Vietnamese coffee is unique in terms of style, flavor, and taste. Vietnam is the second-largest producer of coffee and is quite famous for its robusta coffee beans.
If you’re as intrigued as I was, you might be wondering what Vietnamese coffee tastes like. And that’s what this blog is all about!
Vietnamese coffee is very strong as compared to the other coffees. This strong taste is because of the robusta coffee beans, the unique brewing method, and double the amount of caffeine.
The robusta coffee beans make a more potent and nuttier coffee.
What Makes a Coffee Strong?
Strong coffee is a very generic term.
When talking about strong coffee, there are two crucial factors to consider:
- Taste
- Caffeine content
The taste and the amount of caffeine in the coffee play a significant role in determining whether coffee is strong or not.
These two factors are not similar at all. For example, coffee can have a higher caffeine content but still taste mild, whereas coffee can have lower caffeine content but still taste strong.
When it comes to Vietnamese coffee, it is known for both a strong taste and a higher caffeine content.
How To Make Vietnamese Coffee?
The preparation method of Vietnamese coffee is pretty simple and easy. However, it would be best if you were patient because the brewing time for Vietnamese coffee is a bit longer.
You don’t need any special brewing equipment for making it. You can enjoy this coffee any way you like it, hot or cold. However, most people prefer to drink it authentically by adding ice.
You can even brew the coffee at home to make it according to your taste preference.
Ingredients Required
All you need for Vietnamese coffee is the following:
- A glass
- Hot water
- Dark or medium roast beans
- Coffee press
- Ice
- Sweetened condensed milk
Steps to Make Vietnamese Coffee
Now moving on to the assembling phase, here are the steps:
1. Add Grounded Coffee Beans
Firstly, add two tablespoons of the grounded coffee beans to your french press or phin filter.
2. Brew the Coffee
Screw the press on the coffee and pour hot water over it, allowing it to flow steadily for five minutes. The longer you brew your coffee, the stronger it will be.
3. Add Condensed Milk
After you’ve completed brewing the coffee, pour this into a glass of condensed milk.
4. Enjoy Your Coffee
The Vietnamese coffee is ready within 10 to 15 minutes. You can finally sit back and enjoy your great cup of coffee!
If simple coffee doesn’t wake you up, give the Vietnamese coffee a shot.
What to Do If You’re Using a Vietnamese Press?
If you’re using a Vietnamese press, you can brew directly and add this in a separate glass with ice, coffee, and condensed milk.
Why is Vietnamese Coffee So Strong?
Vietnamese coffee has a style of its own and a pretty intense flavor. If you have it for the first time, then be ready to be stunned by the rich taste. But what causes this intense flavor?
● Robusta Beans
The robusta coffee beans used to make Vietnamese coffee have a harsh and bitter taste. The caffeine content in these beans is double that of the regular Arabica coffee beans, with almost 2.7% of caffeine. This extra caffeine content leads to producing a stronger cup.
● Brewing Method
The brewing method of Vietnamese coffee requires an extended time.
This extended brew time leads to a higher release of caffeine in the coffee. As a result, this brewing method prepares a rich and strong Vietnamese coffee.
● Grind Size
Traditionally brewing Vietnamese coffee requires the use of finely ground coffee beans. Finely ground coffee does not allow the water to drip through easily, unlike coarse ground coffee.
The finely ground coffee also results in a higher caffeine extraction because this allows for more surface area to be exposed.
● Dark Roast
A dark roast is usually used to prepare Vietnamese coffee. This dark roast is prepared by using a longer roast time instead of using a higher temperature to get the dark roast.
It prevents oxidation and gives the coffee an excellent dark color in addition to the strong and rich taste.
● Location
The location where the coffee plant is grown also contributes to the taste of the coffee. The region’s soil, climate, temperature, and other natural factors affect the plant’s growth and affect the taste. A famous example is the luxurious Panama Geisha coffee and Geisha coffee.
In short, another reason for the strong taste of Vietnamese coffee is that the coffee beans used for this coffee are grown in a different region.
Takeaway
Vietnamese coffee is stronger than regular coffee because of the use of robusta beans compared to arabica beans.
The robusta beans have higher caffeine content require a longer brew time which leads to more caffeine extraction, and the use of dark roast beans contributes to the tastes and makes a strong Vietnamese coffee.
Other factors contributing to the strong taste include the location of the coffee plant and the grind size.
The brewing technique for Vietnamese coffee is pretty simple but requires a longer brewing time.
References
https://tasty.co/recipe/vietnamese-coffee
https://www.quora.com/What-makes-Vietnamese-coffee-taste-so-distinctive-and-delicious-It-is-natural-or-enhanced-with-artificial-favors
