8 Barista-Approved Ways Of Truly Appreciating White Coffee
This one's for you, coffee addicts.
Published for Super, 17 Aug 2015, 06:00 PM
White coffee often gets a bad rep, being regarded as not "real coffee" but with the perfect mixtures of the different variables that make up a cup of coffee, it can totally change the way you see and taste it
So, before you can fully appreciate something, you've gotta know what it actually is. We were able to get in touch with a seasoned barista, Azmanhadri (Hadri) to pick his brains about white coffee and what's so great about it.
Now, let's get down to business. What exactly is white coffee? The term ‘white coffee’ was made famous in Ipoh, hence it's sometimes referred to as 'Ipoh white coffee'. Traditionally, white coffee is made from coffee beans roasted with margarine without sugar, and served with condensed milk. In short, it's just coffee with milk. Due to its growing popularity, white coffee is now widely available in an instant version.
We wanted more deets on white coffee, so who better to ask than Azmanhadri Hashim, or known as Hadri, a barista with years of experience. Plus he owns and personally runs his own coffee shop in KL, so we know this guy is legit.
White coffee might seem simple as it's just coffee with milk. However, not all white coffee are created equal and depending on the different variables and "recipes", the outcome can differ.
How do you tell a good one from a bad one? Here's what Hadri had to say, "This is where it gets technical. Like many other beverages and food, when making a particular cup of white coffee, we use a few variables like coffee to milk ratio, the type of coffee used, time of coffee extraction, water temperature that is used to extract coffee, grind size of coffee particles, type of milk and few other minor variables. Taking all these variables will attribute to the final taste of the cup of white coffee. These variables will also be maneuvered around to create a certain recipe, depending on what outcome you would like to have."
Here are some top tips (which also includes bits of wisdom from Hadri) on how you can appreciate your cup of white coffee:
1. Many make the mistake of using fresh boiling hot water for their white coffee, but actually the ideal water temperature is 80˚C
2. White coffee doesn't discriminate - you can have it either as a hot beverage or a cold treat
Get yourself a cooling, icy glass of white coffee during a hot sunny day to beat the heat and freshen you up right away. You can also reach for a hug in a mug in the form of a cup of hot white coffee on a cold rainy day to warm you right up. Whatever the weather, your cup of white coffee is always ready to accompany you through the day.
3. Enjoy your coffee with some bread, it's a match made in food heaven
To Hadri, white coffee is best accompanied by bread. "You know that thought of waking up early in the morning, stepping into a room with the aroma of coffee that wakes you up and the fresh smell of hot bread that makes your tummy grumbles."
"So hands down, white coffee and bread = umami"
The tastes of sweet, salty, bitter and sour are familiar, but there is a fifth taste we can perceive with our tongue. Called umami, its taste has been described as rounded, rich and savoury.
4. "A perfect cup of white coffee will be balanced"
When asked what a perfect cup of white coffee means to him, Hadri said, "It will have the aroma, the mouth-feel that you get from the mixture of milk-coffee and also that pleasant sweet ending note even when you drink it without any sugar. That’s a perfect cup."
5. All of our senses work together to create the best experience in just one sip, so don't forget to breathe in some of those lovely aroma before you dive in
6. To maximise your experience, after taking a sip, hold and swirl it in your mouth for a couple of seconds
Okay, it might sound super pretentious but seriously, it does make a difference. Anyway, there's no harm in trying, right?
7. After the creaminess of the white coffee has subsided, savour the lingering flavour of the roasted aftertaste
8. Let go of all those worries and simply enjoy your cup of aromatic, creamy smooth white coffee
You don't need to be a coffee expert to know how to fully appreciate a good cup of white coffee. All you need to worry about is how you want to enjoy it. In the words of Hadri, "Let the experts worry about how we can make your cup of white coffee taste ‘balanced’."
A good friend who listens to your problems is also a great company for your coffee, as Hadri cheekily pointed out ;)
While on your hunt for a listening ear and with your newfound knowledge of white coffee appreciation, all you're missing is a cup of these baristas' choice of white coffee
