Top 5 Grading Levels Based on Protein Content of Fish Sauce

Special Grade fish sauce has a protein content >30°N. It's also known as 'nhỉ' fish sauce (according to locals in Phan Thiết), because during the filtration process, it's collected from the very first 'nhỉ' drops, meticulously collected drop by drop from the bottom of the barrel or tank containing fermenting fish. Its characteristics include a brownish color, intense aroma, sweet and mild taste, getting better with age. Due to its excellent quality, this type of fish sauce is always the top choice for top chefs.

Some popular brands of 'nhỉ' fish sauce in Vietnam are: Phan Thiết anchovy 'nhỉ' fish sauce, Thuận Phát anchovy 'nhỉ' fish sauce,...

This is a type of fish sauce with a protein content >15°N. The traditional method involves mixing salt with a certain amount of water to saturation, then pouring it into barrels containing fish. After a short period, the resulting fish sauce retains only 90% of its essence, hence its low protein content and less intense flavor compared to 'nhỉ' fish sauce and concentrated fish sauce. Grade 1 fish sauce is commonly used to make dipping sauces for Vietnamese dishes such as boiled meat, steamed fish, boiled vegetables, etc.

Some trusted brands of Grade 1 fish sauce include Cát Hải fish sauce, Cương Ngần fish sauce,...

The criterion for identifying premium grade fish sauce is a protein content >25°N. Another name for premium grade fish sauce is concentrated fish sauce, as it's extracted from the first essence of the fish sauce, with a very limited yield compared to subsequent extractions. Due to its manual filtration process, the quality of premium grade fish sauce always ensures its 'premium' status. Its distinguishing feature is its color, ranging from straw yellow to brown, turning black over time, but not due to spoilage, rather it becomes even more fragrant and flavorful. Premium grade fish sauce can impress even the most discerning and picky eaters due to its purity through meticulous filtration, high nutritional value, and very distinctive flavor.

Some renowned brands of premium grade fish sauce nowadays include: Ông Kỳ fish sauce, Trung Thành fish sauce,...

Typically, Grade 3 fish sauce has a protein content <10°N. This is the portion of fish sauce drawn through the residue left after extracting 90% of Grade 2 fish sauce. Due to its very low protein content, this type of fish sauce cannot be used for cooking or making dipping sauces, so they are used as base fish sauce for the next season's production.

Some fish sauce brands also sell this type of fish sauce, such as Phú Quốc fish sauce, Phan Thiết fish sauce,...

Grade 2 fish sauce has a protein content >10°N. Essentially, this is fish sauce drawn from the residues of Grade 1 fish sauce barrels, accounting for about 90% of it. Due to multiple filtrations, its quality naturally cannot match those of the initial fish sauce extracted from the original fish barrels. However, the production volume of Grade 2 fish sauce is usually much higher than other types, hence its lower price, making it suitable for average households and therefore still enjoying relatively high consumption. This type is often used more for seasoning during cooking rather than as a dipping sauce.

There are some popular brands of Grade 2 fish sauce such as: Hải Hậu fish sauce, Nam Phan fish sauce,...