Whenever I eat at a Vietnamese restaurant, I like to mix up my order, so my meal is different every time. But one thing never changes: I always get Vietnamese coffee. It's traditionally prepared as a drip coffee with Robusta beans, then mixed with sweet and thick condensed milk to balance out the bitter, nutty taste. Hot or iced, it's a strong and satisfying thirst-quencher.
While I'll sometimes buy frozen Vietnamese coffee concentrate, it doesn't taste as good or fresh as the coffee I have in restaurants, plus I enjoy the ritual of actually making a cup of coffee. The coffee I tried from Copper Cow Coffee, a brand founded by Vietnamese-American entrepreneur and former World Bank consultant Debbie Wei Mullin, was a huge improvement and I was wowed from my first taste test.
Coffee sourcing
Copper Cow Coffee comes in two-part packets: one packet contains a ground coffee blend of 70% Robusta (bitter, less acidic), and 30% Arabica coffee (floral, fruity, acidic) beans, while the other contains sweetened, additive-free condensed milk from California.
Before launch, Mullen vetted 40 different suppliers in Vietnam, looking for sustainable, organic practices and delicious beans. Her main supplier employs sustainable picking and processing methods, without the use of pesticides or chemicals. The farmers are paid double the market rate per pound of beans, and Mullen told Insider Reviews, "we have confidence that our coffee is made with a completely pesticide- and chemical-free process from soil to roast."
How it works
Something else I really love about Copper Cow is its clever pour-over design. You need zero tools to make your coffee, just a vessel — your favorite mug, coffee flask, or anything with walled sides — and hot water. Tear the top off the packet, pop open the side flaps, and hang them on the sides of your cup. After adding a small amount of water to wet the grounds, you can continue submerging them in water to let the coffee filter through.
Once eight ounces of water have filtered through, you can add the condensed milk. I tend to add the entire packet because of my uncontrollable sweet tooth, but you can use however much you want and reserve any leftovers to drizzle over fruit, oatmeal, or ice cream.
Flavor options
Copper Cow also offers churro, mint, and rose-flavored Vietnamese-style lattes, as well as dairy-free creamer options made with coconut milk.
Senior reporter Owen Burke tried the brand's churro flavor and had this to say: "Copper Cow offers an easy-to-use at-home or on-the-go take on Vietnamese coffee. The pre-ground coffee itself is full-bodied, thanks in part to the hefty dose of Saigon cinnamon in the coffee pouch, and the sweet condensed milk will only go unappreciated by those with no soul. Tip: Don't empty the entire packet into one cup, lest you and you alone foot the bill for your dentist's new Mercedes-Benz."
My personal favorite is still the classic version. I love the taste and convenience, and it's strong — an 8-ounce cup has 120 mg of caffeine, while the average cup of regular coffee has 95 mg. I'm usually hesitant about single-use products, but Copper Cow's filter and grounds are compostable and the exterior packaging is recyclable.
The bottom line
A 5-pack on Amazon costs $15, and since I don't drink coffee every single day, the cost isn't too bad for me. Still, even if you drink coffee every day, consider Copper Cow Coffee your daily treat — it's no more expensive than a cup from a coffee shop, it tastes great, and it's really easy to make.