The Origin Story of Flat White: Did New Zealand or Australia Invent This Iconic Coffee?

In the coffee industry, there once circulated an imprecise saying: when a coffee drink appears on Starbucks' regular menu, it indicates that it has somehow become mainstream. In 2015, Starbucks added Flat White to all US store menus under the name "馥芮白" (Fù Ruì Bái), and it quickly gained popularity.

In China, besides "馥芮白," it's also known by various names such as 澳白 (Ào Bái), 小白 (Xiǎo Bái), 醇艺白 (Chún Yì Bái), and 澳瑞白 (Ào Ruì Bái), with countless translation variations. Not only that, but the espresso extraction method, milk ratio, and serving vessel used for Flat White are all subjects of debate. Even its country of origin remains controversial, sparking arguments between two Southern Hemisphere nations.

So today, FrontStreet Coffee will share some "gossip" about the rise to fame of Flat White, and explore where this popular star of the coffee world actually comes from～

How did coffee become popular in Australia?

According to records, coffee first landed in Australia in the 18th century, with the first batch brought by British immigrants in 1788. However, it wasn't until the 1830s that coffee culture began to spread in the Australian region, largely influenced by the temperance movement of the time.

After World War II, around the 1950s, large numbers of Europeans immigrated with their families to Australia, including Italians. Seeking livelihoods, they brought their specialty "delicacy" - Italian espresso - to this land and started coffee businesses.

As the local coffee culture flourished, street-side coffee stalls continued to occupy the streets and alleys of Melbourne. At that time in Melbourne, cafes could be roughly divided into two types: one operated in the form of milk bars, offering various beverages and light meals, with coffee options limited to Long Black, Latte, and Cappuccino - essentially places where the working class could have lunch. The other type offered only coffee and sweets, with similarly limited coffee choices, divided between pure black coffee and white coffee with milk.

In the more bustling urban areas, various espresso-style coffee shops began to emerge on the streets, with increasingly diverse coffee styles and options available at the counters, and people's taste for coffee continued to rise. Thus, the Flat White was born, reflecting Australians' ultimate pursuit of coffee flavor and quality.

Australia and New Zealand have been arguing over Flat White

The New Zealand claim: New Zealander Fraser McInnes claimed that the term "Flat White" was coined by him in 1989 when working at a cafe called Cafe Bodega in Wellington. He gave this new name to a cappuccino where the milk foam was accidentally made too thin, embracing the mistake. In fact, such a rich milk coffee with thin foam had already been available as early as 1984, and his experience was documented in some coffee origin textbooks.

The Australian claim: Australian barista Alan Preston countered that this drink was actually developed by him at a cafe he opened in Sydney called Moors Espresso Bar, where it was already on the menu in 1985. Although he had long since changed careers to sell other products, as evidence, Preston displayed photos taken when he opened his shop on a website.

Although to this day, the dispute over the origin of this popular coffee drink remains unresolved, it hasn't prevented its widespread popularity in both countries and around the world. For example, as the pride of the Australian people - Hugh Jackman, who played Wolverine - is a devoted Flat White enthusiast. At his Manhattan coffee shop Laughing Man Coffee, Flat White is the flagship product.

Different presentations of Flat White

Regardless of which country created this beloved beverage, it's clear that its spread can be attributed to the international expansion of Australian cafes and baristas' unique insights into specialty coffee. The essence of Flat White has always been the perfect harmony between espresso and milk.

Compared to lattes with larger proportions of milk and thick foam, Flat White features its characteristic thin layer of milk foam, a warm but not scalding mouthfeel, and a relatively small cup size (5.5 ounces). The upper layer of foam is typically only 0.5cm thick, and upon close inspection of the smooth surface, one can see it's composed of countless tiny bubbles, what people call a velvety texture. Technically speaking, these characteristics also make it easier for experienced baristas to create complex and delicate latte art patterns.

In terms of espresso base extraction, some cafes don't limit themselves to espresso but use a more concentrated extraction method, taking only the front to middle portion of the espresso, known as ristretto. Although the coffee does become stronger than a latte, the quantity is reduced, making it difficult to highlight the coffee flavor even after adding milk. For this reason, Melbourne baristas directly replace the base with double ristretto and serve it in a glass with a capacity of about 150ml.

Here, FrontStreet Coffee would like to add a small补充 (supplement): actually, making Flat White doesn't necessarily require using double ristretto as the base. Some baristas choose regular espresso, mainly depending on production requirements and final taste. The reason why everyone always emphasizes this distinction is more about quickly understanding how it differs from a latte.

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