Been hitting some great Vietnamese restaurans lately & I always get an iced Vietnamese Coffee with condensed milk. I was wondering if anyone knew exactly how they make this? I've tried doing it with condensed milk but it never turns out even close. The condensed milk is too thick & just sinks. Also, what kind of coffee do they brew for this? What method? I was thinking it might even be an instant espresoo type coffee but Im not sure. Is there some kind of different condensed milk they use or do they maybe just think it out with milk & mix it up well before putting it with the coffee? Would love to know if anyone has any insite.

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Chances are your local Viet place is either using Trung Nguyen or Cafe du Monde, both pre-ground. Traditional hot Vietnamese style coffee is brewed using those stainless style filter drip units unto condensed milk.

If condensed milk isn't giving you the right combination, I've seen some places use either evaporated milk (less common) or simple half & half (more common, especially with Thai Tea) in place of condensed milk.
I've tried this a few times at a local Vietnamese restaurant in my town, and it wasn't my favorite really. It was very, very sweet. Not that it was bad, it just wasn't really my thing I guess.

It was an interesting process to watch however, that's for sure. In the end though, it kind of felt like I was drinking a strong chocolate milk with ice and some coffee mixed in. Maybe it just isn't my thing. Who knows! I am curious as to what kind of coffee they would use as well though. As for the milk, I would have to agree with Jay's previous post about the use of common half & half for that particular type of drink.
The ones I've had where not half & half (although it couldnt have had some half & half in them) & was pretty strong coffee flavor. Slightly sweet yes, but strong coffee. I've probably had it in 4 different vietnamese restaurants in 2 states. Very good, and very strong coffee with just enough of a cream & sweetness (I generally drink regular coffee black & no sugar). It was thicker than just something like chocolate milk but didnt seem as thick as straight sweetened condensed milk. Maybe they just use a very small amount of condensed milk at the places I've had it. Or maybe they do mix it with a little half & half to think it out (and make it a little less sweet) I might try to make a strong iced redeye & mix some condensed milk & half & half & see how it turns out.
That is more or less closer to what I did have. When I said chocolate milk, it wasn't necessarily the same feel, because when I did drink it, it was very heavy. It is a noticeably strong coffee, though.

Good input. Maybe I will have to go back and try it again sometime to recap.

Mitch Buckner - Bella Caffe said:
The ones I've had where not half & half (although it couldnt have had some half & half in them) & was pretty strong coffee flavor. Slightly sweet yes, but strong coffee. I've probably had it in 4 different vietnamese restaurants in 2 states. Very good, and very strong coffee with just enough of a cream & sweetness (I generally drink regular coffee black & no sugar). It was thicker than just something like chocolate milk but didnt seem as thick as straight sweetened condensed milk. Maybe they just use a very small amount of condensed milk at the places I've had it. Or maybe they do mix it with a little half & half to think it out (and make it a little less sweet) I might try to make a strong iced redeye & mix some condensed milk & half & half & see how it turns out.
Jay Caragay said:
If condensed milk isn't giving you the right combination, I've seen some places use either evaporated milk (less common) or simple half & half (more common, especially with Thai Tea) in place of condensed milk.

Condensed milk is the 'traditional' (at least from my VV bud's POV) and the secret is to use as much if it off the bottom (at least in the hot version) as you see fit. Stir until the colour is right, then drink.
My favorite Viet-Namese place usually has twice what I need, and I leave it on the bottom. Like the reverse of Turkish.
Oh yeah, Viet-Nam is famous for it's robusta, so there could be something there....
I found a Sweetened Condensed milk in a squeeze bottle in the Mexican foods eisle at the grocery store. Much easier to use (although once you open it & refrigerate it, its pretty thick!) I simply let a Red Eye get cold & then poured it over ice & added the SC Milk & it turned out pretty good. Plus I dont have to open a whole can every time I want to make one. Next I'll try doing a little cold brew & seeing how that turns out.
I am vietnamese. Vietnamese coffe can make from French Dark Roast coffee. Don't use Vietnamese coffee. Most of the company put a lot of corn and chemical in the coffee. You can buy the vietnamese coffee filter from Home hardware store. The condense milk is Longevity Brand (sua ong tho). It sell in the T&T market or vietnamese store. You usually put around 1 1/2 oz or 2oz of milk in your cup first and then pour the hot water into the coffee filter.
I know you work for Trung Nguyen coffee in VN. I said "Most of the company" not "ALL the company". I am agree that Trung Nguyen coffee is good. People can use it to make cofffee in North America but it's hard to find. They can only find in Vietnamese market. French Dark Roast Coffee is the best subtitue.
Thanks to both of you for joining this conversation. When discussing coffees of a country, it is nice to have coffee lovers from that country be part of the discussion.

Luong Binh Hai, I'm sure yours is a good product and an authentic representation of Vietnamese coffee, however those of us that are interested in serving this drink in our cafes will probably not buy preground coffee to use. Duc, I appreciate the suggestions for an appropriate alternative coffee to substitute.

Thanks again. Good discussion.

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