Vietnamese coffee derives from French drip style. It tends to be a dark, strong brew that is midway between regular coffee and espresso. It is usually served with 2-3 tablespoons of sweetened condensed milk (SCM), a practice that began because the original French in Vietnam couldn't easily acquire fresh milk. Known as a "Phin", this single serving stainless steel Vietnamese style coffee press, includes a built-in filter. Compared to some units which have a simple gravity press inside...our model allows you to adjust the strength of your brew by tightening the press for a stronger beverage or loosening it to "take the edge off". Because there is no paper filter, that absorbs the most delicate flavor components, you get a good tasting brew with all of the delicate nuances of your premium coffee.

The convenient design of the phin allows it to sit right on the top rim of mugs or cups to deliver a single serving right into the cup. You can make it strong for an espresso-like brew, or the phin can double as a manual drip brewer...make a strong brew and then dilute to conventional coffee strength with additional hot water.

For versatility, this coffee press can be used to make hot coffee, Vietnamese iced coffee (prepare hot coffee with sweetened condensed milk & then add to a glass of ice), hot or cold tea from loose leaf tea leaves, and more. And thanks to its stainless steel structure, you can be sure this coffee press will stand up to the rigors of day-to-day use.

A medium-dark to full dark roast is suggested, as much real Vietnamese coffee is Robusto, which tends to have an "off-taste" if roasted light or medium. For the best of both worlds, you might try a 50/50 blend of our medium to dark Bolivian variety mixed with a good supermarket French roast drip coffee.

The grind should be fairly course, such as used in a French Press, or more course...unless a supplemental filter (such as the permanent filter intended for the Aeropress) is used on top of the base perforated plate.

Brewing & Serving Suggestions:  Two popular ways of serving Vietnamese coffee is iced or mixed with SCM. Usually, the SCM is put in the cup or glass first, and the coffee is allowed to brew/drip down onto it, and then it is stirred to combine the coffee & milk. Also, keep in mind that the brew time goal is 4-5 minutes, to ensure a good extraction of the coffee flavors. If complete brewing takes longer than that, then the grind is too fine or the screw is too tight. If the brew time is shorter than that, the grind is too coarse or the screw is too loose. The provided cover helps to keep the coffee hot while it is brewing, but another tip is to preheat the phin with a splash of hot water swirled around in it (and then discarded); and also to pour a splash of hot water into the phin after the grinds and filter are inserted...letting it sit for half a minute for the coffee to "bloom"...before filling it with hot water. Water temp should be 190-200 degrees. Think of this as boiling water that has sat for 30 seconds after removing from the heat. (Absolute boiling water can tend result in a more bitter brew.)