Enjoying Vietnamese Coffee – A Habit Containing Vietnamese Culture, History, and Identity

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Enjoying Vietnamese Coffee – A Habit Containing Vietnamese Culture, History, and Identity

A cup of coffee every day is something everyone is all too familiar with. Vietnamese coffee is an indispensable drink for Vietnamese people. Vietnamese coffee embodies Vietnamese culture, history and identity. This fact is so famous that when tourists learn about beautiful Vietnam, they also wonder about Vietnamese coffee. Today’s article will tell you more about the story of Vietnamese coffee.

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Good morning – with a cup of Vietnamese coffee (Photo: Phuc Long)

1. Vietnam Coffee History

There are various opinions on when coffee first came to Vietnam, but it is thought that French missionaries brought coffee in the 1850s. At first, Arabica trees were experimentally planted in Catholic churches in some northern provinces, such as Ninh Binh and Ha Nam. It then expanded for planting in the north-central provinces and finally moved to the southern provinces. Then it turned out that the Central Highlands of Vietnam (Lam Dong, Dak Lak, Dak Nong, Gia Lai, Kon Tum) are the best places to grow coffee.

Today, Vietnamese coffee is famous all over the world, always at the top of coffee exporting countries. Two coffees widely grown and consumed in Vietnam are Arabica and Robusta. The reason is that the taste of these two coffees fascinates people. Its taste is deeply rooted in the culture and lifestyle of the Vietnamese people to this day.

Coffee trees in the Central Highlands of Vietnam (Photo: Collection)
Coffee trees in the Central Highlands of Vietnam (Photo: Collection)

2. Types of Vietnamese Coffee: Arabica and Robusta

Arabica is a coffee widely grown in Brazil and South American countries. Although a major producer of robusta coffee, Vietnam is also home to some of the world’s most delicious Arabica coffees, grown in the provinces of Lam Dong, Quang Tri, Dien Bien and Son La. The taste of Arabica coffee creates elegance and nobility with sweetness and sourness, and the water color of Arabica coffee is light brown, creating a clear, luxurious and attractive finish.

A farmer harvesting coffee on a coffee plantation in Vietnam (Photo: Hoang Liem)
A farmer harvesting coffee on a coffee plantation in Vietnam (Photo: Hoang Liem)

Robusta coffee was discovered in the Congo in the 1800s. Robusta coffee began to appear in Southeast Asia in the 1900s. Currently, this variety accounts for 30-40% of world coffee production and is commonly grown in central and western Africa, Southeast Asia and Central and South America. And Vietnam is the world’s largest exporter of robusta coffee. Robusta coffee has become the spirit of Vietnamese coffee.

Robusta is known for its strong, strong coffee. Bitterness is Robusta’s most characteristic taste, ranging from neutral to very strong. Robusta’s aroma is not as highly regarded as Arabica for its purity, richness and versatility. The taste is also light, not as pure as Arabica coffee. That’s why Robusta’s price is generally much lower than Arabica’s. However, Robusta’s caffeine accounts for about 2-4% of coffee beans, compared to about 1-3% for Arabica. 

Robusta coffee is bitter, but less sour and sweeter than Arabica. The taste is simple and not rich, but it is common to mix it with a blend because of the high caffeine content. Mixing recipes go with Arabica and sometimes add chocolate or cacao for extra flavor. The above recipe makes the coffee taste much more attractive, delicious and rich. Thanks to this, Vietnamese people are making many ways to make and enjoy coffee.

The difference between Arabica and Robusta appearance (photo: collection)
The difference between Arabica and Robusta appearance (photo: collection)

3. Vietnamese culture of enjoying coffee

Coffee has become an indispensable drink in Vietnamese people’s daily life. People drink it in a very delicate and unique way. While in European countries, coffee is regarded as a beverage that helps restore energy quickly, in Vietnam, coffee is a healing drink. For Vietnamese, drinking coffee is something to sip and contemplate. 

A morning pastime of Saigon people in particular, and old Vietnamese in general, is watching passers-by while drinking “street coffee” (Vietnamese: Cafe cóc). Over time, the way people enjoy coffee has gradually changed and the shape of the Vietnamese coffee business has also changed. People prefer internet, music, space and well-designed coffee shops. People can enjoy Vietnamese coffee in different styles and purposes. Some people drink small sips of coffee while reading the newspaper or listening to music. Some people drink coffee while chatting with friends, working with business partners, or working alone. Some people see coffee as a friend and tell the truth about life.

Vietnamese-style street cafes (Photo: Collection)
Vietnamese-style street cafes (Photo: Collection)

3.1. Vietnamese coffee to share with friends and family

When you walk the streets of Vietnam, you will see many people sitting, chatting with friends, and drinking coffee from time to time. Typically, Vietnamese families gather on weekends to drink coffee. And the first thing I promise to a friend I haven’t seen for a long time is to have a cup of Vietnamese coffee. Because coffee cups always have a story to tell. 

The Vietnamese habit of drinking coffee and chatting with friends (Photo: Đen đá Coffee)
The Vietnamese habit of drinking coffee and chatting with friends (Photo: Đen đá Coffee)

3.2. Thinking Vietnamese Coffee

There are also people sitting alone, drinking coffee in leisurely silence, reading a book, magazine, or looking out into the street, watching the coffee drops dripping slowly in terror. The bitter taste and attractive aroma of Vietnamese coffee invite deep thought.

A cup of Vietnamese coffee clears your head and makes you think better. (Photo: Thien Hat Coffee)
A cup of Vietnamese coffee clears your head and makes you think better. 
(Photo: Thien Hat Coffee)

3.3. vietnamese coffee to work

Coffee is closely related to quiet. Therefore, it is an ideal place for Vietnamese to meet and discuss partners, work alone, connect, and study. Thanks to coffee’s caffeine and calming atmosphere, it can improve your concentration.

Drink to improve concentration - Vietnamese coffee (Photo: Congcaphe)
Drink to improve concentration – Vietnamese coffee (Photo: Congcaphe)

3.4. Go to a Vietnamese coffee shop for pretty photos 

Many young people can’t drink coffee, but they go to cafes just because of the pretty pictures. Vietnamese cafes have also been built and have very different designs. This is because coffee culture has permeated the culture of Vietnamese people in different periods and has a different appearance in each period.

Many young people go to cafes to take pretty pictures. (Photo: Collection)
Many young people go to cafes to take pretty pictures. 
(Photo: Collection)

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