Flat White Ratio and Method: How to Make a Flat White at Home - The Difference Between Flat White and Latte

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Flat White, also known as Australian White Coffee, is one of the most popular espresso milk coffees in Australia. In recent years, it has also become one of the hottest coffee products in domestic coffee shops, with its presence visible in cafes of all sizes.

Although this coffee is called "Australian White" by domestic coffee enthusiasts, there is still controversy about its origin between New Zealand and Australia. The reason is that after the coffee culture was brought into Australia/New Zealand by Italian immigrants, it flourished in this new land.

The 1980s were the gestation period for Flat White. As espresso culture took root, latte and cappuccino were equally common, but the increasingly sophisticated coffee enthusiasts in Australia and New Zealand began to pursue milk foam that wasn't as high-peaked as cappuccino nor had too much foam like latte.

Therefore, Flat White was developed in the milk-abundant regions of Australia and New Zealand, combined with the baristas' superb milk steaming skills, to create finer micro-foam than latte and cappuccino, allowing the fine hot steamed milk to lie steadily on top of the coffee. This is the starting point of Flat White. As for whether it came from Australia or New Zealand, each has its supporters. For those of us who haven't joined their past, we temporarily recognize it as what most people consider to be from Australia/New Zealand.

So the "Australian" in Australian White Coffee actually refers to the Australia/New Zealand region. Regardless of which region it comes from, it's certain that Australian White Coffee has a richer coffee flavor than cappuccino and latte, while the fine milk foam also adds a velvety, goose-down-like texture to this coffee.

FrontStreet Coffee's Preparation Method

FrontStreet Coffee regularly prepares Australian White Coffee using a 200ml cup, adding two shots of espresso (40g), then heating the milk and creating 0.5cm thick milk foam, followed by center pouring to preserve the espresso's crema layer, enhancing the richness of the first sip of coffee.

In contrast, latte coffee preparation uses a 300ml cup, adds two shots of espresso (40g), heats the milk, creates 1cm thick milk foam, then evenly blends it with coffee to create various latte art patterns.

Espresso Extraction

Coffee shops typically use dedicated espresso machines to prepare espresso, forcing hot water at about 94 degrees Celsius through very finely ground coffee powder at 9-10 bar pressure, then extracting concentrated coffee at a 1:2 coffee-to-liquid ratio.

Home Preparation Method

If making Australian White Coffee at home, you can use a home espresso machine/portable handheld espresso maker. However, the concentration is not as high as commercial espresso machines, and the stability of coffee quality is lower.

When using a portable handheld coffee machine (FrontStreet Coffee demonstrates using the Starry Coffee machine below), FrontStreet Coffee suggests using 18g of very finely ground coffee powder, then adding 120ml of 95-degree water, directly pressing out 40ml of coffee liquid and stopping.

Then heat the milk to 55-65 degrees Celsius, place it in a milk pitcher, use a handheld milk frother to create foam, use a spoon to remove surface coarse bubbles and reduce foam thickness to 0.5cm, shake the milk pitcher to blend foam and milk, and finally pour the milk into the center of the espresso, with a final product of about 200ml.

Why is Australian White Coffee Only Served Hot?

Usually when we drink latte coffee, we can choose to make it iced or hot, while Australian White is only available hot. This is because baristas want everyone to experience the perfect combination of milk foam and the milk coffee underneath with every sip. Only when the foam is very dense, relatively thin, and at a suitable temperature for drinking can you drink both foam and rich coffee liquid simultaneously with each sip, and finish it quickly before the foam separates. After adding ice cubes, the cooled milk coffee will be diluted to some extent and cannot achieve the above effect.

If you're seeking an iced, rich milk coffee experience, FrontStreet Coffee suggests trying the "Dirty," which has also been quite popular in recent years. Drip extracted espresso liquid over chilled fresh milk on top, presenting a "dirty" visual effect, with a very unique alternating cold and hot texture.

Recommended Espresso Beans for Making Australian White Coffee

Some friends hope to replicate a delicious Australian White Coffee at home. FrontStreet Coffee believes that one should first choose the right coffee beans and extract high-quality espresso as the base. Since most home espresso machines are not as stable in function as commercial machines and output is very limited, this puts more demands on our parameter control. Therefore, FrontStreet Coffee suggests choosing more stable espresso blend coffee beans. Espresso blends combine coffee flavors from different regions and use medium to dark roasting, giving us a higher margin of error in extraction.

FrontStreet Coffee's bean list has launched nearly ten different espresso blends for everyone to choose from, ensuring only coffee roasted within 5 days is shipped, guaranteeing that when you receive it, it's still in the optimal tasting period. Besides the gentle-style Warm Sun Blend mentioned above by FrontStreet Coffee, FrontStreet Coffee's espresso bean list also features three cost-effective nut-toned blend coffee beans, with rich textures and intense aromas equally suitable for making Australian White Coffee.

Balanced Rich Aroma Type - FrontStreet Coffee Specialty Blend Coffee Beans

Colombian Washed Coffee Beans (30%) + Brazilian Semi-dry Process Coffee Beans (70%)

The nutty notes of classic Brazilian coffee are enhanced with Colombian coffee. The espresso presents dark chocolate flavors, caramel sweetness, and full roasted aromas. When blended with steamed hot milk, it presents chocolate, cocoa, and cream textures, like drinking an unsweetened Ovaltine hot beverage.

Classic Rich Type - FrontStreet Coffee Commercial Blend Coffee Beans

Robusta Washed Coffee Beans (10%) + Colombian Washed Coffee Beans (30%) + Brazilian Semi-dry Process Coffee (60%)

The espresso has abundant golden crema and nutty aroma. When blended with milk to make Australian White Coffee, you'll taste the fragrant bitterness of coffee, but more importantly, a cream-like full texture, and after swallowing, the bitterness dissipates, leaving a lingering fragrance in your mouth.

Slightly Acidic Rich Type - FrontStreet Coffee Basic Blend Coffee Beans

Yunnan Washed Small Bean Coffee (30%) + Brazilian Semi-dry Process Coffee Beans (70%)

Yunnan small bean coffee brings soft acidity paired with the rich aroma of Brazilian Cerrado coffee. The espresso has flavors of caramel, nuts, and gentle plum acidity. When combined with milk, it presents a more balanced and smooth texture.

For more professional coffee knowledge exchanges and coffee bean information, please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat Official Account: cafe_style)

For more specialty coffee beans, please add FrontStreet Coffee's private WeChat account: qjcoffeex

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473