What's the Difference Between Iced and Hot Flat White? The Distinctions Between Cappuccino, Flat White, and Latte

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In January 2015, Starbucks in the United States began selling flat white, offering it in different sizes. Then in September, Starbucks in mainland China also introduced the flat white, giving it an elegant Chinese translation "Fu Rui Bai." Actually, Fu Rui Bai is what everyone calls "Australian White" coffee. It's also a type of espresso-based coffee, and its preparation method is very similar to cappuccino and latte. In this article, FrontStreet Coffee will help everyone understand the differences between these types of coffee.

The Foundation: Espresso

Whether it's cappuccino, flat white, or latte, none can exist without espresso. Espresso can be said to be the essence of Italian culture, gradually integrating into the global coffee culture. It uses high pressure to push water through finer coffee grounds, extracting the beloved coffee crema that espresso fans adore.

Flat White: The Smooth Coffee Experience

Then, using the extracted espresso, different milk ratios are combined to create various espresso-based drinks. For example, the flat white coffee that FrontStreet Coffee just mentioned is actually Australian White coffee. Its foam layer is very thin, with an extremely smooth texture, making it a drink with a very strong coffee flavor. When making it, some people choose either a single shot of espresso or a double ristretto.

The reason why the flat white's recipe is so different is that it originated in New Zealand in the 1970s and 1980s and became popular worldwide. During its spread, corresponding changes occurred. For example, New Zealanders like to use Double Ristretto, while Australians use Single Espresso. So you'll find that every coffee shop's flat white has a very different flavor.

The foam of flat white coffee is very dense and thin, and the temperature of the milk coffee isn't too high. Every sip allows you to taste the perfect combination of foam and the underlying coffee milk. Additionally, flat white coffee is typically served hot - this is the only way to truly appreciate its texture. Adding ice to flat white coffee would quickly dilute the concentration as the ice melts, turning it into an iced latte.

When FrontStreet Coffee makes flat white, first the espresso is extracted, then the milk is frothed. For the cup, FrontStreet Coffee chooses a 180ml tulip cup. The frothed milk is poured into the espresso, blended until 80% full, then gently creates a pattern. Because flat white foam is relatively thin, patterns easily lose their shape, so it's recommended to make simpler heart patterns or dot patterns, or skip latte art entirely.

Cappuccino: The Rich Foam Experience

When making cappuccino coffee, the basic method is the same as latte - both start with extracting espresso and frothing milk. However, cappuccino differs from latte. Cappuccino is divided into dry cappuccino and wet cappuccino. Dry cappuccino has more foam with a rich texture; wet cappuccino has less foam than dry cappuccino but more milky flavor. However, both have relatively thick foam. In China, the latter approach is more common - thicker foam with appropriate amounts of milk, creating a dense texture that captures many coffee enthusiasts' hearts. FrontStreet Coffee believes cappuccino is like a latte with less milk and thicker foam. The flavor is stronger than latte because the foam is thicker, making the texture more velvety. So FrontStreet Coffee's customers who love thick foam are generally recommended this cappuccino coffee.

Latte: The Milk-Forward Coffee

Then there's the commonly ordered latte coffee. Its name "latte" actually means "milk" in Italian. Almost everyone directly calls latte coffee simply "latte." FrontStreet Coffee believes latte coffee is more like milk with coffee flavor. When making latte, you'll find that every coffee shop's milk to coffee ratio is different, but generally, there's more milk than coffee.

When FrontStreet Coffee makes latte coffee, it's mainly divided into three parts: first extract the espresso, then froth the milk, and finally blend the frothed milk with coffee for latte art. FrontStreet Coffee's stores currently use a sunflower warm sunshine blend for espresso beans - 60% sherry barrel coffee beans blended with 40% sun-dried Yirgacheffe. Through multiple adjustments, 20 grams of coffee powder was determined to extract 40 grams of coffee liquid in 28 seconds.

FrontStreet Coffee's latte serving cup is 300ml, which can hold 280ml of milk. The content in the milk pitcher generally doesn't exceed 2/3, otherwise milk easily overflows during the frothing process. Before frothing milk, you need to slightly open the steam switch to purge steam, removing excess moisture from the steam wand. Then submerge the steam wand's steam head into the milk surface and turn on the switch.

Then bring the steam holes in contact with the milk surface. This stage is for creating foam and will make louder sounds. This stage determines the foam thickness. When the foam thickness approaches latte foam thickness, it's time for smoothing. Raise the milk pitcher after creating enough foam, submerging the steam holes in the milk, allowing the milk to rotate and froth under the steam's action. This stage determines foam quality. After frothing is complete, you need to open the steam holes to flush out any residual milk inside. Generally, latte coffee foam has a glossy surface, no bubbles, moderate thickness (about 1cm), and has some fluidity. Finally, blend the frothed milk with the extracted espresso for latte art, and a fragrant hot latte coffee is completed.

Iced Latte: The Cool Alternative

Of course, there's also iced latte. Compared to hot latte, iced latte preparation is very simple. FrontStreet Coffee typically first pre-chills the cup with ice, pours in 100 grams of ice, 180 grams of milk, and finally adds the espresso. Stir evenly before drinking.

Conclusion: Choose Your Perfect Coffee

In summary, latte coffee is more like milk with coffee flavor, while flat white is more like coffee with milk flavor but with very thin foam and a smooth texture, while cappuccino is a coffee drink with rich coffee flavor and a dense, velvety texture. Everyone can choose according to their preferred taste.

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