Coffee consumption is a tradition that can be dated back to at least the 15th century, boasting rich histories in Africa, Asia, Europe, South America, and, subsequently, North America. Despite this, though, new habits and styles frequently surface.
One that’s grabbed a lot of headlines across the coffee community in recent times is the term ‘white coffee’.
WHAT IS WHITE COFFEE?
Our coffee drinkers have so many questions about the newest coffee trend; white coffee. We want everyone to know what goes into their cup of white coffee, so we researched on top of all that we already knew to continue to be your one-stop resource for all things coffee. We know that coffee is a passion for many of you, and it most certainly is a passion for us. Some of the questions we’ve been asked are…
- Does white coffee have more caffeine than regular coffee?
- How to make white coffee?
- What makes coffee white?
What is White Coffee? White Coffee is coffee roasted half of the way through and to a lower temperature. By roasting it to this much lower temperature, you get a whitish colored bean that is higher in caffeine because you roast out less caffeine. This results in a very nutty and sweet taste profile much different from traditional coffee.
We only roast the green beans somewhere in the low 300-degree range. By contrast, a blond roast is around 420 degrees, and a dark roast is in the 465-to-475-degree range. We like to joke that our White Tornado White Coffee is half-baked. 
WHERE DOES WHITE COFFEE COME FROM?
White coffee comes from the same type of beans that are used in traditionally roasted coffee. Whether it’s a blond roast or a light roast or a medium roast or a dark roast – all of these use the same quality green coffee beans. There are two types of coffee bean varieties – Robusta and Arabica. There are many places where coffee grows, and the micro-climate in each area also leaves its unique fingerprint on the coffee, impacting overall taste after it’s brewed.
Not to be confused with the Malaysian white coffee which is a type of coffee drink made from roasting coffee beans with margarine that is mixed with sweetened condensed milk in a cup to create a delicious, creamy, sweet coffee treat. The white coffee we are describing started in the United States and very recently became a sought-after coffee experience.
The process behind roasting white coffee has been around for at least 50 years. In the past, you could find it here and there but it wasn’t until 2015 that word started to spread that this “other” kind of coffee was perfect for lattes and had a better caffeine kick. Then some studies were done that showed it had more of the healthy antioxidants that were roasted out in the traditional darker roasting process. Sales started to take off, and word of mouth spread quickly. Fast forward to the 2021 explosion in interest, and that is where white coffee came from. The truth is it is not known who tried roasting coffee to such a low temperature first nor why. The important thing is that they did so we can all enjoy a different way to love coffee.
WHITE COFFEE VS BLACK COFFEE
When comparing white coffee vs black coffee, there are several significant differences like roasting temperature, caffeine levels, and flavor.
Both start with the same green coffee beans but because it is roasted to a lower temperature, white coffee retains up to 50% more caffeine than fully roasted black coffee. It also retains more healthy antioxidants because it is roasted to a much lower temperature. The most distinct difference between white coffee and regular coffee is the taste profile. It is more like a sweet, nutty tea vs the strong coffee flavor we are all used to. It is also a much harder and denser bean than a traditionally roasted coffee. This makes it very difficult to grind on a typical home coffee grinder. Most roasters will sell it primarily as ground coffee for that reason. It is not an exaggeration to say white coffee should be in its own unique category. Its growing popularity can be tied to the fact that it is everything traditionally roasted coffee is and more. More caffeine, more healthy antioxidants, and more get up and go for you.
HOW TO MAKE WHITE COFFEE
To make white coffee at home once you’ve purchased it, we recommend using a home espresso machine. This will yield the strongest results. and give you that nutty tea-like complex flavor.
For roast masters, here is an overview of making white coffee with a commercial roasting machine: white coffee is different than roasting traditional darker coffee because the goal is different. When roasting coffee, so many of the complex chemical reactions take place between 420 and 465 degrees. The goal for each different roast is to coax along the process and, in the end, stop the process right when the flavor profile is where you want it to be. Many philosophies and techniques go into roasting traditional darker coffee; you could fill a large book. Since it is roasted to a much lower temperature, many of those chemical dances never get a chance to happen. The goal is to slowly bring it to the desired temperature, so the nutty essence comes through, and the sweetness is just in the background. It is a relatively new art at that. So – How do you make it? Slowly and with an artisan’s love.
DOES WHITE COFFEE HAVE MORE CAFFEINE?
The short answer is yes; white coffee has up to 50% more caffeine than regular coffee. The reason for this is that for black coffee more caffeine gets roasted out during the roasting process. As with all coffee, the amount of caffeine in a cup can vary significantly depending on how much coffee you use and the method you use to brew it. The brewing method with the highest amount of caffeine per ounce is white espresso, and the brewing method with the lowest amount of caffeine per ounce is the traditional flat bottom drip brewing method. But again, the bottom line is white coffee has up to 50% more caffeine content than black coffee so buckle up when you have a cup!
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF WHITE COFFEE?
When looking at the benefits of white coffee, the two most obvious ones are the higher caffeine levels and more of the healthy antioxidants that green coffee naturally has. It has up 50% more caffeine than fully-roasted coffee. It has a nutty flavor that blends well with all the same creamers and flavors that fully roasted coffee does. In addition to the ‘lift’ in caffeine, white coffee is less acidic and therefore better for your stomach and digestive system than traditionally roasted black coffee is. Coffee becomes acidic during the roasting process, and because white coffee is roasted halfway, it doesn’t develop the acidic taste that can be associated with traditionally roasted black coffee. Green coffee is very high in Chlorogenic acid. As coffee is roasted, much like the caffeine, Chlorogenic acid is slowly burnt off. Since white coffee is roasted to a much lower temperature, it holds onto the Chlorogenic acid, which is known to be a powerful antioxidant. Chlorogenic acid has been known to reduce the risk of diabetes, reduce blood pressure, and stimulate weight loss. We recommend that you research the health benefits of white coffee and green coffee.