From Flat Whites To Long Blacks: Tectonic Shifts In Coffee Preferences – CoffeeTalk

In the early 20th century, coffee was a popular beverage in Britain, with its popularity largely due to high street chains. However, the popularity of the flat white coffee has changed over time, with consumers increasingly disliking lattes and cappuccinos. The long black coffee, which originated in Australia or New Zealand, is now the big news in the coffee market. In 2023, it was London’s fifth most popular coffee order, accounting for 9% of sales. It has also been seen in the wild in Bristol, Edinburgh, and Leeds.

The long black coffee is named after the espresso that is poured into hot water to fill a cup that would ordinarily hold a flat white (about 120ml). The coffee goes in last to preserve the crema, the brownish foam that coffee snobs fetishise. The lure of the long black is its taste: if an americano can be innocuous, like diner coffee, only pricier, a long black is meant to give the drinker a decent blast of bean.

In general, coffee trends in Britain are very back-to-the-future and hardly new at all. The long black is merely a speedy variation on this theme. Many of us grew up with coffee made by pouring hot water over grounds in a cone, drip-drip style, straight into the cup. It tastes better than either an Americano or a long black but doesn’t suit the morning rush hour or work for a long queue of impatient addicts.

Taste aside, coffee is a duller, safer thing now than in the past, although we believe its more unusual or ascetic variants signal our coolness. The drinker of a long black may be the kind of person who 40 years ago would have signalled their style by smoking Gitanes in Birmingham. A rich mythology, comprising dancing goats and sleepy monks, grew around the discovery of the coffee plant in Arabia.

In 2025, the revolutionary qualities of coffee are somewhat limited. Chains may be boycotted, indies may refuse to serve it in disposable cups, and domestic consumers may pay more for fair trade. However, otherwise, coffee is basically as cosy and as orthodox as English breakfast tea.

In conclusion, the changing coffee tastes in Britain have led to a shift in coffee preferences and consumption habits. While the long black coffee is still popular, it is important to remember that the search for the perfect cup is like the search for the perfect lipstick: a quest that will end only with death.

Read More @ The Guardian