In a recent poll by coffee connoisseurs of a leading magazine, Vietnamese coffee was voted in the top 10 most-loved coffees globally. Is this growing love for Vietnamese specialty coffee overhyped, or is the affinity genuine?
Let us analyse this and gauge why Vietnamese coffee is globally known as the leading heartthrob of coffee aficionados.

Some figures around global trade

Statistically, Vietnam is the second highest exporter of coffee after Brazil, with over 25 million 132-pound bags of coffee yearly. This is a testament to people’s fondness for this sharp-tasting coffee, an instant stimulant. The leading importers of the robusta bean-rich Vietnamese coffee are Germans, Americans, Italians, Spanish, and Japanese.

The stark features of Vietnamese coffee

97% of Vietnamese coffee consists of robusta coffee beans. Robusta beans have a bold, earthy, bitter, nutty flavour and high caffeine content, as compared to Arabica beans, which have less caffeine, higher acidity, and a mild and sweet undernote. Robusta coffee is brewed using a drip phin filter or a Vietnamese coffee maker that eases the process to get a bold taste that evokes your senses. The impressive notes give that much-needed energy shot in a single cup that the Vietnamese and the world love and hence the vogue.

Is Vietnamese coffee healthier than other counterparts?

People who love coffee and cannot wake up before their daily dose of caffeine suffer from this guilt shoved by health practitioners daily. But here is a fact that coffee connoisseurs would love! Vietnamese coffee is less acidic and has less fat and sugar, as compared to other types of coffee. People with acid reflux would love this fact, as drinking Vietnamese coffee does not aggravate their digestion. This coffee is also rich in an antioxidant called chlorogenic acid that keeps blood pressure and weight in check.

Vietnamese coffee (robusta beans ) is a natural pest resistant that mitigates the need for harmful pesticides during the growing process and hence is more environmentally friendly.

Some popular Vietnamese coffee recipes to try

Ever since the French introduced coffee in Vietnam in 1850, the Vietnamese used their creativity and culinary prowess to curate some of the best Vietnamese coffee recipes that have propelled this coffee to top the charts. We highlight a few sought-after Vietnamese coffee concoctions to try to savour the best coffee experience.

Egg coffee

This preparation involves Vietnamese robusta coffee and egg yolks beaten with sugar and condensed milk. The concoction is a must-try in Vietnam for people who love to travel and experience the planet's wonders.

Ca Phe Saigon or Sua

This South Vietnamese coffee recipe consists of a tall glass of ice-cold coffee without milk (Saigon) or with milk (Sua)

Coconut coffee

This concoction is prepared by adding a dollop of whipped coconut cream served on top of the coffee in a glass. This satiates your taste buds and has health benefits as well.

Fruit Coffee

Tired of just a cup of caffeine? Add a smoothie of banana or avocado with your favourite Vietnamese robusta coffee and enjoy the best of both worlds.

The Vietnamese coffee culture

We must mention that in Vietnam, coffee is a way of living, and people consider a session of coffee to indulge in casual meet-ups, gossip about the neighbourhood, and gel with their peers. You will be surprised to see coffee shops and baristas ready to serve you by the roadside as early as 5 am onwards and continuing to delight people until 10:30 pm. That is the ideal coffee culture in Vietnam, where people treat this beverage as an inherent way to deal with stress.

Finally, the saying “Vietnamese coffee is guaranteed to make anybody bounce off the wall” seems justified. The rich aroma of rich robusta coffee beans, the traditional coffee culture, and the passion for ensuring every bean is perfectly roasted to produce the perfect brew, all akin to this popular coffee, justifies the global affinity affirmatively.