fast and the cup tastes thin → Grind finer.
Flow is too slow and the cup tastes dry or harsh → Grind coarser.
The cup tastes sour, sharp or lacks sweetness → Grind slightly finer or raise the water temperature by 1–2°C.
The cup tastes bitter, dry or heavy → Grind slightly coarser or lower the water temperature by 1–2°C.
The cup tastes balanced but too concentrated → Add 20–40 g of hot water after brewing.
The cup tastes too light → Use a little less water or slightly increase the coffee dose.
Change one variable at a time.
Serving Options
Black
Drink it as brewed to taste the coffee profile most clearly.
Over Ice
Pour the brewed coffee over ice. If you use plenty of ice, keep the brew slightly more concentrated to account for dilution.
With Condensed Milk
Add condensed milk before or after brewing to taste. The amount is a serving preference, not an extraction parameter.
Recommended ANDAO Coffees
Start with one of these coffees, then adjust the recipe to your taste.
Robusta CưM’gar
Full-bodied, with cocoa, dark chocolate, molasses and roasted-nut notes.
Catimor Núi Min
A brighter Phin option with floral, citrus, apricot and honey notes.