Whether you are a fan of a healthy blend of Arabica and Robusta or swear by pure Arabica coffee : Vietnamese coffee tastes best when it is prepared the Vietnamese way.

The traditional Vietnamese way of preparing coffee is not influenced by the type of bean. In contrast to the typical German "mass filter coffee production", Vietnamese coffee is always brewed in individual portions. To do this, the drip filter with a sieve bowl, called a phin , is placed on the glass or cup and filled with coffee powder. The small press is then placed on the coffee powder and boiling water is poured over it. Little by little, the coffee drips into its container.

In contrast to Germany, coffee in Vietnam is usually drunk cold due to the high temperatures. It is often cooled with ice cubes or served directly as iced coffee ( you can find the recipe for the traditional preparation in our blog article on Vietnamese iced coffee ). Another typical Vietnamese practice is to add sweetened condensed milk. This gives the coffee a pleasantly mild note.

• For preparation in the Phin, the coffee should be ground medium to coarse (grind level 4 out of 5). If the coffee is ground too finely, it runs through the Phin too slowly and becomes bitter. If the grind level is too coarse, the coffee becomes too thin.
• Use enough coffee. The bottom section should be filled with coffee right up to the edge so that the water cannot run past the sides.
• Fill your Phin with coffee powder before placing it on your cup . This will prevent any coffee powder from getting into your finished coffee.
• The lid of the Phin can also be used as a coaster . Once the coffee has brewed, you can turn the lid over and place the Phin on top to prevent your table from getting coffee stained or wet.
• The classic Vietnamese coffee preparation: In Vietnam, coffee is also often drunk as iced coffee. Simply put a few ice cubes in the glass before placing the Phin on top.

Vietnamese coffee is an integral part of the culture of this Southeast Asian country. Introduced by the French in the 19th century during the colonial period, the “staple food” of coffee has become an integral part of the everyday life of the Vietnamese population. No matter where you go, you will find small, typical coffee shops on the street corners. People meet here in the morning for a Vietnamese coffee, the first meal of the day.

However, the Vietnamese are not only passionate consumers of the drink. As the world's second largest coffee producer, they are also top class when it comes to exports. However, production remains a local and above all traditional matter. Every Vietnamese is allowed to grow coffee and run a plantation and is even supported by the state, including by allocating appropriate cultivation areas. The land is leased by the coffee farmers from the state for around 50 years, with the government allowing 1.2 hectares per household. A plantation of this size can produce an average of 2.5 tons of coffee. A full 95 percent of the coffee grown is exported, with around five percent remaining in the country for domestic use.

So far, it has been possible to keep large companies out of the matter. The population benefits from the export of coffee and can keep almost all of the profits for themselves. With such good conditions for the workers, it is clear why Vietnamese coffee often gets by well without the seals introduced by large companies such as "Fair Trade". If everything is done fairly anyway, there is no need to separate the wheat from the chaff when it comes to the products.