What Is a Wet Cappuccino and How Does It Differ From a Flat White?

A wet cappuccino uses more steamed milk and less foam than a dry one, while a flat white sits between a cappuccino and a latte in foam thickness. Both build on espresso, but the flat white is smaller, milkier and served with thin microfoam, giving a stronger coffee flavor than a standard cappuccino.

A dirty coffee works in the opposite direction. Cold milk goes into the cup first, then hot espresso is poured on top, so the layers stay separate until stirred. Cup size, milk temperature, foam texture and extraction time are the variables to adjust when making either drink at home.

Since the birth of the espresso machine, espresso has become the soul base of all Italian milk coffees, and the food cultures of different regions have given rise to distinctive coffee styles. Among them, Flat White has rapidly risen to fame in the specialty coffee scene in recent years thanks to its thin milk foam and prominent coffee aroma. Dirty coffee, on the other hand, delivers a richly layered mouthfeel through the intense collision of cold milk and hot espresso. Although both take espresso as their core, they are completely different in cup size, milk foam thickness and serving logic. This article will start with the origin story of Flat White, compare it with Dirty, and then use Front Street's classic espresso blend as an example to break down in detail how a cup of Flat White with rich chocolate flavor should be made.

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After the espresso machine came into being, espresso culture gradually spread to every corner of the globe. Anyone who has come into contact with coffee mostly understands the core position of espresso in the entire Italian coffee system. As the birthplace and disseminator of espresso culture, Italy's local emphasis on extraction has allowed this tradition to continue from generation to generation, and espresso has thus been crowned the "soul of coffee." No matter which Italian coffee is made, espresso liquid is an indispensable base, and this has never changed. On this basis, countries have developed Italian coffee branches with different appearances according to their own food cultures. And the most popular Italian milk coffee in recent years is undoubtedly Flat White.

What exactly makes Flat White attract so much attention? Now let Front Street briefly sort out the story behind it.

The Origin of Flat White

Flat White is an abbreviation; the full name is "Australian-style white coffee." It was born in Melbourne, Australia, in 1980, then quickly became popular in both Australia and New Zealand, and also drove the milk coffee craze in both places at the time. In terms of composition, Flat White is actually not essentially different from cappuccino or latte; the difference is mainly reflected in the thickness of the milk foam—it falls exactly between cappuccino and latte. The rapid rise of this coffee probably surprised many people, because Flat White only subtracted from milk foam thickness, yet thereby made the coffee aroma more prominent. Perhaps consumers at the time were more accepting of new categories, which allowed this coffee to become popular quickly.

Compared with cappuccino, Flat White's milk foam has a lower air content, and after merging with espresso its surface appears flat, which is also where the name Flat White comes from. Whether a cup of coffee tastes good or not depends on the production method. Although Flat White is different from cappuccino, it is by no means something that can be made well casually.

A qualified Flat White should be covered on the surface with fine, light milk foam, while also faintly revealing the crema color of espresso. Only in this way can one feel both the smoothness of milk and the richness of coffee on the first sip, and the coffee aroma carried in the crema will also be brought out. After blending with each other, it forms a smooth and slightly viscous mouthfeel, sweet and fragrant without being cloying, ultimately constituting Australia's unique coffee culture system. Although Starbucks pushed milk coffee to the whole world, Flat White has always been Australia's unique coffee calling card.

The Difference Between Flat White and Dirty

Flat White: espresso + milk + 0.5cm milk foam. The cup size of Flat White is usually 180ml, and the milk foam is extremely thin, no more than 0.5cm, so it does not overly cover the coffee's original flavor. It belongs to the category of milk coffee in which you can taste the coffee.

Dirty: espresso + iced milk. The method for Dirty is equally simple: first pour iced milk into the cup, then directly add espresso. Simple and direct, with a cup size of about 150ml. Iced milk and hot coffee collide with each other, creating a changeable mouthfeel that is smooth and full of layers.

The above is the story of Flat White. Once the story is told, it is only natural to make a cup of the renowned Flat White by hand. The production method of Flat White is broadly similar to milk coffees such as cappuccino, but there are several details to pay attention to during operation; otherwise, the Flat White you make will lack its soul. Next, use our own roasted Front Street classic espresso blend coffee to make a cup of Flat White with rich chocolate flavor.

Front Street Classic Espresso Blend Coffee Beans

Regions: Brazil, Indonesia, Vietnam

Roast level: dark roast

Processing methods: semi-washed, wet-hulled, washed

How to Make Flat White

Coffee cup: 200ml glass cup　Milk: 150ml　Espresso: 40g　Milk foam temperature: 55–60℃， thickness 3-5mm　Dose: 20g　Coffee liquid: 30g　Extraction time: 22-25 seconds

Use a double basket and fill it with 20g of coffee grounds. Complete distribution, tamping, and flushing, then lock in the portafilter and press the button to start extraction for 25 seconds, obtaining about 30g of coffee liquid. Then pour in 150ml of milk to steam, controlling the aeration time to 1–2 seconds, then bury the steam wand into the milk and begin heating, keeping the temperature at 55–60 ℃, with milk foam thickness not exceeding 0.5cm. (This step is a little harder to control; if you are prone to failure, Front Street suggests practicing a few times first with drinking water.)

The ratio of milk to coffee in Flat White is usually 1:3 to 1:5. The thin milk foam clearly distinguishes it from cappuccino and latte; with less milk, it does not overpower the coffee flavor and can better highlight the aroma of the beans themselves. In actual tasting, it can be found that the Flat White made with Front Street classic espresso blend carries the roasted aroma of dark chocolate and butter cookies, and on the palate one can clearly feel the nutty flavor. The milk and espresso merge smoothly, the body is moderate, and the sweetness is prominent.

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