Robusta on espresso
RANG! Robusta or House Blend · For espresso and milk drinks
- Dose
- 18g
- Yield
- 30 to 36g
- Time
- 25 to 30s
- Water
- 90 to 93°C
- Start with a 1:1.7 to 1:2 ratio, a touch shorter than you would pull an arabica.
- Expect thick, lasting crema. Robusta makes more of it, so judge the shot by taste, not looks.
- Taste black, then in milk. Robusta's chocolate and nut notes open up with milk.
- If it tastes harsh or rubbery, grind coarser or drop the temperature by one or two degrees.
Barista tip: Robusta often tastes best a little cooler and a little shorter than arabica. Adjust one variable at a time.
Phin drip, the Vietnamese way
RANG! Robusta · Traditional Vietnamese filter
- Coffee
- 20 to 25g
- Grind
- Medium-coarse
- Water
- 92 to 96°C
- Brew time
- 4 to 5 min
- Put the phin chamber on a glass and add the ground coffee. Shake it level.
- Place the press disc on top and push down lightly.
- Pour about 20ml of hot water to bloom and wait 30 seconds.
- Fill the chamber with hot water (about 80 to 100ml), put the lid on and let it drip.
- Aim for a steady drip of 4 to 5 minutes. Faster than 3 minutes: grind finer. Slower than 6: grind coarser.
Barista tip: Pre-heat the phin and glass with hot water first. A cold phin stalls the drip and flattens the cup.
Cà phê sữa đá
Vietnamese iced coffee with condensed milk · Serves 1
- Condensed milk
- 20 to 30ml
- Coffee
- 1 phin or 2 shots
- Ice
- 1 glass
- Bean
- Robusta
- Add the condensed milk to a glass.
- Brew a phin of RANG! Robusta straight onto the milk (see the phin guide above), or pull two espresso shots over it for faster service.
- Stir until the milk and coffee are fully mixed.
- Pour over a full glass of ice, or add the ice to the same glass, and serve.
Barista tip: For a menu, set your condensed milk dose once and keep it fixed. Guests notice sweetness changes more than coffee changes.
Bạc xỉu
Saigon's milk-forward iced coffee · Serves 1
- Condensed milk
- 20ml
- Fresh milk
- 60 to 80ml
- Coffee
- 30 to 40ml
- Ice
- 1 glass
- Add condensed milk and fresh milk to a glass and stir.
- Fill the glass with ice.
- Pour the coffee (phin concentrate or a single espresso) over the top so it layers.
- Serve with a straw and let the guest stir.
Barista tip: Bạc xỉu is mostly milk with a little coffee. It's a good first Vietnamese drink for guests who find cà phê sữa đá too strong.
Robusta iced latte
RANG! House Blend · An easy menu add
- Espresso
- Double shot
- Cold milk
- 150ml
- Ice
- 1 glass
- Bean
- House Blend
- Fill a glass with ice and add the cold milk.
- Pull a double shot of RANG! House Blend.
- Pour the espresso over the milk.
- Optional: stir in 10 to 15ml condensed milk for a Vietnamese twist.
Barista tip: The House Blend gives you robusta body with some arabica brightness, so it holds up in milk without tasting flat.
These are starting points from the RANG! team, not fixed rules. Every grinder, machine and water is different. Book a free cupping and we'll dial in with you on your own bar.