#GearChallenge – Brewing specialty coffee with a Phin – Part One

Hated worldwide but loved back home, the Vietnamese Phin filter is often looked down upon because it is often linked to the notoriously sweet Vietnamese coffee Cà Phê Sữa đá, an iced Robusta brew with up to a cup of sweetened condensed milk per serving (yikes!). For us, however, we like a challenge every once in a while, let’s see if the Phin is any good.

In its defense, the Phin was designed for the needs of the Vietnamese coffee drinker and can be forgiven for its coffee once we understand that it helps brew what’s available, a homegrown bean that comes in many species, especially Robusta. And let’s not forget that fresh milk is not widely available in Vietnam as it is in our part of the world, which is why sweetened condensed milk is a go-to ingredient in Ca Phe Sua Da. But not all drinkers are the same, many prefer their coffee black, which makes us believe that certain preparation methods might help make a better coffee with this filter. 

Let’s put the Phin to the test and brew a single origin like a local! More on the #GearChallenge soon.