I am in my coffee era. I love having a ready-made batch of coffee on hand for when I need my fix. Grab a cup, add ice, and pour. That’s all I need. Coffee rejuvenates me and I can “people” again.
If I am feeling fancy, a salted cream top makes me happy.
Here is an authentic big-batch Vietnamese coffee using strong robusta and/or arabica beans and classic sweetened condensed milk.
This recipe yields about two quarts of strong, bold coffee in just 15 minutes. It fits perfectly in my beautiful 2-quart pitcher.
Keep in mind, this is brewed as a strong concentrate. It is best served with a lot of crushed ice. And if you like it sweeter, feel free to add about more sweetened condensed milk at serving.
No Phin Needed
I love the slow, traditional ritual of watching coffee drip through a single-serving Vietnamese coffee filter called a phin.
But if you want to make two quarts of coffee at once, a phin is not the way.
When you need a big batch to get you through the week, a pot and a fine-mesh strainer work a lot better.
Ingredients and Equipment for Big-Batch Vietnamese Coffee
- Water: 9 cups for brewing.
- Coffee: 2 cups of coarse ground dark roast coffee, about 220 grams of robusta beans or arabica. You can also use a combination of these two classic roasts.
- Sweetened Condensed Milk: 1 can (14 oz).
- Equipment: A medium pot, a fine-mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth, a large mixing bowl with a lip, and a 2-quart pitcher.
The Best Coffee Beans to Use
For the most authentic flavor, you need a medium to dark roast. Traditional Vietnamese coffee relies on dark-roast Robusta beans, which pack a punch strong enough to keep you awake for two days straight.
Robusta can be a bit hard to find in the States, so you can easily use a dark-roast Arabica instead.
Luckily, online brands are readily available:
- Nguyen Coffee Supply: They offer a great variety, including 100% Robusta, Arabica, and a blend of both.
- Trung Nguyen Coffee: They offer a rich, chocolatey blend of the two dark roasts.
- 88 Coffee: They focus exclusively on strong Robusta beans.
My personal favorite? I tried them all, and they are all great, so I just go with whatever is cheaper. Trung Nguyen coffee is available at many of the local Asian supermarkets around me, so that is currently my drug of choice.
Instructions for Big-Batch Vietnamese Coffee
Step 1: Brew
Bring water to a boil in a medium pot. Remove the pot from the heat, carefully stir in 2 cups of coarse ground coffee until all the grounds are saturated, and let it steep for 10 minutes.
Step 2: Strain and sweeten
Pour the steeped coffee through a fine-mesh strainer or cheesecloth into a large mixing bowl (with a lip for easy pouring/transfer later). Discard the grounds.
While the coffee is still warm, stir in one 14-ounce can of sweetened condensed milk until it is fully dissolved.
Step 3: Transfer and store
Pour the sweetened coffee mixture into your 2-quart pitcher and transfer to the fridge to chill.
I always spill a bit of coffee at this point so pour carefully!
Step 4: Serve
To serve, fill a your cup 3/4 of the way with crushed ice and pour the coffee concentrate over the top. Enjoy as is or add your favorite cold foam/cream top.
Storage
Store the brewed coffee in a tightly sealed pitcher in the refrigerator. The coffee will stay fresh and hold its strong flavor for up to a week.
FAQs
Can I use regular milk or creamer instead of sweetened condensed milk? Sweetened condensed milk is non-negotiable if you want that authentic Vietnamese flavor. It provides the creamy sweetness needed to cut through the intense bitterness of the dark roast.
However if you don’t want to use any sweetened condensed milk, you can use sugar to sweeten and a splash of milk on the top at serving.
Can I drink this hot? Yes. Keep in mind this recipe makes a strong concentrate meant to be diluted by melting ice. If you want a hot cup, pour a serving of the concentrate into a mug, heat it up, and stir in a little hot water to dilute it to your preferred strength.
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How to Make a Big Batch of Authentic Vietnamese Coffee (No Phin Needed)
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings (about 2 quarts) 1x
Description
Make a week’s worth of strong, bold, authentic Vietnamese iced coffee that will keep you awake for two days straight. No phin required.
Ingredients
- 9 cups water
- 2 cups (220g) coarse ground dark roast coffee (Robusta, Arabica or blend of both)
- 1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
- Crushed ice (for serving)
- Store bought cold foam or homemade salted cream top (optional, for serving)
Instructions
- Brew: Bring the water to a boil in a medium pot. Remove the pot from the heat, carefully stir in the coarse ground coffee until all the grounds are saturated, and let it steep for 10 minutes.
- Strain and Sweeten: Pour the steeped coffee through a fine-mesh strainer or cheesecloth into a large mixing bowl with a lip. Discard the grounds. While the coffee is still warm, stir in the can of sweetened condensed milk until it is fully dissolved.
- Transfer: Pour the sweetened coffee mixture into your 2-quart pitcher and transfer to the fridge to chill.
- Serve: Fill a glass or cup 3/4 of the way with crushed ice and pour the coffee concentrate over the top. It’s delicious as is but go ahead and add your favorite cold foam if you’re feeling fancy.
Notes
Storage: Keep the batch tightly sealed in the refrigerator. It will stay fresh and hold its strong flavor for up to a week.
Serving Note: This is brewed as a strong concentrate! The crushed ice is essential because it melts quickly to chill and perfectly dilute the coffee.
Condensed Milk Alternative: If you prefer not to use canned sweetened condensed milk, sweeten the hot coffee concentrate to taste with granulated white sugar. When serving, pour the sweet coffee over ice and add a splash of fresh milk (whole milk or half-and-half).
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Coffee, Drinks
- Method: Stovetop
