Australian Coffee Types: Order Like a Local
Australian coffee is one of its own kind. It is so unique that Australia is the only country where Starbucks could not succeed like it did in other parts of the world. It is a very interesting story, and makes one think that what exactly happened and why Starbucks failed in Australia.
The beautiful Australian culture always makes me get to know it more. They are a bunch of relaxed people who can enter the supermarket without shoes. But when it comes to coffee, well, that is some serious business. You will not see any Aussie ordering just “coffee”. They use the names, sizes and how they are going to drink coffee when ordering.
When in Australia, do as the Aussies do. In this guide, I will explain the many types of Australian coffees, and how you can order like a local.
Is Australian Coffee Better than Rest of the World?
Do you know, out of 20,000+ coffee cafes in Australia, only 23 cafes are the Starbucks?
Australian coffee is prepared with extra love. Cheesy? Oops. But it is true. Each coffee order is prepared individually. Drip-style filter coffee is not that popular in Australia.
The coffee cup is usually smaller, a little more expensive, and much stronger than American coffee. The sugary and syrup-flavored coffees are not that popular too. Mostly, the coffee is simple. The most popular types are long black and flat white.
Australian are particular about frothed milk in flat white, but an average American would find it close to latte or cappuccino.
If you ask an Aussie if their coffee is better than rest of the world, the answer would be yes. They prefer local coffee served at independent cafes. This is the reason that Starbucks was forced to close around 70% of its underperforming locations after facing a loss of $105 million in seven years.
The Coffee Culture in Australia
Almost all cafes in Australia serve good coffees. Just a trip down the lane, you will find cafes serving a variety of coffees.
There are almost 20,000 coffee cafes in Australia. Fun part, you will rarely find a bad coffee in this country. Although coffee culture is popular all over Australia, but Sydney and Melbourne are the coffee centers of Australia. According to Lavazza Australia, every Sydneysider orders 1 more cup of coffee each week than the residents of Melbourne.
Australian Coffee Types
Flat White, Cappuccino and Latte are the most popular coffee types in Australia. However, you will find many other types too. Most of the coffees in Australia include single shot espresso and steamed milk. Why not try all coffee types when in Australia? Here we go.
Black Coffees: Australian Coffee Types
Short Black: Espresso
Single shot espresso is also known as short black in Australia. This 25ml-30ml little cup of coffee is extracted in 25-30 seconds, but it is strong enough to give you a good caffeine boost for the day.
It is prepared by brewing coffee beans with hot water under pressure. No extra water is added in Short Black. It is also the foundation of many other coffee types. It is usually served in 80-90ml ceramic cup or glass.
Long Black
Long Black coffee is close to Americano style coffee with stronger taste and aroma. It is served in 200ml ceramic cup or glass cup. The barista prepares it by filling almost 2/3rd of the cup with boiling hot water, and then pouring a double shot espresso over it. When prepared professionally, a long black has a thin layer of crema on top.
The difference in Americano and Long Black is of the preparation, taste and aroma. When preparing Long Black, you pour the water first and then the espresso. However, when preparing Americano, you pour the espresso first and then the hot water. Long Black has stronger taste and aroma than Americano.
Short Macchiato
Caramel macchiato is one of my most favorite coffees outside Australia and New Zealand. But hey, macchiato may come as a mini surprise to you here. Australian macchiato does not have added sweeteners. It is bitter with clear taste of espresso and it is served in a 90ml glass.
When you order short macchiato in Australia or New Zealand, you will get 30ml espresso topped with a teaspoon of steamed milk and a dollop of froth. Taste wise it is stronger, flavorful and bitter than American macchiato.
Long Macchiato
When you order long macchiato in Australia, you will get a shot of double espresso served in 220ml glass. This 60ml espresso is topped with a teaspoon of hot or cold milk and a dollop of milk foam.
Short or long macchiato are close to the Italian Caffe Latte too. The only difference is that Caffe Latte is creamier and sometimes sweeter.
Ristretto
Ristretto is sent down for real coffee lovers. It means “restricted” in Italian. Australians extract espresso using espresso machines like Italians. Ristretto is prepared by extracting espresso until it starts to go blonde. That is where you have to stop extracting. Ristretto is served in a 15-20ml cup.
Taste, flavor and body of ristretto is more intense than any other coffee. Basically, it is an intense version of espresso. However, despite giving you a good caffeine punch, ristretto is less bitter than espresso.
Milk Coffees in Australia: Australian Coffee Types
When you buy a milk coffee in the UK, the coffee will taste milky. However, even the milk based Australian coffee has rich espresso flavor. It is almost impossible to find a regular milk coffee in Australia. If you find one, let me know too.
Piccolo Latte
Piccolo latte is also known as baby latte. It is not a new addition to Australian coffee scene, but it is also not very old too. Introduced some two decades ago, Piccolo Latte was popular among the cool crowd of coffee drinkers. Now, it is the heart and soul of Sydneysiders and has spread wings to other parts of Australia too.
It is prepared with a 15-20ml shot of ristretto and served in 100ml demitasse. It is topped with a spoon of warm milk. Spanish version of Piccolo Latte is Cataldo or Mezzo-Mezzo. Aussies also call it the low tide latte.
Latte
Latte is the milder but taller version of Piccolo Latte. It is prepared with a shot of espresso served in a 220ml glass, topped with steamed milk. You will see a 10-15 ml layer of milk foam on Latte.
It has less body than Piccolo Latte. The use of espresso and more milk in Latte makes it less intense than Piccolo Latte.
Cappuccino
Australian cappuccino is different in flavor and body from the American cappuccino. It is one of the regional specialties, and you may not always see it on the menu. Australian cappuccino is prepared by extracting a shot of espresso in a 220ml ceramic cup. Then the barista would dust some cocoa powder on espresso, and then add milk.
Sometimes, baristas dust cocoa powder after pouring the milk, but this practice may hide the latte art on your cup. Australian cappuccino may or may not have thick layer of foam on top.
Flat White
Australia’s most favorite coffee, Flat White is one of the best-tasting milk coffees. People often confuse Flat White with Cappuccino. Flat White contains a layer of micro foam on the top while a cappuccino has a layer of dry foam on top. Pour 30ml double shot espresso in latte cup and top it with steamed milk, followed by micro foam. Some cafes serve Flat White without micro foam in a small ceramic cup.
Flat White has an intense espresso flavor, which makes it distinctive from cappuccino. Espresso flavor dominates the flavor of milk in a Flat White.
Affogato
Talk about coffee desserts and Affogato would be on top of the list. This Italian coffee dessert is a dream of any coffee lover. Served in a 220ml ceramic cup or glass, Affogato is an espresso and vanilla fusion. Pour a double shot espresso in the cup and add a scoop of vanilla ice cream, or gelato. You can mix gelato in espresso and drink it, or eat gelato with a spoon while letting it gently mix into espresso.
Mochaccino, Mocha
Australian Mochaccino is almost similar to the American Mochaccino. The only difference is that the cocoa powder in Australian mocha is mixed with espresso before adding milk.
Served in a tall glass with a handle, Mocha is a combination of cappuccino and hot chocolate. Pour espresso in the glass and mix cocoa powder in espresso. Now add steamed milk and top with micro foam. Some cafes sprinkle little cocoa powder on top.
Magic
Popular as Melbourne’s Magic coffee, Magic is one of the fanciest and glorified coffees in the city. Its rich and creamy flavor comes from double ristretto. This means that to prepare Magic, you pour two shots of ristretto (first half of espresso), then pour steamed milk on it.
This 160ml cup of Magic can give you a good caffeine boost till evening. Some people explain it as a double-shot Flat White, but the flavor and creaminess of Magic is intense compared to Flat White. It is because the barista uses double ristretto to make Magic and espresso to make Flat White.
Cortado
Rich, creamy and intense, Cortado is a Spanish coffee loved by Aussies as much as it is loved in Spain. Pour ½ espresso or ¼ ristretto and top with ½ steamed milk. This 4-ounce or 120ml Cortado coffee has a balanced flavor of coffee and milk.
Cortado stands somewhere between Macchiato and Piccolo. However, Macchiato is stronger than Cortado and Piccolo is milkier than both.
Doppio
Doppio means ‘double’ in Italian. Espresso Doppio is basically a double shot espresso. It is extracted by using double handle and basket. The 60ml double shot of espresso is popular among intense caffeine lovers.
Iced Latte
Iced latte is easily available in almost all coffee cafes in Australia. If you order ‘iced latte’, you will get a glass filled with ice, topped with espresso and milk. However, if you order ‘iced coffee’, you will most probably get a glass filled with ice cubes, topped with espresso and milk, and a scoop of ice cream to finish. Iced coffee is more like a coffee shake in Australia, sometimes topped with cocoa powder also.
Can You Find Café Au Lait or Red Eye in Australian Coffee Menu?
Finding American-style coffees in Australia has been a challenge. In fact, most of the Aussies find American-style coffees watery and less intense. It is almost impossible to find regular, non-espresso coffee in Australia, like Café Au Lait. However, you may try your luck for Red Eye. The chances are low.
Order Your Australian Coffee Like a Local
Most of the cafes in Australia have a culture of taking your order at the table. The server, also known as waiter or waitress, will come to your table to take the order.
‘What can I get you’, ‘what would you like today’, and ‘what are you having today’ are some common ways to ask your order. Here is the order you can follow while telling the server about your requirements.
- If you will drink coffee on the go (not in the café), then tell that you want to ‘takeaway’ the coffee. The server will bring your coffee in a paper cup. Skip this step if you will enjoy your coffee in the café.
- Tell the size of your coffee. The name of many Australian coffees defines their size, such as Long Black, Short Black, and Doppio. Otherwise, you can define the size of your coffee as ‘regular’ or ‘large’.
- If you have not told the name of your coffee yet, then tell the name at this point.
‘Are you being looked after’ or ‘are you being served’ means if your order has been taken. If you have not told the server if you will drink coffee on the go, then you can go to the cashier to inform.
If you are regular at the café, the server will ask, ‘your usual’ or ‘the usual’.
It’s Fun to Explore Australian Coffee Culture
Coffee culture in Australia is an interesting part of exploring the local spirits. It is fun to explore different coffees and find your right flavor by experimenting and trying different coffees. Just remember that coffees in Australia are more intense than British or American coffees. The more coffees you drink in Australia, the more you get to know about why Australians think their coffee is better than rest of the world.