Introduction to Vietnamese Coffee
Vietnamese coffee encompasses both its distinctive brewing methods and the traditional roasting style unique to Vietnam. While Italian-style roasted beans can be brewed using a Vietnamese phin-drip filter, conversely, traditional Vietnamese roast can be prepared with foreign coffee machines.
In Vietnam, tradition dictates the roasting of Robusta coffee beans to a very dark hue, often accompanied by additions such as salt, rice liqueur, butter, whiskey, or even fish sauce and sugar. These additions enhance the robust and often bitter flavor profile of the Robusta beans. Popular flavors like hazelnut and vanilla are frequently infused to enrich the aroma and taste.
Common fillers like soybeans, red beans, and roasted corn are incorporated to subtly sweeten and thicken the darker coffee, elevating its richness.
Types of Vietnamese Coffee
- Filter Coffee:
- Vietnamese: Cà Phê Sữa Nóng (coffee with milk), Cà Phê Đen Nóng (black coffee).
- Brewed using a traditional metal coffee filter (Phin Filter), where ground coffee beans, often roasted in butter, are steeped with hot water, allowing the coffee to drip slowly into a waiting glass, a ritual integral to the coffee-drinking experience.
- Ice Coffee:
- Vietnamese: Cà Phê Sữa Đá (Iced Coffee with Milk), Cà Phê Đá (Iced Black Coffee).
- Similar to filter coffee, but served over ice after stirring milk and coffee together.
- Egg Coffee:
- Vietnamese: Cà Phê Trứng.
- Combines beaten egg yolk with condensed milk to create an airy foam, topped over dark coffee—a reminiscent of Vietnamese tiramisu, originating from Hanoi in the 1940s.
- Coconut Coffee:
- Vietnamese: Cà Phê Cốt Dừa.
- A modern favorite among Vietnamese youth, typically made with condensed milk, coconut milk, and ice, often resembling a shake.
- Yogurt Coffee:
- Vietnamese: Sữa Chua Cà Phê.
- Fusion of French-origin yogurt and coffee, offering a creamy and rich beverage, often served with various toppings like fresh fruit or fermented rice.
- Weasel Coffee:
- Vietnamese: Cà Phê Chồn.
- Known as civet or cat poo coffee, it’s one of the world’s most luxurious coffees, processed from coffee beans consumed and excreted by weasels, then cleaned and processed. However, controversy surrounds its production due to concerns about the welfare of the animals involved.
While Vietnamese coffee offers a diverse range of flavors and experiences, it’s important to consider ethical and environmental factors when exploring its more exotic variants like Weasel Coffee.
