Comprehensive Guide to Premium Single-Origin Coffee Beans: Famous Arabica Coffee Growing Regions and Flavor Profiles

With the development of the third wave of specialty coffee, more and more people are paying attention to single-origin coffee beans. FrontStreet Coffee entered the coffee industry in 2013 and has been focusing on coffee beans ever since.

Currently, FrontStreet Coffee has over 30 varieties of single-origin coffee beans displayed in the store, and the online varieties change with the new harvest seasons. Whether customers are in the store or buying coffee beans online, they all ask FrontStreet Coffee one question: which single-origin coffee beans taste good. FrontStreet Coffee believes this question is actually too broad - whether something tastes good varies from person to person. For example, some people prefer coffee beans with fruity acidity, while others prefer coffee beans with rich body as the main characteristic.

FrontStreet Coffee's more than 30 coffee beans can be said to cover the preferences of most customers, allowing different coffee beans to be recommended for different needs. However, FrontStreet Coffee's goal is not just to sell a cup of coffee or a bag of beans, but rather to share its experience to explain how coffee beans from different regions exhibit unique flavor characteristics. Therefore, today FrontStreet Coffee will introduce several popular single-origin coffee beans that showcase distinctive regional characteristics.

FrontStreet Coffee roughly divides them into two main categories: coffee beans represented by acidity and coffee beans represented by rich body.

Coffee Beans Represented by Acidity

1. FrontStreet Coffee · Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Natural Red Cherry

Region: Yirgacheffe, Artelelan Estate
Altitude: 1700-2200m
Grade: G1
Variety: Heirloom
Processing: Natural

Ethiopia is located in the eastern part of the African continent. The Gedeo zone, where Yirgacheffe belongs, is located in the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region of southwestern Ethiopia.

Yirgacheffe is a small town in Ethiopia with an altitude of 1700-2100 meters. It is one of the highest altitude coffee-growing regions in the world and synonymous with Ethiopian specialty coffee. Lakes Turkana, Abaya, and Chamo bring abundant moisture to this area.

Yirgacheffe Red Cherry Coffee Grade

ECX (Ethiopian Commodity Exchange) has defined grading based on defect rates: G1 and G2. G1 represents no more than 3 defective beans per 300g of green beans, while G2 represents 4-12 defective beans per 300g of green beans.

Coffee Bean Variety

This coffee bean's variety is Heirloom. Most Ethiopian coffee varieties are named this way because there are too many varieties to identify individually. Ethiopia is like a natural gene bank for Arabica - on one hand, there are numerous varieties that are difficult to classify, and on the other hand, the Ethiopian government,出于 protection considerations, is unwilling or unable to disclose information about these varieties. However, FrontStreet Coffee noticed that in this year's COE competition held in Ethiopia, Ethiopian beans began to have different variety names, all named with numbers.

Natural Processing Method

The natural processing method, also called dry processing, involves manually harvesting high-sugar-content coffee cherries and placing them on raised beds or open ground for sun drying. During the drying process, they need to be turned and mixed appropriately to avoid uneven drying or over-fermentation. After 2-4 weeks of complete drying until the moisture content reaches 12%, the pulp and skin are removed using a hulling machine.

Red Cherry Project

The so-called Red Cherry actually refers to the Red Cherry Project, jointly initiated by Dutch trader Trabocca and local farmers, aimed at improving the quality of small-scale farms. Picking coffee fruits requires not only harvesting fully red, ripe fruits but also doing it entirely by hand - but this is just the most basic requirement. There are also corresponding requirements for coffee bean processing methods.

The Red Cherry Project is also a reinforcement approach that makes farms spend more effort on the bean selection process. These coffees are relatively higher in price and are mainly implemented in regions like Yirgacheffe, Sidamo, Bench Maji, Lekempti, Kembata, Illubabor, Harar, and Limu - all regions with unique flavors that can fully showcase Ethiopian coffee characteristics. However, in reality, today's specialty coffee all operates using the Red Cherry Project approach for coffee production, but the unique term "Red Cherry Coffee" still belongs exclusively to Ethiopia. Red Cherry coffee products will have Trabocca printed on their gunny sacks.

Artelelan Estate

Each small coffee farmer at Artelelan Estate owns an average planting area of about 0.6 hectares, composed of hundreds of coffee farmers. The planting altitude is nearly 2000 meters, with large temperature differences and fertile soil, providing an excellent growing environment. The green beans themselves emit a rich aroma of raisins and fermented wine.

FrontStreet Coffee Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Red Cherry Flavor Description

Lemon, licorice, citrus, berries, sweet orange. Overall sweetness is high, with caramel and cream flavors in the aftertaste, and a finish with black tea aroma.

2. FrontStreet Coffee · Kenya Asalia

Region: Thika, Asalia Honey Processing Station
Altitude: 1550-1750m
Grade: AA TOP
Variety: SL28, SL34
Processing: K72 Washed

Kenya is also located in East Africa, bordering Ethiopia. Kenya's coffee history is not as deep as Ethiopia's - coffee was only introduced around the 20th century. During this period, coffee almost circled the entire globe before returning to Africa, and the coffee world was also undergoing new transformations. Kenya can be said to be both a witness and promoter of this transformation. Unlike Ethiopia, coffee was introduced to Kenya by the colonizing country - Britain. During the colonial period, Kenya developed its coffee economy, with the entire coffee system leaning toward refined management. Kenya's coffee breeding, grading, and processing methods were far superior to many coffee-producing countries at that time. It wasn't until decades later that other countries realized the advantages of this refined management and began to emulate it, slowly eroding Kenya's unique prominence.

Kenya Coffee Grade

Kenya grades coffee based on bean size and cupping results. According to coffee bean size, shape, and hardness, from highest to lowest: E, AA or AA+, AB, PB, C, TT, T. For AA and AB grade green beans, special grading based on cupping results is added (not officially recognized by Kenyan government, established by exporters), from highest to lowest: TOP, PLUS (+), FAQ.

Coffee Bean Variety

In 1922, Kenya established the Scott Agricultural Laboratories to conduct coffee planting research. In the more than 10 years after its establishment, the laboratory selected SL28 and SL34, which were most suitable for regional cultivation from 42 coffee varieties, providing a good start for the coffee industry's development. Both SL28 and SL34 are varieties selected after multiple breeding rounds. SL28 belongs to the Bourbon genetic group, carrying the bright acidity and rich acids of the original Bourbon. SL34's lineage is closer to the Typica gene, with acidity milder than SL28. These two varieties, SL28 and SL34, now account for 90% of Kenya's production, and South America is also actively introducing SL28 as a planting variety.

K72 Washed Processing Method

Kenya's washed method is world-famous but differs from ordinary washed methods. Kenya's K72 processing method refers to its washing fermentation time lasting up to 72 hours. General washed processing methods rarely exceed 36 hours. This unusually long fermentation time creates the characteristic acidity of Kenyan specialty coffee. The processing involves first selecting high-maturity coffee fruits, removing the skin and pulp, then soaking in fermentation tanks to remove mucilage - a process that takes 72 hours, after which they are taken out for drying until the moisture content reaches 12%.

FrontStreet Coffee Kenya Asalia Flavor Description

Cherry tomato and berry aromas, with noticeable acidity upon entry and a juice-like mouthfeel. The mid-section features prominent sweetness, with a tea-like finish.

3. FrontStreet Coffee · Panama Flower Butterfly

Region: Boquete
Altitude: 1600-1650m
Grade: SHG
Variety: Gesha (70%), Caturra, Catuai
Processing: Washed

Panama is a Central American country, bordering Costa Rica to the west and Colombia to the east. Panama coffee arrived with European immigrants in the 19th century. At that time, Panama had been independent from Spain for about 50 years, but as an agricultural product, Panama coffee only truly established itself in the last 20 years.

In terms of climate, Panama is close to the equator and has a tropical marine climate. It's humid during the day and cool at night, with average annual temperatures of 23-27°C. The year is divided into dry and rainy seasons, with average annual precipitation of 1500-2500 millimeters.

Panama Coffee Grade

SHG: Strictly High Grown, grown at altitudes above 1200 meters
HG: High Grown, grown at altitudes of 900-1200 meters
CS: Central Standard, grown at altitudes of 600-900 meters

Coffee Bean Variety

FrontStreet Coffee's Panama Flower Butterfly consists of 70% Gesha coffee varieties, composed of Gesha, Caturra, and Catuai. Surprisingly, despite excellent quality, the very affordable price makes this coffee bean's cost-performance outstanding.

Washed Processing Method

After coffee fruits are harvested, floating beans are removed, the skin and pulp are stripped away, then the coffee beans are soaked in fermentation tanks. Enzymes in the water soften the mucilage, and natural yeast breaks down sugars in the slime - this process is called fermentation. After fermentation is complete, the coffee beans are moved to drying grounds to dry. During the drying process, coffee beans need constant turning to ensure even drying until the moisture content reaches 12%.

Many customers ask about the difference between washed and natural processing. FrontStreet Coffee's answer is simple: washed processing highlights acidity, while natural processing highlights sweetness. The substantive difference between the two methods lies in whether the pulp's effect is preserved - natural processing retains the pulp's flavor influence, while washed processing does not. This difference is also visually apparent. FrontStreet Coffee has set up a display area in the store specifically to distinguish coffee beans from different processing methods. Washed coffee beans will have a silver line in the middle - that's residual silver skin, while natural processed coffee beans do not.

FrontStreet Coffee Panama Flower Butterfly Flavor Description

Floral, black tea, berries, citrus, with a slight nutty finish. Smooth mouthfeel, low bitterness, moderate acidity, and medium aftertaste.

Coffee Beans Represented by Rich Body

4. FrontStreet Coffee · Jamaica Blue Mountain

Region: Newcastle region, Clifton Estate
Altitude: 1310m
Grade: Blue Mountain No. 1
Variety: Typica
Processing: Washed

Jamaica is an island in the Caribbean Sea. Jamaica's Blue Mountains are the highest mountains in the western Caribbean (2256 meters high). FrontStreet Coffee's Blue Mountain coffee's unique flavor is related to the Blue Mountains' exceptional geographical location and climate conditions.

Blue Mountain is located in the coffee belt at 25 degrees north latitude, with fertile new volcanic soil, fresh and unpolluted air, year-round rainfall, high humidity, and large temperature differences between day and night. The soil here is rich in nitrogen and phosphorus, very suitable for coffee growth. Fertile volcanic soil, regular rainfall, and the island's hazy cloud cover that shields it from harsh sunlight - all these factors combine to create Blue Mountain coffee.

Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee Grade

Coffee from Jamaica's Blue Mountain region has three grades: Blue Mountain Coffee, Jamaica High Mountain Supreme Coffee Beans, and Jamaica Prime Coffee Beans.

Both Blue Mountain Coffee and High Mountain Coffee are each divided into two grades. From highest to lowest quality: Blue Mountain No. 1, Blue Mountain No. 2, High Mountain No. 1, High Mountain No. 2, Jamaica Prime. FrontStreet Coffee selects the highest grade of Blue Mountain coffee - FrontStreet Coffee's Jamaica Blue Mountain No. 1 coffee beans.

From quality perspective, from highest to lowest: NO.1, NO.2, NO.3, and PB (Peaberries). According to CIB standards, NO.1 Blue Mountain green beans' basic standards include beans above 17 mesh, defect rate below 3%, moisture content around 13%, etc.

Coffee Bean Variety

Typica originates from southeastern Ethiopia and Sudan and is one of the oldest varieties among many Arabica species. The top leaves are bronze-colored, called red-top coffee, also known as old-variety small-grain coffee. Due to low yield and difficult cultivation, its price is much higher than ordinary small-grain coffee. However, its flavor performance is excellent, and it's recognized as a specialty coffee variety.

Washed Processing Method

After coffee fruits are harvested, floating beans are removed, the skin and pulp are stripped away, then the coffee beans are soaked in fermentation tanks for fermentation to soften the mucilage. Constant washing and flushing removes the mucilage, then the coffee beans are moved to drying grounds to dry. During the drying process, coffee beans need constant turning to ensure even drying until the moisture content reaches 12%.

Clifton Estate

The Blue Mountain region is a small area with only 6000 hectares of planting area - it's impossible for all coffee labeled "Blue Mountain" to be grown there.

Today's Clifton Estate is the largest estate in this region. By international standards, it's still considered small-scale cultivation, with many estate owners being small landholders whose families have worked this land for two centuries.

Clifton Mountain is Jamaica's oldest coffee-producing area still in normal operation today, and only Clifton Farm in Jamaica has the "Rainforest Alliance" certification. This certification can only be obtained by meeting "Sustainable Agriculture System Standards," and their wooden barrels carry the rainforest certification logo.

As early as the mid-18th century (around 1750), Clifton Estate began planting and producing coffee. The coffee planting and processing areas are located at an average altitude of 4300 feet (1310.64 meters). Sufficient altitude, afternoon gentle clouds surrounding the mountain forests for shade, ample sunlight, and mineral-rich planting soil provide excellent growing conditions for coffee trees and extend the maturation of coffee cherries.

FrontStreet Coffee Jamaica Blue Mountain No. 1 Flavor Description

Rich and mellow flavor, with perfect balance of sweet, sour, and bitter notes, and very strong body.

5. FrontStreet Coffee · Indonesia PWN Gold Mandheling

Region: Sumatra, PWN Company
Altitude: 1100-1600m
Grade: G1
Variety: Typica
Processing: Wet-Hulled

Indonesia is located in southeastern Asia, and its coffee history dates back to 1696 when Dutch coffee farm owners attempted to find broader coffee-growing areas. After extensive exploration, they finally determined on Indonesia's Java Island. After 30 years, Indonesia had established a sufficient foundation in the coffee market.

However, today Indonesia's coffee representative is Mandheling, which is actually not surprising, because most of the Java coffee originally exported to Europe came from the Sumatra region, and FrontStreet Coffee's Mandheling also comes from Sumatra. Therefore, Sumatra can be said to be an important coffee-producing area in Indonesia.

Indonesia Coffee Grade

Indonesian coffee beans use a defect rate grading system. Indonesian beans are mainly divided into 6 grades: G1-G6. Less than 3 defective beans (per 300g green bean sample) qualifies for the highest G1 grade.

Coffee Bean Variety

Typica originates from southeastern Ethiopia and Sudan and is one of the oldest varieties among many Arabica species. The top leaves are bronze-colored, called red-top coffee, also known as old-variety small-grain coffee. Due to low yield and difficult cultivation, its price is much higher than ordinary small-grain coffee. However, its flavor performance is excellent, and it's recognized as a specialty coffee variety.

Wet-Hulled Processing Method

Most of FrontStreet Coffee's Mandheling uses Sumatra's unique coffee bean processing method - wet-hulled processing. Due to local weather that's often rainy with constant typhoons, it's impossible to achieve the good weather required for sun drying. Additionally, the local economy is not good, making it impossible to use the more expensive washed processing method. This led to the development of the highly distinctive wet-hulled method.

First stage: Use a wooden peeler to remove the skin and pulp, ferment for 3 hours, then dry until moisture content reaches 30-50% (semi-dry, semi-wet).

Second stage: Remove the mucilage and parchment layer, continue with the final drying process. The drying process takes 2-4 days, with moisture content reduced to 12-13%.

FrontStreet Coffee's PWN Gold Mandheling increases the number of sorting rounds on this basis, with three or more rounds of manual sorting, giving FrontStreet Coffee's PWN Gold Mandheling the characteristics of uniform size and low defect rate.

PWN

PWN Company (Pwani Coffee Company) registered Gold Mandheling, while a Japanese company registered "Gold Top Mandheling," which is also Gold Mandheling. The two actually have little difference in flavor performance, but due to different brands and different marketing strategies, it's possible that public opinion may change. Therefore, which of the two Gold Mandhelings is superior is a matter of personal opinion. PWN Company was the first company to export Gold Mandheling to Japan, and FrontStreet Coffee also purchases PWN's Gold Mandheling.

FrontStreet Coffee Indonesia PWN Gold Mandheling Flavor Description

Multi-layered, rich and clean, with high balance, intense nut and caramel aromas, chocolate notes, and a persistent finish.

6. FrontStreet Coffee · Brazil Queen Estate Yellow Bourbon

Region: Mogiana region, São Paulo state, Queen Estate
Altitude: 1400-1950m
Variety: Yellow Bourbon
Processing: Natural

Brazilian coffee beans were introduced in 1720 from French Guiana (a country in northern South America). Brazil was a Portuguese colony at that time, while many other South American countries were Spanish colonies. Therefore, most South American countries speak Spanish, while Brazil speaks Portuguese.

The Portuguese officer stationed in Brazil, in order to bring Guiana's coffee beans to Brazil (when exporting coffee to other countries was strictly prohibited), won the favor of the Guiana governor's wife and successfully brought coffee seeds into Brazil. From then on, coffee quickly adapted in Brazil, spreading from the north to the southeastern state of São Paulo. By 1845, Brazilian coffee beans already accounted for 45% of the world's total coffee beans and became the main economic source of São Paulo state.

Brazil Coffee Grade

Among the many coffee-growing countries in Central and South America, Brazil's altitude is relatively low. Therefore, Brazil does not emphasize hard beans that can only grow at high altitudes like Colombia and other countries. Instead, it grades coffee beans based on four criteria: bean size, defect rate, cupping score, and flavor.

Flavor grade classification: From highest to lowest: Strictly Soft, Soft, Softish, Hardish, Rioy.

Defect rate classification: By number of defective beans. For every 300g of green beans, 6 defective beans qualify as NY.2. Completely defect-free beans can become NY.1, but completely defect-free beans are rare and cannot maintain a stable supply, so the best green beans in Brazil are NY.2.

Cupping quality classification: From highest to lowest: Fine Cup, Fine, Good Cup, Fair Cup, Poor Cup, Bad Cup. FC (Fine Cup) and GC (Good Cup) are more common.

Bean size classification: The largest mesh size for Brazilian coffee beans is 19 mesh, but production is limited, so 17 mesh and 18 mesh are considered the highest grades.

Coffee Bean Variety

Bourbon coffee variety is a sub-variety mutated from Typica coffee variety. Generally speaking, when referring to Bourbon coffee variety, it's assumed to be Red Bourbon variety, named for its red color when ripe. Yellow Bourbon does not refer to the unripe state of Red Bourbon, but rather is a hybrid of Bourbon and a Typica variant that produces yellow fruits. When ripe, the fruits are yellow. Due to lower yield and less resistance to wind and rain, it has not been widely cultivated.

Natural Processing Method

The natural processing method involves selecting suitable coffee fruits and drying them directly until moisture content reaches 12%, then removing the skin and pulp.

FrontStreet Coffee Brazil Queen Estate Yellow Bourbon Flavor Description

Rich nuts and dark chocolate flavors, fermented fruits, with noticeable sweetness and a faint lemon aroma. Overall feeling is quite rounded.

The above are the six coffee beans recommended by FrontStreet Coffee. Even among the three coffee beans represented by acidity, there are differences between them. FrontStreet Coffee's Kenya coffee beans have the strongest acidity, followed by FrontStreet Coffee's Panama Flower Butterfly, while FrontStreet Coffee's Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Natural Red Cherry is milder. Among the three with rich body as the main characteristic, FrontStreet Coffee's Gold Mandheling is the richest, FrontStreet Coffee's Jamaica Blue Mountain has strong balance, while FrontStreet Coffee's Brazil Queen Estate has the mildest body. Coffee enthusiasts interested in these can choose coffee beans that suit their taste preferences.

For more specialty coffee beans, please add FrontStreet Coffee on WeChat: kaixinguoguo0925

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

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