Vietnamese Iced Coffee

Step 5 Moment of Truth - Add the Water

Now you simply place the pot on top of your glass, and add the boiling water. In case you were curious, 202 degrees F is the 'perfect' temperature for brewing coffee. However, in the real world all this really means is 'slightly less than boiling'. Most coffee makers brew too cool, not heating the water up enough before sending it through the grinds (making for a weak and unsatisfying brew) and some (like percolators) heat the water too much, boiling the coffee (making for a bitter and unsatisfying brew). Here is my thought. I boil the water, then pull the tea pot off of the stove, wait for it to stop whistling, then add the water. The water will be a tiny bit too warm to start with, but as the heat is drawn out through the metal pot and the glass, we should hit around 202F for the main part of the brew. I love it when a plan comes together.

Add water all the way up to the tippy-top of the pot, but be careful not to spill on yourself. After you've poured in the water, put the lid on top to seal in the heat, and let it go. If you are using fresh grounds, you might get some 'bloom' frothing over (this is due to the CO2 in freshly roasted beans). Don't worry about it, the worst thing that will happen is that you will need to wipe up some froth.