Phin guide & recipes

Before you begin

Phin is the simplest way to make excellent coffee: no electricity, no complex parts — just metal, hot water, and time.

Basic ratio (1:3.5) for one serving: 20–25 g of coarsely ground coffee and a total of about 80 ml of hot water (30 ml for blooming, 50 ml for the final pour). This concentrated brew is diluted with ice and/or milk when consumed.

1/6 — Preheat the glass and filter

Pour a little hot water into the glass and the phin, let it sit for a moment, then pour it out. This prevents the coffee from cooling too quickly during brewing.

2/6 — Dose the coffee

Add 20–25 g of coarsely ground coffee to the bottom of the phin. Gently shake the filter to level the coffee bed.

Tip: even coffee bed = even extraction, no dry spots or channeling.

3/6 — Insert the press screen and bloom

Place the inner press screen on top of the coffee and twist gently to secure. Pour hot water for the bloom (approx. 30 ml) and let the coffee “bloom” for 30 seconds before proceeding.

4/6 — Fill with water and cover

Pour the remaining hot water to fill (approx. 50 ml more, total approx. 80 ml per serving) and place the lid on top. The lid keeps the heat in and evens out the flow.

5/6 — Wait — let it drip slowly

Good phin coffee drips slowly, for about 4–5 minutes. Do not rush by pressing the filter — "Slow Drip" is the soul of the method.

• Too fast (under 3 min) = grind too coarse
• Too slow (over 6 min) = grind too fine or too much coffee

6/6 — Remove the filter and proceed with the recipe

Once the last drops have fallen, lift the phin off the glass. The concentrate is ready.

Cà phê đá — Black Iced Coffee

Black iced coffee — no milk, no condensed milk. The purest form of phin concentrate, refreshing and icy. A good choice if you like your coffee straightforward and strong.

Ingredients (for one glass)

• 20–25 g coarsely ground coffee (Robusta Premium is excellent)
• 30 ml hot water (bloom)
• 50 ml hot water (final pour)
• Plenty of ice cubes
• Phin filter and glass

Preparation

1. Prepare the phin concentrate according to the instructions: bloom 30 ml, final pour 50 ml.
2. Let it drip directly into a glass or a separate container, for approx. 4–5 minutes.
3. Fill another glass with plenty of ice.
4. Pour the finished coffee concentrate over the ice.
5. Stir gently and enjoy immediately while it’s coldest.

Tip: if the coffee tastes too weak as the ice melts, use coffee ice cubes (frozen phin concentrate) instead of regular ice cubes.

Cà phê sữa đá — Classic Condensed Milk Iced Coffee

Vietnam's national drink: rich phin coffee, sweet condensed milk, and plenty of ice. Full-bodied, strong, and unique — this is the recipe Vy grew up with in Vietnam.

⚠️ Attention regarding condensed milk: Use sweetened condensed milk (e.g., Nestlé Condensed Milk or similar) — not regular milk, not cream, and not unsweetened condensed milk. Sweetened condensed milk can be found in most Finnish grocery stores in the canned goods aisle (usually near baking supplies).

Ingredients (for one glass)

• 20–25 g coarsely ground Saigon Blend coffee
• 20–25 g (approx. 1–1.5 tbsp) sweetened condensed milk
• 30 ml hot water (bloom)
• 50 ml hot water (final pour)
• Plenty of ice cubes

Preparation

1. Put condensed milk at the bottom of the glass.
2. Place the phin on top of the glass and brew the coffee directly over the milk (bloom 30 ml, final pour 50 ml).
3. Once the coffee has dripped, stir it thoroughly into the milk.
4. Fill another glass with ice and pour the sweetened coffee over it.
5. Stir gently and enjoy immediately.

Basic ratio: condensed milk approximately the same amount as coffee by weight (20–25 g / 20–25 g). Reduce milk if you prefer it more coffee-like, or add more if you prefer it sweeter.

Troubleshooting — when something goes wrong