Coffee Culture in Vietnam

Thanks to the French

When you think about Asia you think about tea. But Vietnam is on of the biggest exporting countries of green coffee. Since coffee is brought to Vietnam by the French in 1857 the country has become one of the biggest coffee supplier worldwide.

In the central highlands of Vietnam the climate is perfect for the cultivation of coffee plants. The most planted strain is the Robusta bean. Robusta is a sturdy species of coffee bean with higher acidity and high bitterness; it is used primarily in instant coffee, Espresso and as a filler in ground coffee blends. The biggest part of the harvest is exported as green coffee.

Typical Vietnamese Coffee

In the different parts of Vietnam they have also different kinds of beans. Alongside the Robusta bean you can find Arabica, Chari, Liberia or Catimor. The Vietnamese mix the beans and create a special kind of flavor. In a roasting process clarified butter, sugar and vanilla is roasted together with the beans mixture. In this process the Vietnamese coffee gets its full flavors like caramel, smoky leather and herbs.

The french invented a special way to make the coffee and the Vietnamese do it in the same way until today. The coffee is made with a little metal filter where it drips slowly into a cup. Then you drink it together with sweet condensed milk. Served with ice cà phê đá came to a being. Traditionally it is served green tea in little cups.

On the picture below you can see this kind of coffee served in Northern Vietnam.

ca phe sua da

The main picture is Vietnamese Egg Coffee (ca phe trung) that I found in Hanoi.