How Many Grams of Coffee per Cup? Phin Guide

When brewing Vietnamese phin coffee at home, many people ask the same question: how many grams of coffee for one cup will give the right taste? The answer is not just a number. It depends on several factors, including the beans, the water temperature, and the extraction method. Once you understand these elements, you can confidently make a rich, aromatic cup of Vietnamese coffee whether you are in a small kitchen at home or living abroad in Germany.

What is Vietnamese Phin coffee?

Vietnamese phin coffee is a traditional manual brewing method that uses a small metal filter, known as a phin, to extract coffee slowly through gravity. The result is a cup with a heavy body, natural richness, and a long, lingering finish.

How Many Grams of Coffee Do You Need for One Phin Cup? A Guide to Authentic Vietnamese Phin Coffee at Home

Detailed guide to making authentic Vietnamese phin coffee at home (Source image: Internet)

For a traditional single-serving phin, the ideal amount is usually 20g to 25g of ground coffee, or about 3 heaped tablespoons. This gives you a bed of coffee thick enough for the hot water to pass through slowly, producing a concentrated brew that still tastes full even when served over ice or mixed with condensed milk.

Vietnamese Phin Coffee Recipe

Ingredients

• Coffee: 20g to 25g of dark-roast Robusta beans, ground medium-coarse, similar to granulated sugar. Knowing how many coffee beans for one cup you use directly affects the strength and aroma of the final drink.
• Hot water: 80ml to 100ml of filtered water at 92°C to 95°C
• Tip: If you do not have a thermometer, let freshly boiled water rest for 1 to 2 minutes before pouring.
• Other ingredients: Sweetened condensed milk and clean ice
• Equipment: A traditional aluminum phin filter

Step-by-Step

1. Preheat the phin
   Rinse the phin and your cup with hot water first. This keeps the brewing temperature stable and prevents the coffee grounds from cooling too quickly.
2. Bloom the coffee — this step matters
   Add the coffee to the phin and pour about 20ml of hot water over the grounds. Let it sit for 45 seconds so the coffee can absorb the water and expand evenly. This helps reduce harsh sourness and opens up the aroma.
3. Extract slowly
   Place the press screen on top gently, then pour in the remaining hot water. Cover the phin and let the coffee drip slowly at around one drop per second.
4. Finish the drink
   Add 25ml to 35ml of condensed milk for Vietnamese iced milk coffee, or serve it over ice for Vietnamese black iced coffee, depending on your preference.

Why does 20–25g make such a big difference?

Getting the answer to how many grams of coffee for one cup right matters because Vietnamese Robusta beans naturally contain a high amount of oils and caffeine. With a large enough dose, the hot water has enough time to travel through the coffee bed properly, creating a brew that feels thick, full-bodied, and smooth instead of weak. This is especially important when the coffee is mixed with condensed milk or poured over slowly melting ice.

Vietnamese Phin coffee variations and their ideal ratios

Phin coffee can be transformed into a variety of appealing variations (Source image: Internet)

Note:

• These are starting-point ratios. You can adjust them depending on your taste.
• 70ml to 100ml of water is usually the sweet spot, depending on how strong you want the cup.
• Once you know the right ratio, it becomes much easier to control body, aroma, and aftertaste.

Phin culture: A slower way to live

In Vietnam, phin coffee is sometimes jokingly called “waiting coffee.” Sitting there and watching each dark drop fall into the cup is part of the experience. It is a small pause in the day, a moment to slow down and think. In the fast, industrial rhythm of life in Germany, those 5 to 7 minutes of waiting for a phin are not just about making coffee. They are also a way to preserve a quiet cultural ritual and a gentler pace of life in your own kitchen.

Where to buy the ingredients in Germany

Essential ingredients for making a perfectly authentic cup of coffee (Source image: Internet)

If you want to recreate an authentic Vietnamese cup of coffee in Europe, here is what to look for:

• Coffee: Order directly from our store for dark-roast Robusta beans specially selected for phin brewing, shipped locally from Germany.
• Condensed milk: You can find full-bodied sweetened condensed milk in many German supermarkets or Asian grocery stores. A thicker condensed milk will give you the most authentic flavor.
• Equipment: If you do not already have an aluminum phin, you can find one in Asian kitchenware stores or order directly from our website.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do I only get a small amount of coffee from 20g?

That is completely normal. Phin brewing is a slow-drip method designed to create a concentrated extract. If you understand how many coffee beans for one cup to use, you should end up with about 40ml to 50ml of strong coffee concentrate. That may not seem like much, but it is exactly what you need for a properly balanced iced milk coffee that does not taste diluted once ice is added.

Should I use an aluminum phin or a stainless steel one?

We generally recommend an aluminum phin because it holds and distributes heat more evenly, which helps with a deeper extraction.

How do I keep my coffee fresh in Germany?

Germany’s climate can be quite dry, so store your coffee in a dark glass jar with a tight lid, and keep it in a cool place away from the stove or direct heat.

We hope this guide has answered your question about how many grams of coffee for one cup and helped you brew Vietnamese coffee with confidence at home in Germany.

In the end, the number matters, but it is not the whole story. What makes a cup memorable is often not just the recipe, but the moment when the aroma starts filling the kitchen and each drop falls slowly into the glass. At that point, you are not just making coffee. You are touching a small, distinctly Vietnamese rhythm of life, right in the middle of Germany.

(Content has been compiled and technically cross-checked based on recipes from Nguyen Coffee Supply, DailyPhin, and the practical experience of the VietNatur team.)

VietNatur