Why do we always have to write about coffee?

One of my colleagues once said, “I still think Highland coffee tastes great.” Another commented, “Whether coffee is good or not depends on your own taste—if you like it, that’s all that matters.” Yet someone else asked, “It’s just coffee—why do you have to write so much about it?” They’re not wrong. Whether coffee tastes good or not is entirely subjective. If, from the day you were born until the day you say goodbye to this world, you’re always satisfied with the coffee shop at the end of your street, that’s perfectly fine too.

“Life is too short for bad coffee.” – Unknown

To be honest, I used to think the same way and drink coffee that way. During the time I lived in Nha Trang (from 2005 to 2006, when I was working on a software project for water billing in Khanh Hoa Province), I drank coffee every single day. From Mê Trang to Lâm Đồng, and even at the office, which happened to be right next to Vinacafe’s headquarters, I had the chance to indulge in Nha Trang-style coffee with condensed milk. The rich, creamy, and sweet flavor that didn’t make me sleepy gave me a strong belief back then that coffee had to be thick, creamy, and sweetened with milk to be truly satisfying.ềm tin mãnh liệt vào cà phê ngày đó là phải sánh đặc, béo ngậy và ngọt từ sữa.

(Phil Coffee Roastery – Bangkok, 05/2017 – Ảnh: Justiamo)

Everything changed when I arrived in Bangkok at the beginning of 2014. Instead of going shopping, I started wandering around coffee shops, trying to understand why some of my foreign colleagues called Bangkok the “City of Coffee.” Around the same time, I began reading books about coffee written by international experts. A common observation they made was that Vietnamese coffee was mainly used to produce instant coffee and would never reach high-quality standards.

It stung a little, but then I asked myself—why?

Take Japan, for instance. Although they don’t produce coffee, their coffee culture is incredibly advanced, and the most expensive coffee in the world is consumed there. In South Korea, the government established a dedicated coffee academy with formal training programs, and specialty coffee shops are popping up everywhere. Taiwan, Malaysia, and China are following similar trends.

All these countries lack the “tradition and history” of coffee cultivation that Vietnam boasts. In fact, most of them can’t produce coffee at all—they import it from Africa or South America to roast and brew. So why, despite starting later, does their coffee culture surpass Vietnam’s by such a wide margin?

Brewing French Press and Pour Over at Home, Tasting Jamaica and Ethiopia Coffee Purchased from Taiwan (Photo – Justiamo)

After spending a long time exploring and wandering through coffee shops in Bangkok, I noticed how Thai people learned extensively from the Japanese in “making coffee.” Over time, Thai baristas developed their unique style. To be fair, Vietnamese coffee professionals are equally capable of achieving the same—what’s crucial is a shift in mindset, using it as a starting point to move forward.

A Change in Mindset?

Shifting a deeply ingrained perspective in Vietnam’s coffee culture is undeniably challenging. Everyone understands this. The tradition of brewing robusta with a drip filter and serving it with condensed milk (as black or brown iced coffee) has existed here for over a century. When discussing change, we can only place hope in the younger generation 🙂. However, if nothing is done, everything will remain limited to exporting robusta beans for instant coffee production.

This is why I write.

When I began writing about coffee, my hope was to contribute, even in a small way, to initiating change—albeit slow—for those who care about coffee in general and Vietnam’s coffee culture in particular. If you’re wondering, “What can be done?” here are some thoughts. Perhaps as you read, you’ll find some resonance and motivation to share a passion for coffee, becoming a supporter of a new perspective on specialty coffee in this country:

Coffee Has So Many Flavors, and You Deserve to Experience Them

If you’re only familiar with Vietnamese iced milk coffee or “nâu đá,” you might be like I once was, believing that rich, creamy coffee is the best. From a culinary perspective, many people worldwide share this preference. However, coffee is a natural beverage with a vast range of flavors akin to those of other foods. It deserves your curiosity and a bit more attention.

Good Coffee Deserves Fair Evaluation

Many mistakenly equate the deliciousness of Vietnamese iced milk coffee with the quality of Vietnamese coffee itself, believing it to be among the best in the world. This perspective is unfair. To assess the quality of a coffee—or compare the quality of different types—you must brew them using a standardized method, often with similar roast levels, and then evaluate through tasting skills, a process known as cupping in the coffee industry.

If you’re in Hanoi, try this: visit Mai Coffee, Highlands, Starbucks, Kaffeville on 22 Nguyễn Trung Trực, or Reng Reng on Lý Nam Đế. Buy whole beans from each place, grind equal amounts, brew them in identical cups with the same amount of hot water, wait four minutes, and taste. You’ll notice the differences. I’ve done this many times, inviting colleagues to join, and the result is often surprising: the coffee they’ve enjoyed for years as “nâu đá” suddenly becomes unpalatable when tasted without milk and sugar. To me, this is fair judgment 🙂.

Why I Write About Coffee in Vietnamese

Because no one else does.

You might find it surprising, but believe me, I’ve scoured bookstores across Vietnam for coffee-related books, only to return home disappointed. I even went to Bangkok and bought books in Thai to satisfy my curiosity :D. Eventually, I turned to Amazon to order English-language books on coffee for self-study.

Why? Maybe coffee hasn’t been given the attention it deserves, or those in the industry (baristas, roasters) with expertise in Vietnam lack the ability or time to write. They’re busy surviving in the café business—it’s understandable. On a broader scale, mastering coffee knowledge and skills often requires significant investment (approximately $2,000 for an SCA-certified coffee course) and time, which is not easily accessible to those in the field.

A Growing Coffee Movement in Vietnam

In the past three years, many individuals in Vietnam have quietly and passionately worked on producing high-quality coffee. I hope these small words of mine can, in some way, speak on their behalf, support them, and encourage them to continue pursuing their path and passion.

Perhaps one day, Vietnamese coffee will have quality control systems comparable to those in Jamaica, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mexico, or Colombia. Although the average standard of living in Central and South American countries might be lower than in Hanoi or Saigon, they far surpass us in coffee knowledge, mindset, and quality.

As more people care, and as the market demands higher quality, we can hope for change, with quality processes gradually improving

French press, my favorite brewing method – Photo: Justiamo

You deserve to enjoy “good” coffee

On another note, you might not pay much attention to this, but coffee is the second most consumed beverage in the world, just after water. It’s also one of the most traded and highly regarded commodities globally. Because of this, factors such as weather, frost, natural disasters, political instability in African countries, and climate change directly affect the coffee industry, from African and South American nations to major coffee-consuming countries like the U.S., Japan, and Australia.

When you regularly consume something, whether it’s water or the food you eat every day, it directly impacts your health, which is something worth your attention. Coffee is no exception.

Perhaps you feel uncomfortable with coffee shops serving specialty coffee brewed by pour-over or French press methods priced at 70,000 – 80,000 VND per serving (1-2 cups). Meanwhile, you’re content with the “nâu đá” priced at 20,000 – 30,000 VND, or even just 15,000 VND at some places. Have you ever asked yourself why?

And if you’re not a fan of coffee, or if you dislike its bitterness, I hope my blog will inspire you to give yourself a chance to enjoy a cup of coffee bursting with citrus aromas and sweet dried fruit notes on one of your relaxing weekend mornings.

Pour-over is always a relaxing ritual on weekend mornings – Photo: Justiamo

Coffee is more than just robusta and arabica; it’s not limited to iced milk coffee (or black coffee, hot or iced). Every type of coffee carries intriguing stories behind the processes of cultivation, harvesting, and processing. Each country and each farm has its unique characteristics. Through their methods of coffee production, by the time you hold a fragrant bag of coffee in your hands, you can discover any flavor that resonates with your past experiences.

Throughout misty and rainy seasons, coffee farmers on plantations tirelessly work to improve the quality of their crops and beans to ensure the best possible outcome for their products. Coffee companies worldwide also send their experts to remote and isolated regions to assist coffee growers. All these efforts aim to ensure the “farm to cup” process is meticulous and sustainable. This dedication deserves your attention and appreciation.