Vietnamese Iced Coffee (Ca Phe Sua Da): Recipe With a Phin Filter
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Vietnamese iced coffee, or cà phê sữa đá, is strong, dark coffee dripped slowly through a small metal filter onto a layer of sweetened condensed milk, then stirred and poured over ice. It is intense, sweet and creamy all at once, and it is one of the easiest coffee rituals to bring home: you need a phin filter, bold coffee, a can of condensed milk and about five minutes of patience.
Here is how the phin works, the recipe step by step, and the variations you will find in Vietnamese cafés.
In this article
- What is a phin filter?
- Why condensed milk?
- The recipe
- Troubleshooting the drip
- Variations: bạc xỉu, black and coconut
- FAQ
What is a phin filter?
A phin is a simple single-cup brewer made of aluminum or stainless steel. It has four parts:
- The plate: a perforated base that sits on top of your glass.
- The chamber: a small cup with holes in the bottom that holds the ground coffee.
- The press (or insert): a perforated disc that sits on the grounds. Some screw down, others simply rest on top by gravity.
- The lid: keeps heat in while the coffee drips, and doubles as a drip tray when you lift the phin off.
The phin is basically a slow pour-over with no paper filter. Because nothing traps the coffee oils and the brew drips slowly through a compact bed of grounds, the result is thick, strong and full-bodied, closer to a small, intense shot than to drip coffee. That strength is what lets it stand up to condensed milk and melting ice.
Why condensed milk?
Sweetened condensed milk became the standard partner for coffee in Vietnam for a practical reason: fresh milk was hard to come by. Dairy farming was limited and fresh milk spoiled quickly in the tropical heat, so canned, shelf-stable condensed milk filled the gap. The habit stuck, and today the thick, caramel-sweet milk is the signature of cà phê sữa đá.
It is rich, though. Using USDA nutrient data for sweetened condensed milk, 2 tablespoons (about 38 g) contain roughly 120 calories and around 20 g of sugar. The recipe below gives a range so you can adjust.
The recipe (1 glass)
| Ingredient | US | Metric |
|---|---|---|
| Dark-roast or Robusta coffee, medium-fine grind | about 3 tablespoons | 20 g |
| Sweetened condensed milk | 1 to 2 tablespoons | 15 to 30 ml |
| Water just off the boil | about 1/2 cup, in two pours | 100 to 110 ml |
| Ice | 1 tall glass | about 10 cubes |
Steps
- Prepare the glass. Spoon the condensed milk into the bottom of a heatproof glass or small cup.
- Load the phin. Put the plate on the glass and the chamber on the plate. Add the coffee and shake gently to level it.
- Insert the press. Place the press on the grounds. If it screws down, tighten it lightly, then back off a quarter turn. Pressing too hard stops the drip.
- Bloom. Pour in about 20 ml (4 teaspoons) of hot water, just enough to wet the grounds. Wait 30 to 45 seconds while the coffee releases gas and swells.
- Fill and cover. Fill the chamber to the top with the remaining hot water and put the lid on.
- Wait. The coffee should drip steadily, a drop or two per second, and finish in about 4 to 5 minutes.
- Stir. Lift off the phin (rest it on the upturned lid), then stir the coffee and condensed milk together until smooth and caramel colored.
- Pour over ice. Pour into a tall glass full of ice, stir again and drink while it is ice cold.
Tips for the best cup
- Preheat the phin by pouring a little hot water through it first; aluminum phins lose heat quickly.
- Use bold coffee. Light, delicate coffees get lost under the condensed milk. Dark roasts and Robusta give the classic cocoa and toasted flavors.
- Taste before you add ice. It should taste too strong and too sweet when warm. The ice will balance it.
No phin? Try these
- Moka pot: brew a full pot of strong coffee and use about 1/3 cup (80 ml) per glass.
- Espresso: use a double shot plus 1 to 2 tablespoons of hot water.
- French press: brew at double strength (about 1:8 coffee to water) for 4 minutes.
Troubleshooting the drip
| Problem | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Done in under 2 minutes, weak taste | Grind too coarse or press too loose | Grind finer or tighten the press slightly |
| Barely drips, takes over 8 minutes | Grind too fine or press too tight | Loosen the press; use a slightly coarser grind |
| Grounds in the cup | Grind too fine for the holes | Use a medium-fine grind, not powder-fine |
| Sour or thin | Water not hot enough | Use water just off the boil and preheat the phin |
| Too sweet | Too much condensed milk for the coffee | Start with 1 tablespoon and add more after tasting |
Variations: bạc xỉu, black and coconut
Bạc xỉu (white coffee)
Bạc xỉu flips the proportions: lots of milk, a little coffee. It was created by the Cantonese-speaking community of Chợ Lớn, Saigon’s Chinatown, during the 20th century (sources differ on exactly when). Its name comes from a Cantonese phrase usually translated as “a cup of white milk with a little coffee.” To make it, stir 1 tablespoon condensed milk with 1/3 cup (80 ml) cold whole milk, add ice, then pour about 1 to 1.5 fl oz (30 to 45 ml) of phin coffee over the top.
Cà phê đen đá (iced black coffee)
The same phin coffee, poured over ice with no milk. Some people add a little sugar to the hot coffee before icing it.
Coconut coffee
Blend 3 tablespoons (45 ml) coconut milk, 1 tablespoon condensed milk and a handful of ice until slushy. Pour phin coffee into a glass and spoon the coconut slush on top.
Dairy-free
Sweetened condensed coconut milk works one for one in place of regular condensed milk, and oat milk is good in bạc xỉu. The coffee flavor stays bold and the drink becomes fully plant-based.
Lighter version
Use 1 tablespoon condensed milk plus 3 tablespoons unsweetened milk. You keep the creamy texture with roughly half the sugar.
A note on strength
Phin coffee is strong, and Robusta beans naturally contain more caffeine than Arabica. If you are sensitive to caffeine, use a blend with some Arabica, make a smaller cup or try the bạc xỉu version, which uses less coffee. For most healthy adults, the FDA cites 400 mg of caffeine a day as an amount not generally associated with negative effects.
The coffee to use
For the classic bold, chocolatey taste, our Robusta from West Java is a full-bodied cup with cacao, Brazil nut and malt notes, exactly the profile that stands up to condensed milk. Want it even bolder? Max Caf Blend combines Tanzanian coffee with Indian Robusta for a strong, dark-cocoa cup. Order whole beans and grind medium-fine, or choose the Standard grind and adjust the press. For other strong options, browse our blends.
Vietnamese iced coffee FAQ
What coffee is used in Vietnamese iced coffee?
Traditionally a dark-roasted Robusta or a Robusta-heavy blend, which gives a bold, chocolatey, slightly bitter cup that balances the sweet milk.
Can I use regular milk instead of condensed milk?
You can, but it will taste closer to an iced latte. Condensed milk gives the thick texture and caramel sweetness that define cà phê sữa đá.
How long should a phin take to drip?
About 4 to 5 minutes after the main pour. Much faster means the grind is too coarse; much slower means it is too fine or the press is too tight.
Is Vietnamese coffee stronger than regular coffee?
Per milliliter, yes: the phin makes a small, concentrated brew, often with high-caffeine Robusta. A glass is still diluted by ice and milk.
Sources
- “Vietnamese iced coffee,” Wikipedia (phin method, condensed milk history, bạc xỉu etymology). en.wikipedia.org
- Lana Tran, “Iconic Dishes: A Guide to Vietnamese Coffee,” MICHELIN Guide, 2024. guide.michelin.com
- “Milk, canned, condensed, sweetened,” USDA FoodData Central. fdc.nal.usda.gov
- “Spilling the Beans: How Much Caffeine Is Too Much?,” US Food and Drug Administration. fda.gov
Facts checked in October 2026.
This article is for general information only and is not medical advice. If you have a health condition, are pregnant or take medication, ask your doctor before changing your caffeine intake.
Keep reading: The best coffee beans in the world · Benefits of caffeine · Blends collection