Fraser claims he presented the drink to a customer saying: “Sorry, it’s a flat white!” He says the milk he used had very low fat content, which made it impossible to create a good amount of microfoam. According to Fraser, the flat white was invented when he tried to make a cappuccino for a customer while working as a barista.

However, New Zealander Fraser McInnes challenges Alan’s claim.

The drink was poured without latte art and served in a ceramic cup. After noticing its popularity among local consumers, Alan then referred to this drink as a flat white.Īlan’s original recipe used a double ristretto shot and steamed milk with little foam. Upon opening a coffee shop in Sydney, Alan found that many customers ordered a “white coffee – flat”: an espresso served with steamed milk. He says he was the first coffee shop owner to permanently have the term “flat white” on his menu in the mid-1980s. One of the numerous claims to the invention of the flat white comes from Australian barista Alan Preston. “It’s a debate that will likely go back and forth for a long time.” “I wouldn’t be able to say whether the flat white originated in Australia or New Zealand,” he says. The exact origins of the flat white are somewhat contentious, especially when compared to other popular milk-based coffee beverages.Ĭharles Skadiang is the Director of the Melbourne Coffee Academy.

What is a flat white