Latte is a fairly common drink among coffee lovers, but have you heard of Flat White which is also similar to Latte? If so, do you know what makes these drinks different from each other? Let’s take a look at the review about Flat White vs Latte!
At first glance, there isn’t much difference between a Flat White vs. a Latte. Both are brown in color and covered in milky foam. In fact, Latte and Flat White are two different coffee drinks. The difference between these types of white coffee is the size and flavor.
What is a Latte?
Latte comes from the combination of bold espresso with creamy milk. Lattes are often thought of as a milky coffee. And that assumption could be true when it comes to Cappuccino. The key to making a Latte is in the steaming process of the milk. To know if the drink is a Latte, from the first sip we will immediately feel the coffee that feels so milky.
The composition of a Latte can be described as follows:
- Single or Double Shots Espresso.
- Steamed milk.
- Thin microfoam on top of the milk, about 0.5 – 1 centimeter thick.
In general, there are two ways of steaming milk: heating the milk to the desired temperature and creating microfoam. In other words, the foam in a Latte usually tends to be smooth and not thick.
What is a Flat White?
Originating from Australia, Flat White is an Espresso-based drink where the Espresso is covered with a thin layer of frothed milk. As the name implies, this drink should be very flat. Flat White is a drink that is usually subjective and varies depending on which country or coffee shop one visits.
Broadly speaking, a Flat White consists of textured milk and Espresso. In preparation, the Flat White should be poured over a double Espresso. Some baristas may use less milk than a Latte. Generally, Flat White is served in two variants:
- No foam: This variant is most commonly used in many cafes, where Espresso is combined with steamed milk.
- With foam: Although this variant is quite common, especially among coffee connoisseurs. This method does require some skill from the barista because when making a textured Latte, the barista needs to make a really fine but tasty microfoam.
The key to knowing the difference between these Flat Whites is that when drinking them, you can taste the coffee which tends to be strong but there is still a subtle hint of smoothness that comes with it.
Flat whites are usually served from drinking glasses or porcelain cups that are smaller than Cappuccino cups. For baristas, creating Latte Art on a Flat White is easier because of the light milk foam.
Also read: Piccolo Latte, the Little One You Must Try!
Flat White vs Latte
The difference between a Flat White and a Latte is that a Latte is easier to make at home.
The difference between a Flat White and a Latte is in the making technique and the amount of milk. Lattes are easier to make at home with slightly more milk. The Flat White has a pouring technique that makes it stand out, with less milk, resulting in a stronger coffee flavor.
The difference in size and time when steaming the milk, makes the flavor of Latte and Flat White also different. Where the milk in Latte tends to be heated longer so it is thicker, while the milk in Flat White is heated shorter so it is less thick. As a result, Flat White has a stronger flavor than Latte. Lattes, on the other hand, are milkier because of the large amount of milk.
Latte generally uses Espresso as the base coffee used. Espresso has a coffee to water ratio of 1:2. Espresso is used as a base among most drinks, such as Latte, Cappuccino, Mocha, Americano, and Macchiato.
On the other hand, to make a Flat White requires a Ristretto shot. You can use the same coffee as you would for an Espresso shot, but you will use a ratio of 1:1.5. Ristretto coffee shots are shorter and usually sweeter than Espresso.
A classic latte is usually served using an 8 oz cup or about 200 milliliters. Some cafes will offer a larger size as well, usually in a cup size of 10 – 2 oz or about 300 milliliters. Flat White is usually served using a 5 – 6 oz cup and this cup size is used as the ‘standard’.
The amount of foam will determine which coffee has been made. We all know the obvious “Latte is milky“. Whereas a Flat White only has about 0.5 centimeters of microfoam or about half the amount of foam of a Latte.
Conclusion
Well, that was the review about Flat White and Latte. The difference between a Flat White and a Latte does look very thin and not much different, although both are based on Espresso, but it turns out that they are different, you know. So, when you order Latte or Flat White coffee at a cafe, you won’t be confused anymore after reading the reviews above.
Flat White and Latte are more or less similar, as they use the same measure of Espresso, have a very similar measure of liquid milk (excluding foam), and both use Espresso diluted with creamy milk. Flat White is usually served in a cup, while Latte is usually served in a glass.
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