Phin Guide

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 approximately 80 ml of hot water (30 ml for the bloom, 50 ml for the final fill). This concentrated brew is diluted with ice and/or milk at the time of drinking.

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 coarse ground coffee to the bottom of the phin. Gently shake the filter to settle the coffee evenly.

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

3/6 — Insert the press plate and bloom

Place the inner press plate on top of the coffee and twist gently until snug. 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

A good phin coffee drips slowly, for about 4–5 minutes. Do not rush by pressing the filter — "Slow Drip" is the soul of the entire 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 to the recipe

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

Troubleshooting — when things go wrong

Problem	Cause and Solution
Coffee drips too fast	Grind too coarse or the press plate doesn't pack the coffee enough. Try a finer grind or add more coffee.
Coffee doesn't drip at all	Grind too fine or the press plate is pressed too tightly. Loosen the press plate by one turn and try a coarser grind.
Tastes bitter	Water too hot or extraction took too long. Let the water cool for a moment after boiling before pouring.
Tastes weak or watery	Coffee-to-water ratio too loose or grind too coarse. Add more coffee or grind finer.
Coffee bed uneven	Coffee didn't settle evenly before pouring water. Gently shake the phin after grinding and level the surface with the press plate before tightening.