The Difference Between Starbucks Flat White and Latte Coffee - Characteristics and Flavor Profile of Australian White Coffee

Regular espresso enthusiasts know there are many kinds of espresso drinks. At FrontStreet Coffee, for example, we offer lattes, mochas, and cappuccinos, plus hidden-menu items like flat whites and dirty coffees. All of them are built on espresso plus milk — what differs is the mixing ratio. While lattes and mochas are household names, what exactly is a flat white? What's its connection to "Australian white coffee," and is it literally Australian-style white coffee? In this article, FrontStreet Coffee will answer all of these questions!

What is Flat White Coffee?

Actually, both "flat white" and "Australian white coffee" are names for the same drink — different names, same espresso-and-milk beverage.

Flat white originated in Australia — hence "Australian white coffee" — though some argue it was actually born in New Zealand. Beyond the origin dispute, preparation varies too. Flat white is a milk coffee with a stronger coffee flavor, less milk, and thinner foam. As for the espresso base, New Zealanders prefer a double ristretto, while Australian baristas favor a single espresso.

One more thing FrontStreet Coffee has learned: in Australia, flat whites are only served hot, because adding ice yields a flat white that has lost its soul — the ice dilutes the overall concentration. You could say a cold flat white is essentially just a latte.

How to Make Flat White Coffee?

Since every café uses a different espresso machine, extraction parameters must be retuned accordingly. So FrontStreet Coffee will use our in-house parameter standards to explain how to make a flat white.

Specific Production Process:

FrontStreet Coffee uses commercial machines when pulling espresso, with these extraction parameters:

• Pressure: 9 bar
• Temperature: 90.5~96°C
• Time: 20~30 seconds
• Coffee-to-water ratio: 1:1.7~1:2
• Dose: 12g (single espresso), 20g (double espresso)
• Extraction yield: 20ml (single), 40ml (double)

Milk and Coffee Ratio Recommendations for Flat White:

• Milk: Whole fresh milk (FrontStreet Coffee uses Kowloon Dairy fresh milk)
• Steamed milk temperature: 50-60°C (too low won't bring out the milk's lactose sweetness; too high damages the milk proteins and leaves a gritty texture)
• Foam thickness: 5mm (1cm foam is for latte, 1.5cm for cappuccino)
• Espresso content: 40ml
• Milk content: 140ml

That's FrontStreet Coffee's process for making a flat white. In our experience, though, many enthusiasts accidentally turn their flat white into a latte when they lose control of the details. So how do you tell the two apart?

How to Distinguish Between Flat White and Latte?

It comes down to the espresso-to-milk ratios — and every shop's ratios differ. Take FrontStreet Coffee's latte as an example:

FrontStreet Coffee's latte standard: A 300ml ceramic cup, 40g espresso base, and 260ml milk plus foam. Foam thickness about 1cm (foam texture: full milk steamed to 7 parts full foam).

FrontStreet Coffee's flat white standard: A 220ml glass cup, 30g ristretto base, and 190ml milk plus foam. Foam thickness about 0.5cm (foam texture: full milk steamed to 5.5-6 parts full foam).

The Differences:

By cup size, the latte is larger than the flat white. In appearance, the latte carries slightly thicker foam with a gentle bulge, while the flat white's thinner foam sits flat. In flavor, the latte tastes milkier, while the flat white lets the coffee speak louder. Hence the Australian joke: a latte is coffee-flavored milk (essentially milk), while a flat white is milk-flavored coffee (essentially coffee).

So flat white and latte can indeed be told apart by foam thickness. When making either at home, the main things to watch are foam thickness and the espresso-to-milk ratio.

That's FrontStreet Coffee's rundown on flat white. We hope it helps enthusiasts who want to understand the drink — so you can pull off a satisfying flat white in your own kitchen.

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FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

Every café has its own "secret flat white recipe," but they all hinge on three points: less milk, thinner foam, stronger coffee — which makes bean choice decisive, since the espresso carries the cup. For home brewing, FrontStreet Coffee recommends the butter-and-cheese flavored FrontStreet Signature Espresso Blend: mellow, low-acid, with full, fine crema and an outstanding richness when married with milk. Those who chase floral-fruity notes should pick the FrontStreet Strawberry Sugar espresso blend — extremely low in bitterness, extracting with plump grape and blueberry flavors and balanced sweetness, so that a flat white made with fresh milk tastes like a strawberry milkshake you won't forget. Use cold fresh milk, steam it with just 1-2 seconds of air intake into a whirlpool until it reaches 50-55°C, aiming for a uniform 0.3cm of silky microfoam, and pour the ristretto base (20g in, 32g out, 22-25 seconds) together with 160ml of milk — the result is a creamy hazelnut, white-chocolate-kissed flat white you can drink to the last drop without feeling weighed down.