Flavor Profiles and Differences: Yunnan Typica and Catimor Coffee Beans

Yunnan small-bean coffee has grown quickly in recent years and is gradually entering the specialty coffee market, but impressions of it are not always generous. "All special processing" and "inconsistent quality" are the labels most often attached to Yunnan coffee. These problems usually arise because the Catimor variety has an average flavor, and because quick methods are used to mask poor coffee through special processing, leaving the overall quality of Yunnan coffee very uneven. To change those labels, FrontStreet Coffee has taken the lead by planting the ancient Typica variety in Yunnan and adopting traditional washed processing to keep the flavor stable.

What Is Yunnan Small-Bean Coffee?

Yunnan small-bean coffee refers to Arabica coffee beans. At the time, the French missionary Alfred Tietje brought coffee seeds, of the Typica variety, from Vietnam to Yunnan. After they were planted successfully in Zhugula Village, Binchuan County, Yunnan Province, he told people this was small-bean coffee, because Arabica belongs to the small-fruit coffee group while Robusta belongs to the medium-fruit group. Naturally, Yunnan came to call Arabica beans "Yunnan small beans." Today the common Yunnan small-bean varieties are Typica and Catimor.

Why Is Catimor Considered to Have Average Flavor?

Catimor is a hybrid of the Arabica and Robusta species. Robusta has good leaf rust resistance, rich oils, high yield and easy cultivation. After hybridizing with Arabica's Typica, Catimor acquired 25% Robusta genes. It improved leaf rust resistance and retained Robusta's rich oils while keeping Typica's rich flavor, so most Yunnan estates began large-scale planting of Catimor and the cultivation range of Typica started to shrink. Although Catimor has rich flavor, it cannot avoid showing some of the poor qualities of Robusta, which leaves the overall cup less clean after brewing.

Why Does FrontStreet Coffee Insist on Planting Typica?

As one of the ancient coffee varieties, Typica has a subtle, clean flavor and balanced character, with high cleanliness in the cup, something special processing cannot fake. Yunnan coffee farmers are reluctant to plant Typica because the variety yields little and is susceptible to pests, so the effort is out of proportion to the harvest. Coffee farmers have also not yet developed a specialty coffee mindset, so they keep their distance from Typica.

Why Does FrontStreet Coffee Insist on Traditional Washed Processing?

FrontStreet Coffee believes that changing coffee flavor through processing is not a long-term solution. People try special processing out of curiosity, but it is traditional processing that everyone truly loves. Washed processing, however, clearly exposes whether a coffee flavor is good or bad, so to enjoy delicious Yunnan small-bean coffee we have to start with the planting variety. Only by changing things at the root can the flavor win broad recognition.

Where Does FrontStreet Coffee Plant Yunnan Coffee?

FrontStreet Coffee's Yunnan coffee plantation is located at 1200m in Baoshan, near the Vietnam border. The local average temperature is 21.5°C, and it is basically frost-free year-round, with sufficient annual rainfall. FrontStreet Coffee's estate plants an average of 100 Typica coffee trees per mu, and each mu yields about 100kg per harvest.

How Does FrontStreet Coffee Roast Yunnan Small-Bean Coffee (Typica Variety)?

On a Yangjia 800N with a 300g roasting amount: heat the roaster to 200°C and set the air damper to 3. After 1 minute, adjust the heat to 160°C. The return temperature point is at 1'32". Roast until 5'40", when yellowing occurs at 149°C, the grassy smell disappears completely and dehydration is complete. Keep the heat unchanged and move the air damper to 4. At the 6th minute, adjust the heat to 140. At the 7th minute, adjust it again to 120.

At the 8th minute, ugly wrinkles and black spots appear on the bean surface, and the toast smell clearly turns to coffee aroma, which can be defined as the prelude to first crack. At this point listen carefully for the sound of first crack. First crack starts at 8'37"; adjust the heat to 90 and fully open the air damper to 5. At the 9th minute, reduce the heat to 20 degrees. Develop first crack for 2'00" and discharge at 196°C.

How Does FrontStreet Coffee Brew Yunnan Small-Bean Coffee (Typica Variety)?

To enhance the body of Yunnan small-bean coffee, FrontStreet Coffee uses the Kono Meimon dripper. Its short ribs slow the flow rate during extraction, extending the brew to build body.

Coffee Amount: 15g

Coffee-to-Water Ratio: 1:15

Grind Size: Medium-fine grind (76% passing rate through a 0.85mm aperture sieve)

Water Temperature: 90°C

FrontStreet Coffee uses segmented brewing. First, pour 30g of water for a 30-second bloom, during which the coffee expands into a "hamburger" shape. For the second segment, pour 125g of water in small circles from the center. Pour height is 4cm, with gentle force to minimize disturbance of the coffee bed, at a flow rate of 4g per second. When the water level drops to 1/2 of the coffee bed, start the third segment. This is also poured gently from the center outward in circles until it reaches 225g. End extraction when all the coffee liquid has dripped through the dripper, at 2'01". After extraction, gently shake to make the coffee liquid uniform before tasting.

Yunnan Typica Small-Bean Coffee Brewing Flavor

Rich fruit aroma on entry, with melon and herbal plant notes. The middle shows nuts and milk chocolate. The finish brings lively, bright plum acidity. From hot to warm you can feel layers of sweet and sour, first sweet then sour, with apricot and citrus-toned acidity and a black tea finish carrying some brown sugar sweetness.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

If you want to taste what Yunnan Typica can do, FrontStreet Coffee's 2013 natural Typica is the most direct answer. Grown on FrontStreet Coffee's own Yunnan estate from a 2013 planting, it is processed naturally and roasted medium, which keeps the cup balanced and lets the acidity and sweetness stand out. Expect dark berry notes, caramel sweetness, chocolate and a touch of dried apricot, with a black tea finish.

For an easy introduction to Yunnan, FrontStreet Coffee's Yunnan small-bean coffee comes from the Baoshan region. It is washed and roasted medium, showing soft nut and chocolate notes with a light plum acidity, and its approachable price makes it a common first taste of Chinese coffee. Baoshan's coffee history began in the mid-1950s, when the overseas Chinese patriot Liang Jinshan introduced the crop, and the dry-hot river valley climate near Lujiangba is well suited to it.

If you enjoy Yunnan flavor in espresso, try FrontStreet Coffee's Black Cocoa Blend, which pairs Yunnan small-bean with Brazil Cerrado. The Brazilian coffee supplies mixed-nut aroma and balance, while the Yunnan coffee carries chocolate and citrus. As an Americano it is balanced across sweet, sour and bitter with nut and brown sugar notes; as a latte it turns creamy and almond-smooth, which makes it very beginner-friendly.