How to Make a Flat White at Home

The flat white is Australia's contribution to the global coffee canon. Stronger than a latte, smaller than a cappuccino, with a velvety microfoam texture that's become the benchmark for milk-based espresso drinks. Making one at home is completely achievable — here's how.

What Is a Flat White?

A flat white is a double espresso with around 120–150ml of steamed milk, served in a ceramic cup. The milk is steamed to create a smooth, glossy microfoam (tiny, integrated bubbles) rather than the thick froth on a cappuccino. The ratio of coffee to milk is higher than a latte, so the espresso flavour comes through clearly.

What You Need

• An espresso machine with a steam wand (semi-automatic is ideal; a Breville Barista Express, Delonghi EC, or similar all work)
• Freshly roasted espresso coffee beans — whole bean, ground just before brewing
• Full-cream milk (creates the best microfoam; oat milk works well as an alternative)
• A milk jug (small, 350ml)
• A ceramic flat white cup (160–180ml)

Choosing the Right Coffee

A flat white is built around the espresso shot, so the bean matters. You want a blend that's balanced with milk — something that holds its flavour and doesn't get swamped by the dairy. Our espresso blends are all developed for exactly this:

• Psychobilly Blend — dark chocolate and hazelnut; rich and assertive through milk
• Rockabilly Roast — smooth and full-bodied; our most popular for milk drinks
• Elly May Blend — medium roast, nutty and sweet; a softer flat white with more delicacy

Step-by-Step: Making a Flat White

1. Pull the double espresso

Grind your beans fresh on an espresso setting (fine, but not powdery). Dose around 18–19g into the portafilter, tamp level and firm, and pull a 36–38ml shot in about 25–30 seconds. If it runs fast and tastes watery, grind finer. If it's slow and bitter, grind coarser.

2. Steam the milk

Fill the jug to just below the spout. Purge the steam wand first. Place the wand tip just below the milk surface at a slight angle. Open the steam and introduce a small amount of air (a 1–2 second "hissing" sound at the start) to stretch the milk slightly, then submerge the tip to heat the milk while it spins. Stop when the jug is too hot to hold — around 60–65°C. You want the milk to look like liquid satin: glossy, no visible bubbles.

3. Pour

Give the jug a tap on the bench and swirl to integrate any remaining bubbles. Pour the milk into the espresso with a slight rocking motion, starting higher (to combine) then moving the jug closer to let the white foam settle on top. A flat white should have a thin, even layer of foam — not a thick cap.

Troubleshooting

• Flat white tastes weak: you've under-extracted. Grind finer, dose a little more, or check your coffee is fresh
• Milk is foamy/bubbly: too much air introduced during steaming. Keep the hissing phase short
• Milk tastes scalded: overheated. Pull the steam off around 60°C — the jug should be hot but you can hold it
• Shot tastes bitter: over-extracted or stale beans. Check your grind size and bean freshness

The Shortcut: Subscribe and Never Run Out

The biggest variable in home espresso is bean freshness. Coffee tastes dramatically better in the first two to four weeks after roasting. A Subscribe and Save order from our espresso bean range keeps you in fresh beans on a schedule that matches your consumption — and saves you 15–40 per cent on every order. Set it once and forget it.