Why Try Vietnamese Coffee?
The iced version of Vietnamese coffee is perfect for warm weather. Cà phê sữa đá (Vietnamese iced coffee) is cold, bold, sweet, and flavorful. It is everything you want in an iced coffee but with more depth than typical cold brew. It really holds up to ice without getting watery. Plus Vietnamese coffee usually has nearly twice the caffeine of regular coffee.
Do Something New and Different
If you are used to lighter brews, try something new and different. Vietnamese Robusta beans from Cafe Du Monde in Louisiana are native to Southeast Asia and are dark roasted to build intense, toasty flavors that are balanced with the sweetness of condensed milk. That combo of strong coffee with sweetened condensed milk is magic! It hits the sweet-spot balance between bitter and sweet, creamy and bold.
The Process & Ritual
Everywhere coffee is a ritual. Cultures around the world put their unique stamp on coffee. And for Vietnamese diaspora in Houston, coffee can be more than a morning pick-me-up. It tends to be a ritual or even a social event. Though our crews can hustle up a coffee (hot or cold) for pick up or take out, the act of waiting for the slow drip of the phin (a small, metal drip brewer that sits atop a cup) is part of the experience. Ground coffee is added, a small metal press is inserted to tamp it down, hot water is poured in, and the brew slowly drips into the glass below. This slow process can take several minutes and results in a strong, concentrated brew—almost like espresso in intensity.
The process is meditative or relaxing, like pour-over or French press that you may be more familiar with. It is an opportunity to slow down and appreciate coffee and conversation while you savor Vietnamese coffee in small glasses to enhance its strong, espresso-like character.
Vietnamese iced coffee is iconic
Right now, iced coffee and cold brew are also popular, but the style you are probably familiar with is brewed quite differently. Cold brew steeps coarse grounds in cold water for 12–24 hours, which results in a milder drink compared to the intense and quick Vietnamese iced coffee.
In contrast, Vietnamese iced coffee is brewed hot and then poured over ice, so it keeps its unique and distinct, bitter, earthy, and bold flavors. In hot, humid Vietnam, a glass of iced coffee (cà phê sữa đá) rather than hot coffee (cà phê sữa nóng) is both refreshing and energizing. It’s commonly served with sweetened condensed milk (originating in the French colonial period when fresh milk wasn’t widely available) to make for a dessert-like drink with deep roasted notes balanced by thick sweetness.
