What's the Difference Between Flat White and Latte? A Comprehensive Comparison

Flat White vs Latte: Understanding the Differences

Flat White and Latte are common sights on coffee shop menus. While both belong to the milk coffee category, they differ in preparation and taste experience. Friends who have visited FrontStreet Coffee may have noticed that Flat Whites come in smaller cups than lattes, offer a richer coffee flavor, and feature thinner foam. In fact, Flat White coffee evolved from the latte.

Latte originated in Italy, where it literally means "milk." It's a classic combination of espresso and milk, allowing you to taste both the coffee flavor and the sweetness of milk.

Flat White, on the other hand, delivers a more intense and prominent coffee flavor.

The Origins of Flat White

When Italians brought espresso coffee to regions like Australia and New Zealand last century, the thick foam of cappuccinos and lattes didn't suit local preferences. People began frothing milk to a thinner consistency. As this thin foam integrated with coffee, the liquid surface became increasingly flat until forming a minimal layer completely level with the cup rim - thus creating today's Flat White. "Flat" means level, while "White" refers to milk coffee.

It can be said that Flat White gradually evolved to adapt to consumer tastes. Since these two beverages ultimately present slightly different flavor profiles, their preparation methods and appearance naturally differ.

Different Coffee Bases

Latte uses espresso as its base;

Flat White coffee uses ristretto as its base.

Ristretto: Can be considered as extracting only the front and middle sections of espresso. Compared to espresso, ristretto has a shorter extraction time and lower coffee-to-water ratio. This results in more concentrated coffee liquid, reducing the extraction of high-molecular compounds while enhancing sensory flavors.

Using FrontStreet Coffee's parameters as an example: Espresso: 20g coffee grounds → 40g liquid weight; Ristretto: 20g coffee grounds → 28-30g liquid weight

Different Milk Volume and Cup Size

In latte coffee, more milk is added to achieve balance between milk and coffee base; Flat White coffee reduces milk quantity, delivering an overall more intense and full-bodied coffee flavor. Therefore, Flat White coffee comes in smaller cups than latte.

Different Foam Thickness

Typically, latte coffee foam thickness is about 0.5cm, presenting a slightly domed full-cup effect after foam integrates with coffee for latte art.

Flat White's foam is thinner. Due to insufficient foam tension, it's difficult to achieve a domed state. The final product shows the liquid surface level with the cup rim - hence the "Flat" in Flat White. Foam thickness must be controlled within 0.3cm; otherwise, achieving the "flat" surface becomes difficult.

Regarding specific foam thickness, every coffee shop differs. Some baristas don't froth milk at all, simply heating it and pouring into espresso to allow maximum tasting of upper crema. However, FrontStreet Coffee wants customers to experience Flat White's creamy smooth texture without it being too "watery," so we maintain a 0.3cm foam layer.

It's worth noting that traditional Flat White is only served hot. Because the core experience of Flat White lies in its unique texture and concentration, making it iced would not only lack the rich aroma of hot coffee but also dilute the coffee concentration. If you're seeking intense coffee flavor without consuming too much milk, FrontStreet Coffee suggests considering "Dirty."

Conclusion

Flat White coffee features light, delicate foam with intense coffee flavor and smooth texture. Latte foam is slightly thicker, tasting softer and more balanced with a creamy mouthfeel - each has its special characteristics. Every coffee shop has different definitions for Flat White preparation, adjusting their output based on habits and understanding of various milk coffees, ultimately presenting different Flat White styles.

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FrontStreet Coffee, 10 Bao'an Qian Street, Yandun Road, Dongshankou, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473