What Are the Must-Know Secrets Between Black Coffee and White Coffee?

Black coffee is a professional term we're all familiar with. It refers to pure coffee that doesn't contain any flavor-affecting ingredients other than water. Pour-over coffee, cold drip coffee, Americano... all belong to the family of black coffee. But since we're talking about "black," it naturally makes people think of "white." After all, black and white have always been inseparable throughout history. If there's black coffee, then surely white coffee must exist as well?

And it does! However, the concept of white coffee isn't as widely known as black coffee, and its meaning is more diverse, so few people use it.

What Exactly is White Coffee?

Regarding "white coffee," there are currently two main interpretations. FrontStreet Coffee will first introduce the one we're more familiar with, which is also the most popular explanation online: both "black coffee" and "white coffee" terminology comes from Australia. Because in most Australian cafes, coffee is mainly divided into these two categories.

For example, "black coffee" - Australians call espresso "Short Black," meaning small black coffee; while Short Black with a certain amount of water added, which would be called "Americano" elsewhere, is named "Long Black" there, translating to "long black," which we can understand as meaning large black coffee. So you can see that Australians thinking is quite simple: keep it straightforward.

White coffee follows the same logic, just not as extreme as black coffee (in terms of naming)! In Australia, white coffee simply refers to coffee with milk added. Whether it's a latte or cappuccino, these coffees with milk added all belong to "White Coffee."

Among all white coffees, one product stands out from other traditional Italian milk coffees. With the promotion of well-known chains, its spread has been meteoric, and it quickly appeared on the menus of major specialty coffee shops. It made people initially aware of the existence of white coffee, so in many people's minds, "white coffee" refers specifically to it! So, FrontStreet Coffee's question for everyone: have you guessed what it is?

That's right! It's—the "Flat White."

"Flat White" translates to the English word "Flat White." Names like Ping Bai, Xiao Bai, Fu Rui White, Chun Yi White, Ao Rui White all come from translations of this word. Because no matter the name, they can't escape the word "white" (white), so it has left many people with a deep impression of "white coffee."

Since FrontStreet Coffee often shares how to make flat whites, interested friends can search for previous articles. FrontStreet Coffee will only give a brief introduction here: the flat white is a localized Italian milk coffee from Australia. Because Australians prefer a richer coffee flavor but don't want to drink something overly bitter, they created a "high concentration, low extraction" (compared to original espresso) version of espresso—Ristretto.

Because Ristretto doesn't extract the later-stage compounds, the entire cup of coffee has abundant sweetness, rich without bitterness. Paired with a small amount of milk with silky foam, it not only highlights the coffee's flavor but also enhances overall richness! Aromatic, highly sweet, rich, and silky—these are precisely the characteristics that flat whites possess. Therefore, it can distinguish itself from other traditional Italian coffees and become a favorite for some friends.

So the above is one of the more traditional interpretations of white coffee. Next, FrontStreet Coffee will share another "white coffee"—a white coffee that's a century-old Malaysian specialty!

Malaysian White Coffee

In Malaysia, white coffee can be said to be one of the most representative food culture symbols. Although it also refers to coffee with milk added, more often, it refers to a specific local coffee product. This product is said to have been invented by Chinese immigrants to Malaysia, and its ingredients are very particular. How particular, you ask?

It uses a blend of three types of beans! But these three beans don't refer to coffee beans from different regions, but rather a blend of three different species of coffee beans: Liberica, Arabica, and Robusta.

After blending, they're roasted until the beans become shiny and oily with oil. After cooling, the soluble coffee substances are extracted, then sugar, creamer, and other ingredients are added, and finally made into powder for convenient coffee preparation anytime. Reading this, I believe everyone has discovered the true identity of this white coffee—that's right! It's instant coffee! In Malaysia, this instant product called "white coffee" is a major local specialty.

Almost every small shop is equipped with this white coffee, because locals have long made coffee a daily necessity. Thanks to this, when we travel to Malaysia, we don't need to specifically visit certain cafes, because such specialties are everywhere, and you can taste this unique deliciousness anytime!

In summary, we can know that the "white" in white coffee mainly refers to dairy products, and white coffee primarily refers to coffee with dairy products added~

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