McDonalds flat white

WezV

Just to defend McDonald’s for a bit.   The coffee is only slightly worse than the average chain coffee shop, but it’s a quarter of the price.

strtdv

McDonald's coffee really isn't bad for the price at all, although a flat white or indeed any other milky coffee isn't something I'd order. An Americano with an extra shot thanks or a double espresso (depending on whether I'm actually thirsty/need to wash something down).

EricTheWeary

GSPBASSES said:

lasermonkey said:

They were just taking the piss out of the hipster baristas (band name, anyone?), Y'know, the ones who like to think that making a cup of coffee is a craft.
Personally, I can't stand McDonald's, but the advert made me chuckle.

I think you're right. I think the ad is taking the piss out of  coffee freaks. Possibly it's a deliberate piss take saying its two thirds and a third and a third. I've always wondered how coffee shops like Starbucks, Nero and Costa my cappuccinos that are a third a third a third, then asked if you want a double shot, do not have special cups that hold one and third. It could be that a third a third a third is volume, and the double shot is twice the amount of coffee grounds they put in the head to make the coffee.
Although I've since found out that the flat white does contain two espresso shots, so theoretically, if you take a classic espresso that is one shot, which equals one third then a third milk plus a third froth you do end up with four thirds. Funny enough, some of the cameras manufacturers call their sensors four thirds, I'll stop now got headache.

At Costa ( may be true of others) the machine makes a double shot. So if you order something based on a single shot they throw half away. If you then ask for an double shot they charge you extra. 

octatonic

GSPBASSES said:

Is it just me or don't McDonald's know maths, when they talk about their new flat white coffee, they say it's made up of two thirds coffee, one third milk, one third bubbles. Surely it should be half coffee, quarter milk, quarter bubbles. I know I'm a sad old get but things like this bother me.

It isn't 'bubbles'.
It is a 'microfoam'.

beed84

I rarely go to Costa, but I met a friend there the other day as it was the easiest place to meet. Anyway, I ordered a large americano for the first time and was surprised to see it served in what was essentially a bowl with handles on either side. Absolutely off my face on caffeine when I went back to work.

57Deluxe

what weighs more a ton of air or a ton of bubbles?

ThePrettyDamned

Funkfingers said:

Why do people insist on adulterating a perfectly good espresso base with milk, sweeteners and additional water?

Costabucks  McDonald's and most other coffee shops do not serve a perfectly good espresso though  . Burnt beans, over or under extracted and quite bitter and often sour. Yuk. No wonder they have those syrups. 

ThePrettyDamned

WezV said:

Just to defend McDonald’s for a bit.   The coffee is only slightly worse than the average chain coffee shop, but it’s a quarter of the price.

Absolutely agree! 

Sporky

Funkfingers said:

Why do people insist on adulterating a perfectly good espresso base with milk, sweeteners and additional water?

Dunno about the water, but if there's no sugar then all I can taste is sour and bitter.

Put some sugar in and suddenly I understand all the stuff about the different flavours in different blends of beans.

stickyfiddle

FWIW a double shot should be made with double the amount of coffee grounds, but shouldn’t be double the side of a single shot, usually closer to 1.5x in volume, but it’s also a more intense flavour and has more caffeine. 

A cappuccino should be 1/3 each (by volume) of coffee, steamed milk and foam. 

A latte should be 1/3 coffee, ~1/2 steamed milk and ~1/6 foam (foam and milk variable but it shouldn’t be much foam) 

Flat whites should be a higher coffee ratio, not far off a cappucino without foam. They're usually only served in small sizes because you don't actually want to be drinking a large coffee that's half-espresso. 

Myranda

beed84 said:

I rarely go to Costa, but I met a friend there the other day as it was the easiest place to meet. Anyway, I ordered a large americano for the first time and was surprised to see it served in what was essentially a bowl with handles on either side. Absolutely off my face on caffeine when I went back to work.

The large Starbucks Americano actually has more caffeine than a 500ml can of energy drink... There' is significantly more caffeine than Costa so be thankful you didn't meet in there

ThePrettyDamned

Sporky said:

Funkfingers said:

Why do people insist on adulterating a perfectly good espresso base with milk, sweeteners and additional water?

Dunno about the water, but if there's no sugar then all I can taste is sour and bitter.

Put some sugar in and suddenly I understand all the stuff about the different flavours in different blends of beans.

As a total coffee snob I agree - most good coffees, roasted to an appropriate level and brewed correctly, shouldn't be overwhelmingly bitter, sour or sweet but rather balanced and leaning towards sweet. However, if someone fancies a bit of sugar in it, I don't see where the harm is.

I made my brother a coffee once and he put his usual sugar in and found it much too sweet - he was more used to the burnt, sour coffee you get from the big chains which need a bit of sugar or a lot of milk to be palatable.

And a good blend, like rave fudge, brewed espresso and made into a latte is absolutely delicious - if you can make a good espresso, which I certainly can't...

Sporky

Certainly better espresso needs less sugar for me to taste it. And some coffee can't be saved by any amount of sugar.

sev112

Pret suits me. Black filter for 99p

Snap

Lattes, flat whites, cappuccinos - all just milky coffees, horrible.

I once worked with a load of Italians for a few months. They would stand and laugh at people drinking anything other than (what seemed to be) a small cup of tar that tasted of fag ash.

Coffee one upmanship.

However, unlike them, we Brits never got hysterical shouty at the drop of a hat.

See, life is about compromise. You all drink your espressos and be loud and emotive, and I'll drink me red hot orange builder's tea and quietly get on with what needs doing.