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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask why you only get half a cup of coffee when you order a flat white

126 replies

trunktoes · 01/02/2022 20:19

I have to order two

OP posts:
Youngstreet · 01/02/2022 22:09

@headintheproverbial

It's supposed to be short and stronger. Significantly less milk and water than a latte.
Yes, that’s why I like it. Latte’s taste so weak.
Porridgeislife · 01/02/2022 22:14

What rubbish! That’s not true and common sense will tell you so. A flat white is indeed a 7oz/210ml coffee, but that is way smaller than your standard latte. What do you mean by a 200ml ‘mug’, just look at your own coffee mugs - 250ml at a bare minimum for a comically undersized mug from the 70s. Today most are way more than that, just fill any cup with water and see!

I don’t need common sense, I have been drinking flat white since I was 16 which is definitely a long time before before they came to the UK judging by the terrible coffee I used to endure here until about 5 or so years ago.

A flat white, a cappuccino and a latte are exactly the same amount of coffee and served in the same cup. The only difference is the way the milk is prepared and poured on top.

The way flat white is served in the UK is akin to a ‘Magic’ which is a double ristretto with steamed milk on top.

MrsDThomas · 01/02/2022 22:22

If you what a white coffee (like one you’d make at home), what do you ask for?

I had no idea what a flat white was till now.

Seriously, i never go into coffee shops. They never make them like i do at home . Not hot enough

Halfabag · 02/02/2022 01:17

@MrsDThomas an Americano

BarbaraofSeville · 02/02/2022 04:18

I also have your problem OP in that I like the flat white, although they often don't seem 'flat' to me in that there is still foam, but it is too small. I don't know what foam you're supposed to get with what type of coffee because it seems to vary.

Last time I went to Costa (service station so only choice) I got a medium latte with an extra shot, which the receipt described as a 3 shot latte, and it was about right in terms of coffee strength and size.

Interesting about the white Americano, I don't know what that is but the two men behind me in the queue got those, and I did wonder if I should have got that.

But the problem is that there's always a queue so it always seems wrong to start asking questions when I get the front.

They didn't seem particularly helpful when I asked for a large flat white, I could see two prices on the menu so thought the higher price was a bigger one but they were both the same size Confused

What I want is a mug size coffee that tastes of coffee and is hot and not foamy and quite milky but not overly so, but I think the medium 3 shot latte was close enough so will go with that from now on.

Original poster
trunktoes · 02/02/2022 07:21

Americano is what is I would describe as a normal coffee ie lots of water and then with or without milk. The latte with the extra shot seems to be the one that is the nearest but I would genuinely just like a mug of flat white

OP posts:
Furbulousnous · 02/02/2022 07:24

That’s the point. It’s why I like them, much less milk lots of expresso. Have a latte or a regular coffee with some milk in if you want a cup full!

MorganSeventh · 02/02/2022 07:30

I'd say filter is probably closest to cafetiere coffee made at home, rather than an Americano which is espresso plus hot water. Most coffee shops sell filter and it's cheaper than the espresso drinks. You can ask for hot milk if you don't find it hot enough.

Lemonlemon88 · 02/02/2022 07:35

A flat white should be served in a tulip cup, small takeaway.

Quackpot · 02/02/2022 07:44

Coffee sounds complex 🤣 drink tea it's easier🤣🤣

gogohm · 02/02/2022 07:51

@Porridgeislife

You have always been able to buy excellent coffee in the U.K. you just need to go to an Italian owned independent deli. I was drinking what are now marketed as flat whites 30 years ago as espresso con leche, coffee with a little hot milk, it's served across Europe as pretty much the standard coffee, just in England we imported the American habit of bucket sized drinks for some reason. I usually drink double espresso these days

Ariela · 02/02/2022 07:53

@Quackpot

Coffee sounds complex 🤣 drink tea it's easier🤣🤣
Me too.

Or head to an old-fashioned cafe I know with an ancient Gaggia machine that I swear is still the same one they had in the 1970s, they grinds their beans and I think they mix their own blend, and there they do coffee, black coffee, espresso, cappuccino, all of which taste like proper coffee. None of this modern confusion.

LavenderAskew · 02/02/2022 07:53

Do you mean there's less liquid in a medium flat white than a medium other coffee drink? Or that there's the same volume and less coffee?

Don't take milk myself, but a colleague drinks flat white, and it does seem to vary from place to place and is often made "wrong".

Bloballbovish · 02/02/2022 07:56

What do I ask for in Starbucks/Costa if I want coffee like I'd make it at home? With water then a dash of milk?

I don't want these milky coffees like lattes and cappuccinos, but I don't want a short thing like a 'flat white' - which to back the Aussies in the thread up - confuses me as I liked flat whites in Australia but they're obviously different here.

Bagelsandbrie · 02/02/2022 07:59

@Bloballbovish

What do I ask for in Starbucks/Costa if I want coffee like I'd make it at home? With water then a dash of milk?

I don't want these milky coffees like lattes and cappuccinos, but I don't want a short thing like a 'flat white' - which to back the Aussies in the thread up - confuses me as I liked flat whites in Australia but they're obviously different here.

You’d ask for an Americano with milk.
SoupDragon · 02/02/2022 07:59

What do I ask for in Starbucks/Costa if I want coffee like I'd make it at home? With water then a dash of milk?

Possibly an Americano with milk on the side. That's what I ordered when I wanted a non-milky coffee.

brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr · 02/02/2022 08:01

flat white should not be frothy, hence flat. No idea why lots of uk places don’t make them actually flat.

BabyInTheJungle · 02/02/2022 08:03

Flat whites when made properly are the absolute best. They are meant to be short but it does unfortunately mean they are over more quickly. Bit like a glass of champagne versus a pint of beer.

A lot of places make them weak and milky like a small latte which is horrible. Should be double espresso topped with steamed milk and a small amount of microfoam, in a small cup.

Pbbananabagel · 02/02/2022 08:11

@babyinthejungle is right - that’s how you make a flat white.

Different coffee places will do either a single or a double shot of espresso as their standard so it’s worth asking before you order.

A cappuccino is espresso with milk steamed longer so it’s creamier

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 02/02/2022 08:16

[quote gogohm]@Porridgeislife

You have always been able to buy excellent coffee in the U.K. you just need to go to an Italian owned independent deli. I was drinking what are now marketed as flat whites 30 years ago as espresso con leche, coffee with a little hot milk, it's served across Europe as pretty much the standard coffee, just in England we imported the American habit of bucket sized drinks for some reason. I usually drink double espresso these days [/quote]
I blame Starbucks for the milky bucket approach. It's a shame we didn't adopt the Italian model for coffee instead. Costa may claim Italian roots but their coffee is mediocre at best in my experience. Caffe Nero has an Italian name but its coffee isn't great either. I never go to Starbucks because of their tax avoidance history so can't comment on their coffee, but all that stuff about sickly syrups being added to coffee doesn't give me confidence it would be any good.

Pre Starbucks, coffee in cafes and restaurants in the UK was even worse, more often than not, for my taste. Far too often it was weak or bitter and if you had it with hot milk the milk had been boiled and left bits of skin in the coffee. Envy

I don't want a super milky drink with minimal coffee flavour. I always choose a flat white in the hope of getting something pretty strong but also milky and hot. In some places they say they do latte, flat white and cappuccino, but in practice they all look and taste the same, lukewarm, weak (often managing to be weak and bitter at the same time Hmm) and disappointing. In a place like that I'd probably switch to Americano or filter coffee as it would be marginally better.

I hardly ever drink tea outside my own home as it is just so disappointing. I love tea but it has to be just right, and I always make it in a teapot and keep it hot with a tea cosy. What I get elsewhere is a teabag dunked in a cup of hot water, not necessarily even boiling! Sad Where a teapot is provided it's always too small and there's no hot water to top the pot up to stop the tea becoming undrinkably strong. Angry And don't get me started on the abomination of providing UHT milk for tea. Shock

SoupDragon · 02/02/2022 08:17

@SoupDragon

What do I ask for in Starbucks/Costa if I want coffee like I'd make it at home? With water then a dash of milk?

Possibly an Americano with milk on the side. That's what I ordered when I wanted a non-milky coffee.

Thinking about it, I ordered "americano with space for milk" and then added the milk napkin/stirrer/chocolate shaker station.
Mybestyear · 02/02/2022 08:21

@Mozzie123

I ought to report you for that! As an Australian, a flat white is most certainty NOT a small latte.
@Mozzie123 agreed! Lived in Oz for 3 years which started my flat white addiction. They didn’t do them in Scotland when I came back but started soon after. Not as good as the ones in Oz but better than a latte or tasteless cappuccino! ☕️
AmazingBouncingFerret · 02/02/2022 08:27

Flat white - double ristretto, small cup, flat steamed milk, minimum amount of silky foam.

Latte - double espresso, regular or large, steamed milk, small amount of silky foam

Cappuccino - double espresso, regular or large cup, steamed milk with domed silky foam, add chocolate if customer wants.

Americano - double espresso regular cup, serve black/hot milk/cold milk on the side. Triple espresso large cup. Serve as above.

Cortado - single espresso, steamed milk, small amount of silky milk.

Con panna - double espresso, whipped cream.
Macchiato - single or double espresso with small island of hot milk.

I am a maestro for the largest chain of independent UK coffee shops. No doubt other places will have different ways though.

BuickMcKane · 02/02/2022 08:27

@Bloballbovish

What do I ask for in Starbucks/Costa if I want coffee like I'd make it at home? With water then a dash of milk?

I don't want these milky coffees like lattes and cappuccinos, but I don't want a short thing like a 'flat white' - which to back the Aussies in the thread up - confuses me as I liked flat whites in Australia but they're obviously different here.

Americano with room for milk. That way you just add as much milk as you like.
Cocomarine · 02/02/2022 08:28

@trunktoes

Americano is what is I would describe as a normal coffee ie lots of water and then with or without milk. The latte with the extra shot seems to be the one that is the nearest but I would genuinely just like a mug of flat white
You’d have my husband mithering now! An Americano is a black coffee. I don’t meet his eye when someone says, “with or without milk” 🤣 What I don’t understand about the new fangled explosion of coffee “names” (I mean, flat white 🙄) is that still clearly no-one can order what they want! 🤣 You’re one poster, and you want an Americano that is black, to actually be white, or a Flat White which is short to actually be long… all these names, yet still not what you want!