Cà phê sữa đá — Vietnamese iced coffee with sweetened condensed milk — is the drink that made the phin famous. Strong coffee drips straight onto a spoonful of condensed milk, gets stirred until it turns caramel brown, and is poured over a tall glass of ice. It takes about six minutes and three ingredients, and you can make it with the coffee already in your pantry.
What you need (serves 1)
- 2–3 tbsp ground coffee, medium-coarse
- 1½–2 tbsp sweetened condensed milk
- 3–4 oz hot water, about 200°F (boil, then wait 30 seconds)
- A tall glass full of ice
- A phin filter and a heatproof glass or cup
Which coffee? Traditional Vietnamese coffee is dark, bold and often Robusta or a Robusta–Arabica blend, because it stands up to the milk and ice. But any dark or medium-dark roast works. Use 3 tablespoons here — ice dilutes fast, and a stronger base keeps the flavor.
Step by step
- Milk first. Spoon the condensed milk into the bottom of a heatproof glass or cup.
- Warm the phin. Pour a little hot water through the empty phin and discard it. This matters most with a ceramic phin, which takes longer to heat.
- Add the coffee. Set the phin on the glass, add the grounds, shake gently to level, and rest the press on top.
- Bloom. Pour about 1 tbsp of hot water to wet the grounds. Wait 30–45 seconds.
- Fill and wait. Fill the chamber to the top, put the lid on, and let it drip for 4–6 minutes.
- Stir. Lift the phin onto its upturned lid. Stir well, scraping the milk up from the bottom, until the coffee is an even caramel brown.
- Pour over ice. Pour into the tall glass of ice and stir again.
Tips for a better cup
- Too weak or watery? Your phin is probably dripping too fast. Grind finer or add more coffee — see why your phin drips too fast and 7 easy fixes.
- Too sweet? Start with 1 tbsp of condensed milk and add more after tasting.
- Too bitter? Let the boiling water rest a little longer, or try a medium-dark roast.
- Want it hot? Skip the ice. Preheat a small cup, add the condensed milk, and brew on top with the lid on. That's cà phê sữa nóng.
Variations to try
- Iced black coffee (cà phê đen đá): skip the milk, brew onto 1–2 tsp sugar, stir, pour over ice.
- Bạc xỉu: a milk-first version with more milk and less coffee — a gentle first phin drink.
These and 9 more recipes are in The Phin Guide (free PDF), along with a troubleshooting table and a printable cheat sheet.
We make clay phins and fire-glaze cups, not coffee — bring the beans you already love. See the clay phin →