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Trung Nguyên coffees are typically "strong" for the amount used, which yields
good economy, especially since they are reasonably priced to begin with! They are
"medium" roast and a relatively coarse grind. They provide a full range of
aromatics and flavour from superior cultivation and hand-processing methods,
without having to dark-roast or burn the beans, as happens so often these days with
lesser coffees.
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General Brewing Information
Amount to brew: We recommend, as a starting point,
using 8g of coffee to 200ml water: for an eight-cup (900ml) cafetiere, this equates
to 30-35g of coffee. For a 'short' more intense coffee, a little more.
All of the coffees will produce fine flavors if brewed this way.
The grind is quite coarse, and you should leave the coffee for at least 4 minutes
before serving.
Type of machine/filter: TN coffee can be brewed using both filter or
french press (cafetiere) methods. Espresso (forced steam) machines are not suitable for brewing the ground
coffees as the grind is too coarse. TN whole bean coffees when ground fine are excellent when
brewed in espresso-type machines.
Some cheaper filter machines heat the water insufficiently and have basket-type filters.
Generally, look for a machine with a v-shaped filter (similar to Melitta
#2 or #4), there are many excellent such machines available at a range of prices.
Vietnamese coffee shops brew one cup at a time in small metal filters that sit
on top of the cup. The advantage of this method is that the coffee steeps in the
grounds for the proper length of time despite the small volume. We stock these filters,
which are cheap and reusable indefinitely. Instructions for using this method are
shown below.
Coffee "keeping" time and methods: The coffee we import from TN comes directly from
the producer to us and is sold immediately on the website. The coffee is not
vacuum-sealed, because TN believes that vacuum sealing removes too many aromatics.
There are two things to remember about fresh coffee:
- Oxygen deteriorates flavour within hours or days. Keep the bags sealed tightly,
or in containers that don't have much extra air.
- Extreme cold will slow flavour loss. We believe that home freezers do not reach
a low enough temperature to make a difference, but others disagree - worth trying this out
for yourself.
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Brewing Vietnamese coffee with a single-cup filter
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These filters are great for people who don't
have room for a coffee machine or who like to make a single cup
at a time. All you need is hot water and this filter kit.
The kit includes the filter chamber, filter
press, cup spanner, and cap. Some people prefer a glass mug or
cup because they can watch the progress of the brewing.
This method takes about 6 minutes from start
to finish, about the same as brewing in a coffee machine, but
it is more fun and guarantees incredible flavor.
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Trung Nguyen coffee is a little coarser than
most ground coffee. It is made for this method, although it still
works fine in most coffeemakers.
Measure out 3 slightly rounded teaspoons
or one rounded tablespoon of coffee and place into the filter
chamber.
You can adjust the quantity somewhat for
your taste, but if the coffee is too loose it will brew too fast
and lose flavor, and if packed too tight, it will brew too slowly
and get cold, so don't vary too much from the 3 teaspoons recommended.
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When the coffee is in the filter chamber
it looks like this. Tap the chamber a little to settle it so
it will drain evenly
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Place the filter press lightly on top
of the coffee by first aligning the slots on the edge with the
indentations on the filter as shown by the arrow here. Turn the
filter press a little so the slots are not under the indentations.
This will keep the filter press in place.
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Wet the coffee using about 20 ml of hot
water... which makes the water level
rise to about 1/4" above the filter press.
Wait 20 seconds for the water to sink into the coffee.
It doesn't matter if it all sinks in, after
20 seconds, pour the rest of the water in as shown in the next
step.
Use the hottest water you can. Water from
a hot water (tea) machine is fine, or boiling water.
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Now pour hot water in till it is almost
to the top of the filter chamber. Don't worry if some grounds
float loose, they will not affect anything.
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Now it is time for the coffee to brew.
put the cap on and put the whole assembly on the cup as shown
to the right.
Sit back and relax, the brewing takes about
4-5 minutes typically. If brewing is too fast or too slow, you
may want to use less or more coffee next time.
We suggest pre-heating the cup with hot water
before you put it together, it helps keep the coffee hotter.
If you want to use condensed sweetened milk,
as they do in vietnamese coffeeshops, add one teaspoon of the
milk to the cup BEFORE brewing.
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If you are using a glass cup or mug it is
easier to see when the brewing is done. If not, then after
4 minutes lift the cap and see if the water has drained.
The picture shows a fully drained filter,
but sometimes after 4-5 minutes there will still be a little water
brewing. No problem, remove the cap if you want to drink the coffee
at that time, turn the cap upside down onto the table, and place
the whole filter assembly on the cap to continue draining.
Then you can add the extra to your cup later if you want.
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The final picture shows the filter assembly
draining into the upturned cap and a finished cup of coffee. Enjoy
one of the finest coffee pleasures available on the planet Earth!
Stir the condensed milk up into the coffee or add your cream
and sugar at this time.
CAUTION: Filter parts can get hot to the
touch, be careful handling them while they are still in contact
with the hot water.
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