How does Australian coffee differ from a latte?

Flat White, also called Australian White, is part of the Italian milk coffee family and is made from espresso, heated milk and a thin layer of fine milk foam. It tastes more coffee-forward than a latte, with a slight sweetness in the finish, smoother foam on the palate and a small white dot on the surface. Its key difference is the use of Ristretto.

A Ristretto pulls only about three-quarters of the usual espresso liquid from the same dose of grounds, so the flavor is more condensed. Shops typically choose medium-dark roasted Italian blend beans, since blend coffee produces more stable espresso than single-origin beans. Australia and New Zealand still dispute the drink's origin, and both single espresso and double ristretto methods remain in use.

Flat White, Australian White, and Australian Rui White—these names sound similar, yet they leave many coffee lovers confused. Are they actually the same coffee? And what essential differences do they have from lattes and cappuccinos? In this article, Front Street Coffee will start from the production principles of Ristretto and systematically sort out the flavor characteristics of Flat White, its milk foam handling method, and its origin story in Australia. At the same time, we will also share how, in actual store operations, you can make a cup of Australian White with a prominent coffee flavor and a smooth mouthfeel by adjusting extraction parameters and milk pouring techniques. Whether you want to understand its taste or clarify the distinctions among several types of Italian milk coffee, this article will give you clear answers.

For professional coffee knowledge exchange and more coffee bean information, please follow the Coffee Workshop (WeChat public account: cafe_style).

For more specialty coffee beans, please add the private WeChat of Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee), WeChat ID: qjcoffeex.

There are many categories in the coffee world, and Italian milk coffee is a daily first choice for many people. Which type of coffee does Flat White actually belong to? And where is the difference between it and a latte? This time, Front Street Coffee will introduce this Italian milk coffee that is very popular worldwide.

Flat White is also called Australian White coffee, Little White coffee, Australian Rui White coffee, and so on, and belongs to the Italian milk coffee family. Its composition is not complicated: espresso, heated milk, and a thin, fine layer of milk foam.

In terms of flavor, Flat White has a more concentrated coffee aroma, with a slight sweetness in the finish, and the milk foam feels smoother on the palate. A small white dot is usually visible on the surface. Unlike the regular espresso commonly used in lattes, cappuccinos, and mochas, Flat White uses Ristretto. So-called Ristretto means that, with the same dose of coffee grounds, only about three-quarters of the regular amount of espresso liquid is extracted, so the flavor is more condensed.

When making Ristretto, Front Street Coffee generally chooses medium-dark roasted Italian blend beans. Compared with single-origin beans, blend beans are more likely to produce espresso with stable flavor and consistent quality under pressure extraction.

How is Ristretto made?

Ristretto is essentially a coffee with a shorter extraction time and smaller liquid volume than Espresso. Its parameter settings and operating process are largely the same as espresso, with the difference being a lower extraction ratio and shorter extraction time.

Making Ristretto is not complicated; the core is adjusting the extraction time of espresso. For example, Front Street Coffee fine-tunes parameters every day according to the condition of the espresso. For this Ristretto, the setting was: 19.5 grams of coffee grounds, extracted for 28 seconds under 9 to 10 bar of pressure to get 30 grams of coffee liquid.

How is Australian White coffee made?

When extracting Ristretto, Front Street Coffee stores usually use “Front Street - Sunflower Warm Sun Italian Blend Coffee Beans.” This bean is a blend of 70% Honduras Sherry coffee beans and 30% Ethiopia natural Yirgacheffe Red Cherry coffee beans, presenting rich fermented wine aroma, vanilla cream, roasted nuts, and caramel-like flavors.

After the espresso is extracted, Front Street Coffee pours it into a cup of about 100 ml for later use. Then heat the milk and gently aerate the surface of the milk to create milk foam about 0.5 cm thick. If you want a stronger coffee flavor, you can slowly pour the steamed milk from the center while trying to keep the crema of the espresso intact; if you prefer the sweet aroma of milk, you can let the milk and espresso fully blend evenly.

The flavor characteristics of Australian White coffee

Because it uses a more concentrated Ristretto and also uses less milk, the core selling point of Australian White coffee is its prominent coffee flavor. After the milk blends into the coffee, it will to some extent soften the bitter and burnt notes, but the taste of the coffee itself is still preserved relatively completely.

Where does Australian White coffee originate?

During World War II, Italians brought espresso to Australia. Local milk production was abundant, and through continuous improvements by cafes, many kinds of Italian milk coffee products gradually emerged.

There has long been debate over whether Australian White originated in Australia or New Zealand, but it is generally believed to come from Australia. After that, it successively appeared on cafe menus in the United States, the United Kingdom, and other places, gradually becoming a common option in cafes.

In China, the popularity of Australian White coffee is largely thanks to Starbucks launching Flat White coffee—in fact, that was Starbucks’ version of Australian White. Since then, Australian White coffee has become familiar to more consumers.

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