Black and White Coffee: Drink, Roaster & Health Facts

There are two meanings to “black and white coffee,” and which one you’re after depends on who’s serving. This guide sorts out the drink recipe from the roaster brand, breaks down the health angles, and covers the recent FairWave acquisition that reshaped the Raleigh-based company.

Founders: Sergio and Bruno Costa ·
Acquired by: FairWave (2025) ·
Headquarters: Raleigh, North Carolina ·
Specialty: Single origin and complex blends

The roaster brand’s identity is as layered as its blends. Here are five key facts about the roaster brand and its flagship drink.

What is a black & white coffee?

Black and white coffee as a beverage

• A black and white coffee drink combines black coffee (brewed without milk) with steamed milk or cream, often equal parts.
• Some recipes use dark and white chocolate sauces for a mocha twist — Torani’s black-and-white mocha mixes dark chocolate sauce, white chocolate syrup, milk, and espresso (Torani, syrup manufacturer).
• An iced version is popular, swapping hot espresso for cold brew and chilled milk.

Black & White Coffee Roasters as a brand

• Based in Raleigh, North Carolina, the roastery was founded by brothers Sergio and Bruno Costa alongside Lem Butler.
• The company describes itself as roasting “exciting new single origin coffees and beautiful complex blends” (Black & White Coffee Roasters).
• In April 2025, FairWave added it as either its 11th or 12th brand — Daily Coffee News reported 11th, while Sprudge said 12th.

White coffee vs black coffee comparison

• White coffee is made with lightly roasted beans, ground finer, and brewed at lower temperatures, producing a higher caffeine content by volume than traditional dark roasts.
• Black coffee is brewed without milk, cream, or sugar — essentially any coffee served straight.
• “Black and white coffee” as a beverage essentially splits the difference by mixing black coffee with milk or cream.

Bottom line: The phrase “black and white coffee” refers to both a balanced milk-and-coffee drink and a respected specialty roaster. Drinkers should ask what the café means; buyers should know they’re getting a brand that just joined a national collective.

How do you make black and white coffee?

Simple recipe for the beverage

• Hot version: Combine equal parts black coffee (or espresso) and steamed milk. Sweeten to taste. Torani’s recipe uses 1 oz dark chocolate sauce and 1 oz white chocolate syrup per 8 oz drink (Torani).
• Iced version: Pour cold brew over ice, add milk or cream, and stir in chocolate syrups if desired.
• Sam’s Dish offers a recipe using half-and-half, white and dark chocolate sauces, and strong brewed coffee (Sam’s Dish, home cooking blog).

Brewing tips using Black & White Coffee Roasters beans

• Fellow Products published a pour-over recipe for Black & White’s “The Future Fruit Cake” blend: use 18.5 g of coffee, water at 198°F, a 50 g bloom, and a total brew time of about 2:00 to 2:30 minutes (Fellow Products, coffee gear maker).
• For an espresso-based black and white drink, pull a double shot and top with frothed milk.
• Strong brewed coffee works as an espresso substitute, as Torani notes.

Variations (iced, latte-style)

• For a lighter drink, use half-caff coffee — reduces caffeine without sacrificing flavor.
• The Gastronomía Vasca version is actually an ice-cream dessert: coffee ice cream, cream ice cream, and double black coffee — 1049 kcal and 89 g sugars per serving (Gastronomía Vasca, Basque culinary site).

Bottom line: Home coffee enthusiasts can use Black & White’s single-origin offerings and Fellow’s exact water temperature (198°F) to replicate their signature complexity. Casual drinkers will find any quality black coffee plus steamed milk works.

Is black and white coffee healthy?

Caffeine content comparison

• Caffeine depends on bean origin and roast level. Light roasts (white coffee) have denser structure, yielding more caffeine per scoop than dark roasts.
• Half-caff blends — common in black and white coffee — cut caffeine roughly in half, making them a moderate option.
• No authoritative third-party lab data exists for Black & White Coffee Roasters’ specific caffeine levels; estimates rely on general roasting science.

Acidity and GERD concerns

• Adding milk to black coffee raises pH, potentially reducing acidity that triggers heartburn.
• White coffee’s lighter roast also tends to be less acidic than dark roasts, which may benefit those with GERD.
• However, individual reactions vary, and no clinical studies directly test black and white coffee against GERD symptoms.

Nutritional profile (calories, fat from milk)

• Black coffee has <5 calories per 8 oz. Adding 2 oz of whole milk adds ~36 calories and 2 g fat; cream adds more.
• Chocolate syrups push sugar content: Torani’s recipe has about 30 g sugar per drink.
• The dessert version from Gastronomía Vasca hits 89 g sugars — >2× the WHO daily limit for added sugars.

Bottom line: The caffeine and acidity profile of black and white coffee offers a middle ground for sensitive stomachs. Drinkers who add syrups or cream, however, risk turning a low-calorie beverage into a high-sugar indulgence.

Who bought out black and white coffee?

FairWave acquisition details

• In early April 2025, FairWave, a private-equity-backed coffee collective, acquired Black & White Coffee Roasters (Fresh Cup, coffee industry magazine).
• Daily Coffee News reported this made Black & White the 11th brand in the FairWave portfolio (Daily Coffee News).
• Sprudge counted it as the 12th — the discrepancy may reflect how recently new brands were added (Sprudge, specialty coffee news).

Lem Butler’s departure

• Co-founder Lem Butler left the company as part of the acquisition (Sprudge).
• Butler was instrumental in building the roaster’s reputation, particularly through competitions and social media.

Impact on the Raleigh coffee community

• Local reactions are mixed — some loyal fans worry about quality changes, while others welcome broader availability.
• Black & White’s retail location in Raleigh remains open, and the brand continues to operate under its own name.

Bottom line: FairWave’s buyout gives Black & White the capital to scale, but the departure of a founding face like Lem Butler signals a shift in creative control. For fans, the next year will test whether the roastery keeps its edge.

Who founded black and white coffee?

Sergio and Bruno Costa’s background

• The Costa brothers — Sergio and Bruno — co-founded the roastery in Raleigh in the early 2010s.
• Their exact origin (often speculated as Brazilian) is not confirmed in official materials; the brand’s public presence focuses on their Raleigh roots.

Lem Butler’s role

• Butler joined as a third co-founder and became the public face through social media and coffee competitions.
• He helped the brand gain a cult following on Reddit’s r/espresso for blends described as “mind-blowing in complexity” (Reddit user, quoted with permission).

The roastery’s origin in Raleigh

• Started as a small-batch operation, Black & White grew into a nationally recognized name in specialty coffee.
• Its rotating single-origin program and inventive blends (like “The Future Fruit Cake”) set it apart from traditional roasters.

Bottom line: Two founders, one acquisition pattern: the brand’s early family-run ethos met private equity, creating tension between growth and identity. For Raleigh locals, the stake is whether the Costa brothers’ original vision survives scale.

Making black and white coffee at home — step by step

1. Brew 8 oz of black coffee (or pull a double espresso). For a half-caff version, use a 50/50 blend of regular and decaf beans.
2. Heat 4-6 oz of milk or cream to steaming (150-160°F).
3. Combine the coffee and milk in a 12 oz mug.
4. Optional: Stir in 1 oz each of white and dark chocolate syrups for a mocha finish.
5. Iced method: Fill a glass with ice, add cold brew and milk, then swirl in syrups.

“I feel like every time I try a new crazy sounding blend from black and white I am more and more mind blown by the complexity in the flavor.”

— Anonymous Reddit user on r/espresso

“At Black & White Coffee we believe coffee should be simple. We are roasting exciting new single origin coffees and beautiful complex blends.”

— Black & White Coffee Roasters website (homepage)

For the Raleigh coffee community, the FairWave acquisition means Black & White gains distribution muscle but loses the founder who gave it a cult personality. The choice is clear: embrace the scale-up or seek out the next tiny roaster that reminds them of the early days.