White coffee is a type of coffee that is made using a lighter roast profile, which results in a lighter color and milder flavor compared to traditional dark roasts. The term “white coffee” is typically used to describe Arabica coffee beans that have been roasted to a lighter degree, preserving the natural flavor and acidity of the beans.
White coffee is often described as having a brighter, more delicate flavor profile with notes of citrus and fruit, compared to the stronger and more robust taste of darker roasts. The brewing process for white coffee is similar to that of other coffee varieties, but it may require a different grind size and brewing time to highlight the unique flavors and aromas of the lighter roast.
Whether you’re a seasoned coffee drinker or a newcomer to the world of coffee, this guide will give you a comprehensive understanding of this popular coffee trend.
What Does White Coffee Taste Like?
This is one of the biggest questions people have a about white coffee and as it truly is unique. The taste is often described as nutty by a lot of people who’ve tried the drink, the coffee has an acidic taste to it and practically not bitterness, which makes it easy to drink.
The lack of bitterness due to the minimal roasting time and lower cooking temperature of the coffee. Due to these factors the sugars inside the bean don’t get caramelized, so it lacks the bitterness that some coffees have.
If you are someone who likes acidic coffee, for example, coffee from Ethiopia, then you will really enjoy a cup of this type of coffee as its really pronounced. Also, if you like a coffee with a nutty flavor, similar to says certain types of coffee from Brazil, then its also a coffee you may enjoy
Roasting White Coffee
White coffee refers to a type of coffee that isn’t roasted like traditional roasted beans that we put in our morning cup of joe. Coffee that is roasted “white” is much lighter color than regular coffee. Admittedly though, the coffee is more brown than it is white, but it’s definitely much lighter than your regular brew.
The results of getting coffee like this is all due to the roasting process. Where a standard roasted coffee may reach temperature of upwards of 450 degrees (depending on the roaster) before being considered “roasted”, with a white roast the temperature will only get to about 325 – 350 when its considered “roasted”.
There is a lot of curiosity and intrigue surrounding white coffee because not many people have tried it and because of its unique and special taste. White coffee is not the kind of coffee that beginners should start drinking when they first get into coffee, but it is a special coffee drink that should be tried at least once.
White coffee is a also term that can mean many things to different types of coffee. It can mean coffee that has had its color changed because of a whitener like milk or cream, or it can also refer to a completely different roasting process.
It’s important to note at this point that the white coffee being referred to in this article is completely different from Malaysian white coffee, which is made by adding condensed milk to regular brewed coffee.
The flavor that under roasted white coffee gives off is pretty different from the standard coffee flavor, and it’s one that has won the world over.
White coffee has a multitude of benefits and unique characteristics which has made both coffee enthusiasts and avid coffee drinkers consider making the switch or at the least adding it to their coffee drink list. But what what are the benefits of drinking this coffee besides the taste?
Does White Coffee Use Different Coffee Beans?
There isn’t any difference between the coffee beans of white coffee and regular coffee, as they both use beans that come from your traditional or standard coffee cherry. Typically, Arabica or Robusta coffee beans are used as they are two most common coffee beans used for coffee today.
Between those two types of coffee beans, the Arabica beans are normally of a higher quality then Robusta and will usually be the type of beans used by your local roaster for making white coffee. If you buy white coffee online from places like Amazon, it will also, most likely be Arabica beans but you can always check the packaging to make sure.
Amount of Caffeine
A lot of people might think that the lighter color of the coffee means it has less caffeine, but that is far from true. White coffee actually has some of the highest and most dense caffeine levels of any coffee out there.
Contrary to popular opinion. the more coffee beans are roasted, the less caffeine it has as it gets “cooked out” during the roasting process. So that means that the darker beans actually have the least amount of caffeine, while the lighter beans have much more caffeine, and white coffee are the lightest roasted beans out there.
I don’t want to give you the idea that the difference is large, but you will notice an extra push after drinking it. Some people who drink white coffee for this caffeine boost before either going to the gym or going out for the night as its a healthier alternative then red bull or other energy drinks.
What Are The Benefits of Drinking White Coffee?
The biggest perk to drinking this coffee is the amount of chlorogenic acids it has. Chlorogenic acids are natural anti-oxidants that detoxify the body. This can improve one’s cardiovascular health by a little bit, but of course, its not a substitute for living a healthy lifestyle.
The amount Chlorogenic acids and therefore any potential benefits, will be higher if you brew your coffee as an espresso then if you brew it using a drip or pour over method due to the higher ratio of coffee to water.
This leads to my next topic, ways to brew white coffee.
What the best way to Brew White Coffee?
The one most prefer for this type of coffee is to brew it as an espresso. They prefer this method because of how light the coffee brews if you were to make it using a French Press or Chemex.
If you don’t have a dedicated espresso machine or don’t want to spend the money on one like the Breville Barista Express then you can brew it it in either a Moka Pot or an Aeropress.
That does not mean you should not at least try brewing it as a drip or pour over, you just need to be aware that the coffee will come out looking very light.
You can always change this by increasing the coffee to water ratio. The standard being 16 to 1 (Water to Coffee). Therefore if you want a stronger tasting coffee, just add more coffee, for example use a 12 or 13 to 1 ratio).
It is also important to note, however, that white coffee beans absorb more water than dark ones, so make sure you don’t leave it brewing for too long , 4 minutes being the standard for a pour over or French Press.
I need to mention, at this point, the grind. Although, I normally do not recommend this, make sure when you buy beans that have already been ground and don’ t buy whole bean.
The reason for this that since the beans are so lightly roasted, they are extremely hard and nothing but a high end grinder, like on you will find at your local roaster, will be able to do the job.
But now that you have brewed a cup of white coffee, how do you drink it?
What is the best way to Drink White Coffee?
Ironically, white coffee is best to drink black. That just means not adding any milk or cream to it which really brings out the nutty flavor of the coffee. Those who still want to add another “whitener” might want to try out almond milk, as it goes hand in hand with white coffee’s flavor profile.
It is no secret though that how one drinks coffee all depends on personal preference. It’s already less bitter than regular coffee, so you won’t need to add too much sugar, but if you like your coffee sweet, by all means add sugar or a sugar substitute like honey or splenda to it (just make sure not to add too much).
How Popular is White Coffee?
Coffee Drinkers, it seems, are always looking for new ways to roast, brew and drink coffee. Its part of the reason why white coffee is becoming more main stream.
While white Ipoh coffee from Malaysia has been popular for decades, especially in Asia, this type of coffee is fairly new to the scene.
White coffee has grown in popularity in recent years due to its unique taste due to the way roasted , its potential health benefits that come the coffee beans themselves and the extra caffeine that comes with this type of coffee.
And after going through all the benefits one can get from drinking white coffee, it’s easy to see why so many people have fallen in love with it so quickly but lets look at each one of these benefits more closely so you have a better idea about each one of them.
Where to Buy White Coffee
Finding well roasted white coffee can be difficult because its hard type of roast to do as it goes against the normal roasting process.
Not only do you need to find a local roaster or company that will use high quality Arabica coffee but the roaster must carefully watch to make sure they roast the coffee to the right level and for the right time.
With that in mind, if you don’t have a local roaster for white coffee then try coffee from either of these companies:
Willards White Coffee – They have bags a variety of sizes, but I would go with the smaller ones of either 16oz or 32oz depending on how you drink it.
Caffe Apposinato – They only have a 2lb bag so if you drink a lot of white coffee this may be a good way to go for you.
Takeaway
White coffee is a great alternative to the regular brew we get at coffee shops or that is made at home. It has a unique flavor, less bitterness, and a few health benefits as a bonus.
Anyone looking for something different to their normal coffee routine and are looking for a taste profile described in this post should give white coffee a try.
However, in the end, whether you choose white coffee or dark coffee as long as you’re truly enjoying your daily cup, that’s what’s most important!
