Yunnan Baoshan Typica | Chinese Yunnan Arabica Coffee - Baoshan's Heritage Typica Variety

Yunnan Baoshan Typica

Product Name: Huaguoshan

Coffee Origin: China, Yunnan, Baoshan

Coffee Variety: Typica

Production Altitude: 1200M

Quality Grade: AA

Processing Method: Washed

The cultivation history of Yunnan coffee can be traced back to 1892. A French missionary brought coffee seeds from abroad into Yunnan and successfully planted them in a valley in Binchuan County, Yunnan Province. The main variety was Typica, known as the small-seeded coffee, commonly referred to as Yunnan small-seeded coffee in China.

Yunnan small-seeded coffee belongs to the Rubiaceae family, Coffea genus. The growing areas are mainly distributed in Lincang, Baoshan, Simao, Xishuangbanna, and Dehong in Yunnan, China. A good bean's bloodline accounts for a large proportion. Choosing the right variety, planting it at the appropriate altitude, experimenting with processing methods after maturity to express unique flavors, and discovering the regional flavors that Yunnan specialty coffee should have.

Choosing the right variety, planting it at the appropriate altitude, and experimenting with processing methods after maturity to express unique flavors—this is what I believe to be the only logical relationship for specialty coffee to have distinct regional flavors. So, is Yunnan coffee actually good to drink?

Based on some basic factors to determine whether a bean will be good, it's as follows:

Looking at the bean: 1. Variety 2. Altitude 3. Processing method 4. Roasting 5. Extraction

1. Look at the Variety: Typica, Original Species

We are evaluating specialty coffee. Blue Mountain and KONA are also Typica varieties. Returning to bloodline theory, we have to admit that a good bean's good bloodline accounts for a large proportion.

2. Look at the Planting Altitude

For Arabica, 1200 meters is the quality watershed. This Yunnan Baoshan Typica is planted at 1200 meters.

3. Look at the Processing Method

Looking at processing methods, there are essentially two directions: one is cleaner, such as washed processing, and the other is richer in flavor, such as natural processing.

4. Look at the Roasting

FrontStreet Coffee has been focusing on roasting for 5 years, using medium roast to express the regional flavors that Yunnan specialty coffee should have. Let old coffee drinkers who have been drinking for years take a sip—yes, this is the taste of Yunnan specialty coffee.

Yunnan Baoshan small-seeded coffee variety

Looking throughout Yunnan now, most of the coffee planted is Catimor. This variety is a hybrid between the Caturra branch of the Bourbon line in Arabica and the Robusta line. The reason for planting this variety is that Catimor has Robusta genes, so its disease resistance is stronger than single old varieties, and its yield is also better. Compared to the delicate old varieties with poor disease resistance and low yield, farmers naturally prefer to plant Catimor, so a Catimor trend has now swept across Yunnan.

In a vast field of Catimor, it's actually quite easy to recognize. After careful observation, you'll find that each variety has its own appearance. Catimor's leaves all droop downward, and the tree shape looks like it's wearing a cloak. Typica, however, has branches that grow upward, with bronze-colored new leaves at the treetop.

The new leaves at the tips of the branches in the image above are bronze-colored—this is the Typica coffee tree. Typica is an old variety in the Arabica line. The well-known Hawaii Kona is actually also a Typica variety. In a vast field of Catimor, it's actually quite easy to recognize. Typica is one of the oldest varieties of Arabica coffee trees. The top leaves of Typica are bronze-colored, and the beans are elliptical or slender and pointed; the flavor is elegant, but the plant is weak, with poor disease resistance and low fruit yield.

The Arabica species originates from Ethiopia, where this tree species still grows naturally in the local primitive rainforest highlands today. In the 13th-14th centuries, this species was brought to Yemen. Around 1700, Typica was cultivated at the Hortus Botanicus in Amsterdam. Typica seedlings were the first seedlings brought from the Dutch Royal Gardens to Central and South America and the New World for cultivation. Typica is a precious tree species with pure bloodline, oval fruit, bronze leaves, and fruity flavors with diverse variations.

Typica Coffee Beans

Typica: Oval in shape, the bean body appears thin when viewed from the side. Both ends of Typica are slightly raised, and even if planted at different altitudes, the thickness difference on the side of the green beans won't vary too much.

Roasted Beans: Distinguishing Typica and Catimor

Planting Altitude

For Arabica, 1200 meters is the quality watershed. Baoshan is above 1200 meters altitude, with an average temperature of 21.5°C, reaching up to 40.4°C. There is basically no frost throughout the year, forming a protective microclimate for coffee growth. It is recognized as the best small-seeded coffee producing area. The planting areas are mainly distributed in Lincang, Baoshan, Simao, Xishuangbanna, and Dehong. The small-seeded coffee cultivated here is rich but not bitter, fragrant but not strong, with small and uniform particles, mellow and rich flavor, and carries fruit notes.

Processing Method: Washed

The harvested cherries are processed using a depulping machine to separate most of the fruit pulp from the coffee beans, then the parchment beans are guided to a clean water tank and soaked in water for fermentation to completely remove the residual pulp layer. Through washed processing, unripe and defective beans are selected out due to buoyancy, and the fermentation process is also easier to control. Therefore, the flavor doesn't have the miscellaneous notes of natural processed beans, but instead presents clear fruit acidity, slightly stronger complexity, and cleaner cup characteristics.

Roasting Analysis

The information provided by the green bean supplier indicates that the bean's moisture content is 10.9%, so the roasting plan is to start at 200°C, then use high heat and small air flow to speed up dehydration. After the dehydration stage ends, open the medium air flow and medium heat to avoid rushing the Maillard reaction time, with 3 minutes of first crack development before dropping.

Baking process is as follows: HB roaster, 2Kg bean input

Return point: 1 minute 32 seconds, 92.5°C

Yellowing point: 5 minutes 40 seconds, 148.5°C

First crack: 8 minutes 59 seconds, 188.0°C

3 minutes development

Drop: 12'00, 196°C

Roast Degree: Medium Roast

Cupping

Cupping 12 hours after roasting: Rich fruit aroma on entry, melon, herbal plant fragrance, smooth entry, nuts in the middle section, milk chocolate, lively and bright plum acidity in the finish, stimulates salivation on both cheeks, good balance, medium body with full mouthfeel, can feel the layers of sweet and sour from hot to warm temperatures, sweet first then sour, apricot and citrus acidity, black tea aftertaste, with some brown sugar notes.

Brewing Steps:

Pour-over Parameters

Filter cup selection: V60, Kalita wave, and cake filter cups are all acceptable

V60 demonstration

Parameters: 15g coffee, water temperature 90°C

Grind level 4, water-to-coffee ratio close to 1:15, total time around 2:00

Technique: 25-30g water for bloom, bloom time 30s

First pour to 120g, vertical water flow, small flow slow circular motion

Second pour to 225g, water flow and circular motion speed slightly faster, reduce fine particles blocking the filter cup, causing over-extraction

Other Extraction Recommendations:

French Press: Grind level 3.5-4, water temperature 90°C

Siphon: Grind level 4, water temperature: 89°C

AeroPress: Grind level 2.5, water temperature 88°C

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473