Here at Raj’s Coffee, we’ve talked a lot about the history of brewing coffee with milk. There’s the latte, the classic Italian mixture of coffee and milk that has developed new iterations around the world. There’s the cappuccino, the foamy treat that also originated in Italy and also has found new iterations around the world. Many other creative espresso drinks involving milk have popped up over the last few decades. But one espresso/milk drink, while extremely popular, has been a little confusing, and even controversial. I’m talking about the flat white.
The flat white occupies a strange place in cafés. Virtually any barista will make one if asked, whether or not the flat white is even printed on the menu. But what they will make will vary greatly depending on where they first learned of the drink. Unlike a latte or cappuccino, which are popular enough to have standard recipes, the flat white is not a standardized drink. So what you will get might be quite different from one coffee shop to another. How has this happened, and where did the flat white even come from?
Contested Origins
The flat white originated in either Australia or New Zealand. But there is no clear answer on which country developed it first. As you might expect, Australians tend to claim it for Australia and New Zealanders for New Zealand. Sydney café owner Alan Preston claims that he debuted the flat white in his Moors Espresso Bar in 1985.
However, Wellington barista Fraser McInnes claims that he invented the flat white by accident in 1989. Additionally, author Ian Bersten claims that the flat white cannot reliably be traced to either Australia or New Zealand. Bersten asserts that the flat white was a reaction by “stingy English cafe goers” who wanted an alternative to the foamy, airy cappuccinos that Italian cafe owners were serving.
What we can reliably say is that the flat white came about in the 1980s in Oceania as an alternative to the classic Italian latte and cappuccino. From there, it spread in popularity to Europe and the UK, and then on to the United States and Canada. Because of its popularity, it can be found on café menus all across the world. So what even is a flat white?
The Basic Recipe
For some, the answer is simple. The flat white is a small latte. Sure enough, this is what a lot of baristas and coffee professionals assert, at least in our experience. But for others, a proper flat white is made with a much more specific recipe.
Peter J Thomson, in his 2012 survey of industry professionals on the subject of the flat white, landed on the following definition “for purists.” First, a flat white’s milk has the texture of velvet micro-foam instead of the stiff froth associated with the cappuccino. Second, it has a relatively medium size, falling in between the smaller serving of a macchiato or cortado and the larger serving of a latte. Third, the espresso is a double-shot so that the drink is coffee-forward as opposed to milk-forward.
Seems straightforward enough. By this definition, a flat white is a milk coffee drink with a double-shot of espresso and a thin layer of micro-foam, served in a vessel between cortado and latte.
Even with this definition in mind, there is some variation to be found. For example, Tourism New Zealand says that “a true flat white ought to have the same quantity of extracted coffee as any other beverage on the coffee menu (generally 30ml) but because it is served in a smaller vessel (175ml) it has stronger flavour than say a latte which is normally served in a 225ml vessel and is subsequently milkier.” Let’s say a coffee shop uses the single shot, or ristretto, for its default espresso serving. Their flat white will still be a more coffee-forward beverage than a latte.
The Starbucks Version
Some of the confusion around what constitutes a flat white can be traced to Starbucks, who introduced the flat white to their North American menus in 2015. Their menu description reads: “Smooth ristretto shots of espresso get the perfect amount of steamed whole milk to create a not-too-strong, not-too-creamy, just-right flavor.” So far, it sounds like the flat white we’ve come to know.
But two things set it apart. First, it’s possible to order the flat white in any size Starbucks offers, short to venti. In specialty coffee, the flat white tends to come in just one size, between 6 to 8 oz. For Starbucks, the flat white is really defined by its espresso to milk ratio, regardless of size.
Second, the Starbucks flat white, at least in its promotional image, includes only a small dot of foam on the top of the drink. If you order a flat white in a specialty shop, it is incredibly likely you will get a drink with finely detailed latte art.
Granted, this is not the only instance in which Starbucks terminology differs from the same terms used in other parts of the coffee world. Just know that if you are used to the flat white the way Starbucks makes it, most other coffee shops won’t make it like this.
Ordering a Flat White
Here at Raj’s Coffee, we believe that a flat white is a delicious drink definitely worth trying at least once. But ordering it can be a little confusing. The flat white has some murky origins, and it hasn’t been around as long as other espresso staples. So, here’s our advice.
If you want to order a flat white at a coffee shop, ask the barista how they make it. Some shops will have a set recipe, and it will probably be very much like the definition we landed on. It will be an espresso-forward milk coffee smaller than a latte and bigger than a cortado. Others shops will not have a set recipe, and it might be up to the barista’s discretion to decide how it’s done. Know what you’ll be getting before you order.
Conclusion
We hope that we have cleared up some of the confusion out there about the flat white. It’s a wonderful drink that has become popular for a reason. We hope that the next time you order one you feel a little more confident about how the drink came to be the way it is. Plus, it’ll be delicious!