The name "White Coffee" often leads people to mistakenly think it's because of its white color, but the truth is far more than that. This article starts with the blending process and instant nature of Malaysian white coffee, sorts out the naming origins of "black coffee" and "white coffee" in Australia, and focuses on the Flat White that is popular in specialty coffee shops. At the same time, it introduces how Front Street Classic Espresso Blend, through ristretto extraction, presents a unique taste that is fragrant, high in sweetness, full-bodied, and silky, helping you fully understand why white coffee tastes sweeter and why it is so delicious.
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In Malaysia, white coffee can be called a standout calling card in the local food culture. It sometimes also refers to coffee with milk added, but more commonly it specifically refers to a fixed coffee product. It is said that this product was created by Chinese people who migrated to Malaysia, and the selection of ingredients is quite particular. So what exactly is so particular about it?
It uses three kinds of beans for blending! However, these three beans are not from different producing regions, but belong to three different coffee varieties: Liberica, Arabica, and Robusta.
After blending, they are roasted until the surface of the beans takes on an oily sheen before being taken out of the roaster. After cooling, the soluble substances in the coffee are extracted, and then ingredients such as sugar and non-dairy creamer are added. Finally, it is made into powder for convenient brewing and drinking at any time. By this point, everyone has probably recognized the true identity of this white coffee—yes, it's instant! In Malaysia, this instant product called "white coffee" is a major local specialty.
Almost every small shop keeps this kind of white coffee on hand, because locals have long regarded coffee as a daily necessity. Precisely because of this, when we travel to Malaysia, there is no need to deliberately seek out a certain cafe; this specialty can be seen everywhere, and you can taste this uniquely charming deliciousness at any time!
In fact, regarding "white coffee," there are currently two main explanations. Front Street will first introduce the one everyone is more familiar with and which is currently the most popular online: the terms "black coffee" and "white coffee" both originate from Australia. This is because in most Australian cafes, coffee is mainly divided into these two categories.
For example, "black coffee": Australians call espresso "Short Black," meaning a small cup of black coffee; and Short Black with a certain amount of water added is called Americano elsewhere, but there it is called "Long Black," which translates to long black and can be understood as a large cup of black coffee. From this, it can be seen that Australians' way of thinking is very simple: keep it as simple as possible.
White coffee follows the same logic, only its naming is not as extreme as that of black coffee! In Australia, white coffee refers to coffee with milk added. Whether it is a latte or a cappuccino, these coffees with milk all belong to "White Coffee."
Among all these white coffees, one product stands out because it is different from other traditional espresso milk coffees. Driven by a well-known chain, it spread very quickly and soon appeared on the menus of major specialty coffee shops. It gave everyone an initial understanding of the existence of white coffee, so in many people's minds, "white coffee" refers to it! So, here is a question from Front Street: have you guessed who it is?
That's right! It is—"Flat White."
"Flat White" is translated from the term "Flat white." Names such as ping bai, xiao bai, fu rui bai, chun yi bai, and ao rui bai are all different translations of this word. Because no matter which name is used, it cannot do without the word "white," it has left many people with a deep impression of "white coffee."
Front Street often shares how to make a Flat White. Those interested can search for previous articles. Here, Front Street will only give a brief introduction: Flat White is a localized Australian espresso milk coffee. Because Australians prefer a richer coffee flavor but do not want to drink something too heavy and bitter, they created a "high concentration, low extraction" version of espresso (compared with the original espresso)—ristretto.
Because ristretto does not extract the later-stage substances, the whole cup of coffee has a very abundant sweetness, rich but not bitter. Paired with a small amount of milk with silky milk foam, it further highlights the coffee's flavor while also enhancing the overall body! Fragrant, high in sweetness, full-bodied, and silky—these are exactly the characteristics that Flat White possesses. That is why it can stand out from other traditional espresso coffees and become the favorite of some friends.
The ristretto is made using Front Street Classic Espresso Blend, a recipe composed of beans from three origins: Brazil, Indonesia, and Vietnam. It uses a dark roast, which can maximize the coffee's rich aroma and also allow everyone to easily extract abundant and dense crema. It is very suitable whether for making an Americano diluted with water or a latte paired with milk. It can be purchased and ordered at the Front Street Taobao store or the Front Street Tmall flagship store.
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
