Vietnamese coffee filter
"Italy of course…originated the espresso style, using a complicated machine to prepare it. From France came the French Press…a much simpler style. Indonesia is known for its Kopi Luwak, and the U.S.A, well I guess they gave us Starbucks. Vietnam…has an interesting and unique method of preparing fresh-brewed coffee – the coffee Phin."
— EspressoBasics
The phin is a single-serving coffee filter used in Vietnam. It is a slow-drip metal pot which is a hybrid of the French press and a pourover system. The phin is in four parts– chamber, tamper, lid and plate. Image.
Brewing with the phin is really easy. You'll need about 3 tablespoons (25 grams) of medium-fine ground coffee. The Vietnamese use a dark-roast robusta (Vietnam grows mostly robusta, and the roast is classically French because the French introduced coffee to the country). Coffee goes into the chamber and the tamper drops on top of the coffee bed. The phin is placed on top of a cup and just-boiled water is poured over and the lid is popped on top to keep the brew from cooling too much) and the finished coffee drips into the cup. When the chamber is empty, pop it on the plate.
I've often seen it served over ice with condensed milk, and it makes a great combination. The strength and bitterness of the dark roast is balanced by the sweetness and texture of the milk, and the ice is because Vietnam is hot. It can be drunk hot, of course, but I recommend trying the traditional method at least once.
Because the phin relies on gravity to extract all the coffee goodness it needs no special treatment or extra equipment beyond a grinder and possibly a scale if you're aiming for consistency.
Using the phin
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