Where did the Flat White originate?

It is a truth universally acknowledged that the Flat White was invented in Australia. Except if you’re a barista from Auckland.

A tale of two or three cities

Conventional wisdom is that the Flat White was developed in Australia during the 1980’s, or at least that’s what coffee schools in Sydney say. In fact, Derek Townsend invented the Flat White in 1984 at the DKD café in Auckland. Then again, so did Fraser McInnes in 1989 at his café in Wellington called Café Bodega when he failed to froth his cappuccino milk correctly. “Sorry, it’s a flat white,” he said. The concept of multiple simultaneous discoveries is not new to scientists, particularly evolutionary biologists, but baristas from the East to West of the Tasman Sea are only just being introduced to it. The spark was Starbucks, who in January started selling the beverage in their US stores (yes, its 2015, astronomers have all but proved there was life on Mars but Starbucks in America has only just discovered the Flat White). In their press release the coffee conglomerate stated it “originated” in Australia. Scandalous.

Something we can all agree on

A Flat White is an “espresso topped up with slightly textured milk that should settle with 5mm of microfoam”. It’s not uncommon for cafés to swap the espresso for a double shot ristretto, giving it a much sweeter taste. At its core though, it is an espresso version of the home-brewed “black coffee” with milk. Want to learn how to make one? We'll teach you! Check out our courses to find one that suits you!