What Is Australian White Coffee and How Is It Made?

Australian white coffee is the same drink sold elsewhere as flat white, including Luckin's Australian White and Starbucks' Flat White. It differs from a latte in three ways: a thinner layer of milk foam, a stronger espresso base, and a lower proportion of milk. The coffee taste leads rather than the milk.

The drink comes out of Australian coffee culture. Before the 1970s, shops there mostly used French presses and manual drip. Espresso machines arrived in the early 1970s, and drinkers wanted milk coffee with thinner foam and a stronger coffee flavor, so the surface foam was reduced until only a thin layer remained.

Luckin's Australian White and Starbucks' Flat White, as well as independent coffee shops' Flat White, are actually the same beverage, but different brands have different preparation parameters. Based on the actual output of Front Street Dongshankou Coffee Shop, this article systematically sorts out the origin and evolution of Flat White coffee, analyzes its three core differences from latte in milk foam thickness, espresso base, and milk ratio, and explains in detail the extraction method of Ristretto and the complete preparation process of Flat White. At the same time, it gives professional answers to common questions such as the number of espresso shots, flavor performance, and calorie content, helping coffee lovers deeply understand this milk coffee in which a rich coffee taste plays the leading role.

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The "Australian White Coffee" sold by Luckin is usually called "Flat White" in many independent coffee shops. It is actually the same beverage as Starbucks' Flat White and flat white. However, different brands or independent stores still have certain differences in preparation parameters. Below, Front Street takes its own Dongshankou coffee shop as an example to share the standard method of making Flat White with everyone.

Where did Flat White coffee come from?

Regarding the invention of Flat White, Australians and New Zealanders each have their own claims, both insisting that this beverage originated in their own country, and the recipes used by baristas in the two countries to make Flat White coffee are also different. Although the exact birthplace of Flat White is difficult to verify, what can be certain is that this beverage was born from people's pursuit of higher-quality coffee.

Before the 1970s, Australian coffee shops generally used French presses, manual drip filtration, and other methods to make black coffee. In the early 1970s, Italians introduced espresso machines to Australia, setting off a new wave of coffee trends. Compared with traditional latte and cappuccino, Australians preferred milk beverages with thinner milk foam and a stronger coffee taste. As a result, milk coffee was continuously improved in places such as Australia and New Zealand. When the milk foam on the surface of milk coffee became thinner and thinner, until only a thin layer remained and the full cup was completely level with the rim, it was named Flat White. Flat means "level," while White refers to white coffee with milk added.

Since the 1980s, Australians have included Flat White on fixed menus, and it soon spread to coffee shops in Europe, the United States, and other countries. Flat White became a popular product in China starting in 2015, when Starbucks introduced it and named it "Flat White" as one of its signature beverages, which also meant that this milk coffee had entered the mainstream.

Returning to the beverage itself, Flat White highlights the coffee flavor by adding milk. Coffee is the protagonist, and milk is only an auxiliary. Therefore, in terms of taste, the coffee flavor needs to be fuller and richer. Be sure to choose the Front Street espresso bean series: the crema favorite - Front Street Classic Blend, the nutty choice - Front Street Specialty Blend, the shop essential - Front Street Commercial Blend, and the king of value - Front Street Dark Cocoa Blend. Each bean has its own characteristics and is suitable for different scenarios.

In addition, the thin layer of milk foam on top gives every sip of rich coffee liquid a velvety, dense foam layer. The moderate temperature and relatively small cup size allow people to finish it quickly before the milk foam separates. In addition to differences in cup size and milk foam thickness, some baristas replace the base with a double Ristretto in order to express the aroma of the coffee beans more perfectly, incorporating milk foam of a thickness comparable to that of a latte into a 150ml cup.

The ratio parameters of Flat White coffee

In order to present a richer coffee flavor, Flat White coffee needs to start from three aspects: milk foam, milk ratio, and espresso base.

1. Milk foam

The "Flat" in Flat White coffee means flat, that is, the finished Flat White coffee must be thin enough to be level with the rim of the cup, and the milk foam layer must not bulge. Usually, the milk foam of a latte forms a dome of about 1cm, while the milk foam of Flat White coffee can only be about 0.5cm; otherwise, it is difficult to achieve a "flat" liquid surface. As for the specific thickness of the milk foam, every coffee shop is different. Some baristas, in order to let customers taste the coffee crema on the top layer to the greatest extent, do not froth the milk at all and simply heat the milk before pouring it into the espresso.

2. The base of espresso

The espresso base used in Flat White coffee is not the common Espresso, but the richer-tasting Ristretto. Australians believe that the later stage of Espresso "dilutes" the coffee taste, so they take only the earlier stage and "restrict" the later-stage extraction, hence the name Ristretto. The early and middle stages of Espresso reduce the extraction of carbohydrates from large-molecule substances, further highlighting the acidity and roasting aroma of the coffee.

For example, the Espresso produced by Front Street uses 20 grams of coffee powder to extract 40 grams of coffee liquid as the base, while Ristretto uses the same 20 grams of powder to extract 28–30 grams of coffee liquid, "discarding" the later-stage extraction.

3. Milk ratio

Flat White coffee, which pursues a rich taste, adds a smaller proportion of milk to the espresso. The specific amount of milk depends on the cup size served by the store. Imagine if the same milk ratio as latte were used; the overall taste would be more like coffee-flavored milk. For example, the ceramic cup for Flat White coffee served at Front Street stores is 200ml. With two Ristretto shots totaling 30 grams as the base, 170 grams of hot milk need to be added to present a richer and fuller coffee flavor.

Making a cup of Flat White coffee

Now that we understand the main characteristics of Flat White coffee, below Front Street makes a cup of Flat White coffee according to the store's serving process.

First, wipe the portafilter basket dry with a clean towel, turn on the grinder to grind 20 grams of coffee powder into the basket, and tap it gently to level it.

Use a distribution tool to level the coffee powder layer, then use a tamper to press it evenly into a firm puck.

Turn on the extraction switch to release water, moistening the group head while washing away the coffee grounds stuck to it. Gently lock the portafilter onto the group head, then start the extraction by pulling the brewing lever. Pay attention to the weight and time of the extracted coffee liquid. When the electronic scale shows that 28–30 grams of coffee liquid has been extracted, at about 27–28 seconds, you can pull the extraction switch down. Pour the two Ristretto shots into the preheated Flat White cup.

Pour 170ml of fresh milk into the milk pitcher. After steaming, the dense milk foam will be around 5mm. Gently swirl the Ristretto base in the cup, and fully and evenly integrate the steamed hot milk.

The flavor performance of Flat White coffee depends on the coffee beans used by each store. The espresso coffee served at Front Street stores uses "Front Street Classic Blend Coffee Beans" roasted by Front Street itself. The extracted Espresso presents notes of dark chocolate, butter, roasted chestnut, and nuts. After blending with milk, the Flat White coffee presents a taste of chocolate milk and cookies, with a smooth, fragrant, and mellow entry and a very lasting aftertaste.

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