How Does the Latte Coffee Milk Ratio Compare to a Flat White?

A flat white and a latte differ mainly in espresso base, cup size, milk volume and foam thickness. At Front Street Coffee, a latte uses a 300ml cup with a 40g espresso base and about 260ml of milk plus foam, steamed to roughly 1cm of foam. A flat white uses less milk and a thinner foam layer, so the coffee flavor tastes stronger.

The latte coffee milk ratio is therefore higher in milk than a flat white, which shifts the balance toward the espresso. Baristas also vary the base: New Zealand baristas often use a double ristretto, while Australian baristas prefer a single espresso. Street coffee shops may adjust these figures, so exact ratios differ between menus and cafes.

Flat White, Aussie White, Australian White... Why does the same coffee have so many names? And what exactly is the difference between it and a latte? Starting from the production standards of Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee), this article provides a detailed comparison of the differences between Flat White and latte in terms of espresso base, cup size, milk foam thickness, and flavor, and also introduces the difference between the Flat White, which can only be made hot, and the Dirty coffee, which can only be made iced. The article also includes Front Street's complete extraction parameters for making Flat White and recommended milk-to-coffee ratios, helping coffee enthusiasts recreate an authentic Flat White at home.

This Italian-style fancy coffee, Flat White, is often mispronounced by coffee enthusiasts. Some call it "Fuyubai," and others call it "Aoruibai." So how exactly should it be pronounced? And what makes its flavor so unique? Below, Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee) will talk about some knowledge regarding Flat White coffee.

What is Flat White coffee?

Flat White is a coffee beverage that originated in Australia, so it is also called Aussie White. However, some believe that the true birthplace of Flat White is New Zealand. Apart from the dispute over its origin, the way Flat White is made also varies from shop to shop. Overall, Flat White is a milk coffee with a stronger coffee flavor, less milk, and thinner milk foam. As for the espresso base, New Zealand baristas are accustomed to using a double ristretto, while Australian baristas prefer a single espresso.

In addition, according to Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee), in Australia, Flat White is only made hot, because once ice cubes are added, the coffee loses its soul—the ice cubes dilute the overall strength. So it can also be understood this way: when Flat White is made as a cold drink, it is equivalent to a latte.

How do you distinguish Flat White from latte?

The key to distinguishing Flat White from latte lies in the espresso ratio of the two. Since the recipes for Flat White and latte vary from shop to shop, here we take the production standards of Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee) as an example:

Latte

The standard for the latte produced by Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee): use a 300ml ceramic cup, with a 40g espresso base and a total of 260ml milk plus milk foam. The milk foam thickness is about 1 cm (steaming level: steam milk from 5 parts full to 7 parts full foam). There is also a latte with less espresso and more milk—the Piccolo.

Flat White coffee

The standard for the Flat White produced by Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee): use a 220ml glass cup, with 30g espresso and a total of 190ml milk plus milk foam. The milk foam thickness is about 0.5 cm (steaming level: steam milk from 5 parts full to 5.5 to 6 parts full foam).

Differences: In terms of cup size, a latte is larger than a Flat White. Visually, a latte has slightly thicker milk foam and its surface bulges slightly; a Flat White has thinner milk foam and a flat surface. In terms of flavor, a latte has a stronger milk taste, while a Flat White has a more prominent coffee taste. So Australians jokingly say that a latte is coffee-flavored milk (essentially milk), while a Flat White is milk-flavored coffee (essentially coffee).

Next, there is also an Italian-style coffee that is completely different from the Flat White, which can only be made hot, and its flavor is equally outstanding—that is Dirty coffee.

Dirty coffee

What is Dirty coffee? What is the difference between Dirty coffee and Flat White?

This Italian-style coffee and the Flat White are actually both drinks on the hidden menu of Italian-style coffee at Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee) stores. When Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee) makes a Dirty, it first puts the coffee cup in the refrigerator to chill, then pours refrigerated fresh milk into the cup, and then adds espresso. Visually, the coffee liquid seems to taint the pure white fresh milk; when tasting, the blend of hot on top and cold below brings a unique layered experience.

Its biggest difference from Flat White is that a normal Dirty coffee can only be made iced—hot espresso enters cold milk to form layers. The first sip is warm and rich coffee flavor, followed by a transition to cold milk flavor, so one drink can bring multiple experiences. Traditionally, however, a Flat White can only be made hot. It is a milk coffee with a thin layer of milk foam, and because it uses less milk than a latte, it tastes more intensely of coffee and has a smoother texture.

How do you make Flat White coffee?

Above, Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee) briefly mentioned the milk-to-coffee ratio for Flat White. Next, let's share the specific parameters for making Flat White.

Front Street's extraction parameters are as follows:

Pressure: 9 bar

Temperature: 90.5~96°C

Time: 20~30 sec

Coffee-to-water ratio: 1:1.7~1:2

Dose: 12g (single espresso) 20g (double espresso)

Extracted espresso amount: 20ml (single) 40ml (double)

Recommended milk-to-coffee ratio for Flat White

Milk: whole fresh milk (Front Street uses Weiji fresh milk)

Milk steaming temperature: 50-60°C (if the temperature is too low, the lactose flavor in the milk cannot be activated; if the temperature is too high, the protein in the milk will be destroyed, producing a grainy texture)

Milk foam thickness: 5mm (1cm milk foam is used for latte, and 1.5cm thick milk foam is used for cappuccino)

Espresso amount: 40ml

Milk amount: 140ml

The above are the parameters for making Flat White compiled by Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee). In the article above, Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee) also mentioned that Flat White has multiple pronunciations, so how many correct names are there exactly? Front Street Coffee (FrontStreetCoffee) will tell everyone now!

The correct pronunciation of Flat White coffee

As Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee) said above, Flat White coffee comes from Australia, so it is also called Aussie White, and the English pronunciation is "flat white." The pronunciation "Fuyubai" is also derived from English. In addition, McDonald's also launched a Flat White coffee called "Aozhenbai." So if you hear these names in a coffee shop, they all refer to Flat White coffee, and these are all correct pronunciations. However, Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee) wants to emphasize that pronunciations like "Fuyubai" and "Aoruibai" are not correct.

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