BREW GUIDE / Filter coffee

Vietnamese phin coffee

Stabilize the gravity insert and drip behaviour before using condensed milk to adjust sweetness.

English edition updated 2026-11-10 · Editorial reference recipe; adjust for your equipment and coffee.

Coffee amount14 g ground coffeeWater / ingredientsAbout 120 g hot water; 15 g condensed milk optionalTiming referenceObserve around 5 minutesGrind starting pointFine sand-like starting point

Vietnamese phin coffee equipment and finished serving

Jump to the steps ↓

Equipment and measurements

Phin filter and matching insert, sturdy heatproof glass, scale and kettle.

Amounts marked as brewed espresso describe beverage weight, not dry grounds. Keep water, milk, ice and other additions as separate measurements; final volume varies with the method.

How to make it

Weigh 14 g coffee. Optionally add 15 g condensed milk to the serving glass, then place the filter plate and chamber securely over a compatible rim.
Technique note
Check that all parts are present and holes are clear. Old coffee blocking a hole is an equipment issue that changing temperature may not solve.
Gently level the coffee and place the gravity insert on top. For a screw-down model, follow its own instructions instead of tightening it like a different brewer.
Technique note
The insert stabilizes the bed; this is not espresso tamping. Use a consistent placement so drip-time comparisons actually reflect the grinder change.
Add about 30 g water around 91–93°C, wait roughly 45 seconds, then slowly top up to a cumulative 120 g if capacity allows. Use stages or a smaller recipe when necessary.
Technique note
The second target is 120 g total, not another 120 g. Explicit weights avoid ambiguous advice to add a 'full filter' when capacities differ.
Allow dripping to finish, remove the hot filter safely and stir condensed milk from the bottom. Note the first and final drips before changing grinding or sweetness.
Technique note
Unmixed condensed milk can make early sips bitter and later ones very sweet. Stir to the bottom before diagnosing extraction, and record serving ice separately.

What to adjust first

No drip: inspect blocked holes, an overly tight insert and fine grinding. Very fast weak flow: confirm dose and bed preparation before grinding finer. Excess sweetness: reduce condensed milk next time.

Tune drip behaviour before tuning sweetness

Condensed milk changes balance but does not clear a blocked brewer. Keep coffee and water fixed until dripping is reasonably repeatable, then change sweetness in a separate comparison.

Try this comparison next time

Record insert type, first-drip time and finish time using the same dose and water. Once insert placement is consistent, compare one small grind adjustment.

What to write down

Record phin size, insert design, dry coffee, input water, milk and ice separately. Input water is not identical to filtered beverage weight.

Further reading: source guidance for this method. Our quantities and troubleshooting notes are editorial starting points, not a claim to reproduce a brand recipe or a first-hand test.

Keep learning

Coffee basics · Flavour troubleshooting

Your notes for this cup

Record settings, flavour and one change for next time. Notes stay in this browser; they are not uploaded or synced. Clearing site data removes them.

My Vietnamese phin coffee notes