Introduction:Want to understand how Luckin’s Flat White (also known as Flat White) is made and how it differs from a cappuccino? This article takes an in-depth look at this Australian-originated Flat White—from its origins, the parameters for extracting a concentrated ristretto shot, to the ideal milk foam thickness—and provides a full comparison of its flavor profile with that of a latte and cappuccino, helping you find the hot milk coffee that best suits your taste.

As the weather cools down, hot lattes, cappuccinos, and the more recently popular Flat White have become the top choices for many coffee enthusiasts. Among them, Flat White, originating from New Zealand and Australia, has gradually risen in popularity with its unique thin milk foam and concentrated espresso base. It is especially favored by consumers who seek a smooth blend of coffee and milk. This article will comprehensively analyze the background of this coffee, its key parameters, and how it differs from other hot milk coffees.

The Origin of Flat White: From Flat White to "Fu Rui Bai"

Flat White, known in English as Flat White, can be traced back to the 1970s in New Zealand and Australia. At the time, local cafés mainly used French press or pour over methods, and it wasn’t until the introduction of Italian espresso machines that espresso culture began to take off. It is said that a barista, while making a hot milk drink, accidentally produced overly thin milk foam, but unexpectedly received positive feedback from customers. Since then, this beverage—with its delicate milk foam and well-balanced integration with coffee liquid—gradually took shape, and was named Flat White (literally “flat white”) due to its level coffee surface that aligns with the rim of the cup. Later, in the Hong Kong and mainland Chinese markets, it was also translated as Fu Rui Bai or Flat White.

The highlight of this coffee lies in its use ofextremely fine milk foam with a thickness of only about 0.3 to 0.5 centimeters,paired with a small-sized cup, allowing each sip to deliver a delicate fusion of milk foam and coffee-milk blend. Therefore, special attention needs to be paid to the density and temperature of the milk foam during preparation, and it is recommended to consume it promptly to avoid layer separation.

Ristretto: The Key to Flat White's Espresso Base

The coffee base of a Flat White uses Ristretto, an Italian-style method of making espresso, meaning "restricted flow," which involves extracting only the first and middle parts of the espresso shot. It is usually shorter and more concentrated than a standard espresso.

Taking a common café as an example, they use their own house-blend beans “Sunflower Warm Sun,” which consists of 70% Honduran Sherry-flavored beans and 30% Ethiopian Yirgacheffe sundried Red Cherry beans. The former offers vanilla, cream, and a hint of whiskey aroma, while the latter provides tropical fruit notes and fermentation layers, resulting in a richer and more balanced overall flavor. When making Ristretto, baristas will use20 grams of coffee grounds to extract 27 grams of coffee liquid, with extraction time controlled between 20 to 25 seconds,which focuses more on the early-stage flavors compared to a standard espresso (20g coffee to 40g liquid in 28–30 seconds), reducing bitterness while highlighting distinct berry acidity, caramel sweetness, and a whiskey-like winey finish.

Milk Foam & Milk Handling Techniques for Flat White

Before assembling the final drink, the milk needs to be steamed to the right consistency. Compared to the approximately 0.5 cm milk foam in a latte, Flat White uses thinnermilk foam, ideally only 0.3 to 0.5 cm thick, with less air incorporated,resulting in a smoother and denser mouthfeel. The recommended steaming temperature for the milk is55 to 60°C,which helps preserve the milk aroma without being too hot to affect the flavor.

The steamed milk is then slowly poured over the prepared Ristretto shot, using about 150 ml of milk, and poured into a cup with a capacity of around 200 ml. Depending on preference, latte art can be applied, but even without it, the overall flavor remains unaffected. The final product delivers aromas of vanilla, cream, chocolate milk, and whiskey truffle chocolate, with a taste that features soft berry acidity and a rich, lingering finish.

Flat White vs Cappuccino vs Latte: A Breakdown of Milk Foam and Flavor Differences

Although Flat White, cappuccino, and latte all use espresso as a base and are paired with hot milk, they differ in milk foam thickness, mouthfeel, and overall flavor profile.

Cappuccinos typically featuremilk foam that is 1 to 2 cm thick, with a layered texture like a hamburger,often requiring you to sip the thick foam on top first, where the foam presence is prominent and clearly separated from the coffee liquid. Lattes, on the other hand, use thinner milk foam, about 0.5 cm, ensuring that each sip offers a harmonious blend of coffee and milk. Flat White emphasizes the most delicate milk foam experience,with a foam thickness of only 0.3 to 0.5 cm,almost flush with the coffee liquid surface, creating a smoother mouthfeel and highlighting a “velvety” texture. It is the top choice for those who enjoy a balanced integration of coffee and milk.

Some baristas, to prevent the milk foam from interfering with the original aroma of the coffee, may choose not to leave a distinct foam layer, serving only the smooth coffee-milk mixture—a feature that characterizes some Flat White preparations.

In summary, if you prefer a strong coffee aroma with a balanced taste, you can opt for Flat White; if you enjoy a rich milk foam with layered textures of coffee, a cappuccino might suit you better; and if you’re looking for a smooth, everyday option where milk and coffee meld well, a hot latte is a reliable choice.

No matter which one you choose, understanding their differences can help you pick the perfect hot milk coffee based on your mood and taste preferences at the moment.

The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.