Vietnamese Instant Pour Over - Copper Cow Review

I have seen Copper Cow at the store several times and was drawn to this instant pour over method of brewing, further intrigued by the inclusion of creamer in the Latte packaging, and especially curious about the meaning of Vietnamese coffee.

What is Vietnamese coffee?

My research tells me that Vietnamese coffee is an often stronger and more bitter version of what we know as a pour-over, coupled with sweetened condensed milk. When made traditionally, a special filter, called a Phin, is placed over the cup, and the coffee is allowed to drip out the bottom onto the sweetener. It is then mixed well and enjoyed hot or over ice. What I found most intriguing about Vietnamese coffee is that they typically use Robusta beans grown in Vietnam. When I was searching for Robusta beans a few months ago, I was hard pressed to find any roasted in whole bean form to enjoy at home.

Copper Cow’s Instant Pour Over

The first cup I brewed was according to the package’s instructions - American style - meaning I let water run through the grounds approximately 4-6 times. The coffee was really weak for my taste. It seemed watery and very plain. 

I brewed it a second time - also American style - and then let the grounds steep for a few minutes. This brought a much more wholesome coffee flavor. It still lacked depth and was a plain coffee, but it was much less watered down. 

I added a fraction of the creamer provided, up to a teaspoon of the 1 oz packet, each time I brewed. The creamer was sweet by itself and exactly what you would expect from sweetened condensed milk. I did not care for it in my coffee, however. It was not overly powerful, which will definitely appeal to some palates, especially if you enjoy sugar free lattes, cortados, or iced americanos with cream. But I am more of a dense black coffee drinker, so even the little bit of creamer didn’t appeal to me.

What I did like about the way Copper Cow packaged this product was that it allowed for drinkers to adjust to their preferences. There was more than enough cream in the packets to make it super sweet or leave it darker. The packaging was also slim and would fit well into a pack for outdoor adventures. One coffee and one creamer weighed 1.6 oz. (creamer itself is 1 oz.), which wouldn’t overdo it on pack weight. One concern I have for packing this along would be if the creamer gets punctured and leaks. Keep that in mind if you are packing it tight. 

Barista Notes: If you choose to brew it American style (4-6 pass throughs the filter) I would recommend letting it steep for a stronger coffee flavor. But if you are seeking more of a light, sweetened flavor, try the Vietnamese style, which is only 2-3 pass throughs.

Copper Cow has tons of flavors and varieties that you can find on their website. They had plain coffee, creamer boxes, latte packs, and even a few teas! Next time, I would like to try the Raspberry Mocha with a mocha sweetener and see how it compares to the regular latte box. 

Cheers,

Mrs. Brew