What does arabica coffee mean, and how does it fit into white coffee?

White coffee has two mainstream meanings. In Australia it covers espresso drinks made with milk, with the flat white as the clearest example, sitting alongside short black and long black on cafe menus. In Malaysia it refers to an instant coffee product created by Malaysian Chinese, built from a blend of three beans: liberica, arabica and robusta.

The distinction matters because the bean blend changes the cup entirely. Arabica supplies the sweetness and acidity most drinkers associate with specialty coffee, while liberica definition points to a larger, smokier and more woody bean that gives Malaysian white coffee its particular character. Australian flat white and Malaysian instant white coffee share a name but almost nothing else.

What exactly is white coffee? How does it differ from the black coffee we are familiar with? In fact, there are two mainstream interpretations of the concept of white coffee: one originates from Australia and refers to all espresso milk coffees with added milk, with the Flat White being the most representative; the other refers to a unique instant coffee product invented by Malaysian Chinese, made from a blend of three beans: Liberica, Arabica, and Robusta. This article will systematically sort out the historical origins and classifications of white coffee, explain in detail the preparation characteristics and flavor advantages of the Flat White, and introduce the application of Front Street Coffee's classic espresso blend, giving you a comprehensive understanding of the true face of white coffee.

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The term black coffee is probably familiar to everyone. It usually refers to a pure coffee beverage that, aside from water, contains no other ingredients that would affect the flavor.

Pour-over coffee, cold brew coffee, Americano... these can all be classified as black coffee. However, since we mention "black," people inevitably think of its counterpart "white." Black and white have always been a paired concept, so besides black coffee, does so-called white coffee also exist?

The answer is yes. It's just that the term white coffee is far less widespread than black coffee, and the scope it covers is also relatively broad, so in daily life few people deliberately use this term.

So, what kind of coffee does white coffee actually refer to?

Regarding the definition of "white coffee," there are currently two main different interpretations. Front Street will first talk about the one everyone is more familiar with and the most widely circulated online: the division between "black coffee" and "white coffee" both originate from Australia. Because in most Australian cafes, coffee is basically divided into just these two major categories.

Taking "black coffee" as an example, Australians call espresso "Short Black," meaning a small cup of black coffee; after adding a certain amount of water to a Short Black, it would be called an "Americano" elsewhere, but in Australia it is called a "Long Black," which literally translates to long black, and can be understood as a large cup of black coffee. From this, it's clear that Australians' naming logic is very straightforward: the simpler the better.

White coffee follows the same logic, just not as extreme in naming as black coffee. In Australia, white coffee refers to coffee with added milk. Whether it's a latte or a cappuccino, these milk-containing coffees are collectively called white coffee "White Coffee."

Among all white coffee products, there is one beverage that stands out particularly because it differs from traditional espresso milk coffees. Driven by well-known chain brands, it spread extremely rapidly and soon appeared on the menus of major specialty coffee shops. It was precisely this that gave the public their first understanding of the concept of white coffee, so in many people's minds, "white coffee" refers to it! Front Street would like to ask: have you guessed which coffee it is?

That's right! It is—the "Flat White."

"Flat White" is translated from the term "Flat white." Names like ping bai, xiao bai, fu rui bai, chun yi bai, and ao rui bai are all translations of this term. Regardless of the name, none can escape the word "white," so it has left many people with a deep impression of "white coffee."

Front Street often shares methods for making Flat White; interested friends can look through past articles. Here we will only give a brief introduction: Flat White is a localized Australian espresso milk coffee. Because Australians prefer a richer coffee flavor but don't want to taste excessive bitterness, they created a "high concentration, low extraction" version of espresso—Ristretto, which compared to a standard espresso has a higher concentration and a smaller extraction yield.

Because Ristretto does not extract the later-stage substances, the entire cup of coffee has a very abundant sweetness, rich but not bitter. Paired with a small amount of milk with silky microfoam, it highlights the coffee's own flavor while enhancing the overall body. Aromatic, high in sweetness, full-bodied, and silky—these are precisely the qualities that Flat White possesses. It is also because of this that it can stand out from traditional espresso coffee and become a favorite of many friends.

To make the Ristretto, Front Street's classic espresso blend is used. This is a recipe combining three origins: Brazil, Indonesia, and Vietnam, using a dark roast, which maximizes the coffee's rich aroma and also allows everyone to easily extract abundant and dense crema. Whether making an Americano diluted with water or a latte paired with milk, it is very suitable. It can be purchased at Front Street's Taobao store or Front Street's Tmall flagship store.

The above is the more traditional definition of white coffee. Next, Front Street will introduce another kind of "white coffee"—the one that exists as a century-old local specialty of Malaysia!

Malaysian White Coffee

In Malaysia, white coffee can be considered one of the most representative symbols of food culture. Although it also refers to coffee with added milk, more often it specifically refers to a fixed local coffee product. It is said that this product was created by Chinese people who emigrated to Malaysia, and the ingredients are extremely particular. What exactly is so particular about it?

It uses three kinds of beans for the blend! But these three beans do not refer to coffee beans from different regions, but rather to three different varieties of coffee beans: Liberica, Arabica, and Robusta.

After blending, it is roasted until the surface of the beans is glossy and oily, then it is ready to come out of the roaster. After cooling, the soluble substances of the coffee are extracted, then ingredients such as sugar and creamer are added, and finally it is made into powder for convenient brewing and drinking at any time. Reading this, I believe everyone has already guessed the true identity of this white coffee—that's right! It's instant coffee! In Malaysia, this instant product called "white coffee" is precisely a local specialty.

Almost every small shop stocks this white coffee, because locals have long regarded coffee as a daily necessity. Precisely because of this, when we travel to Malaysia, there is no need to specifically seek out a particular cafe, because such specialties can be seen everywhere, and you can taste this unique deliciousness at any time!

In summary, the "white" in white coffee mainly points to dairy products, and white coffee mainly refers to coffee with dairy products added.

The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.