Vietnam opened my eyes to a whole new coffee world. As the world's second-largest coffee producer, I expected good coffee -- but not such a wide variety of tropical coffee shakes and egg-topped concoctions. While tasting the assorted drinks, I realized that not only do these wild combinations somehow work, but they're also surprisingly simple to recreate at home. All you need are the right ingredients and a little insight into Vietnamese coffee culture.

So what makes Vietnamese coffee different? Instead of espresso, they use a phin filter, a pour-over method that evolved from French colonial influence. They also favor Robusta beans, which are known for their rich flavor and higher caffeine content. These two factors are what make Vietnamese coffee so strong. And the sweetness? That comes from sweetened condensed milk, which is present in nearly all of the coffee drinks on this list.

When making Vietnamese coffee drinks at home, you can take the traditional route or experiment with different beans or brewing methods. Adjust the sweetness to taste, and remember that most of these coffee drinks work both hot and iced (with the exception of a few smoothie-like beverages). It's all about discovering what makes your taste buds happy, so keep reading to find a coffee drink that calls your name and embrace that inner barista!