Please Don't Say Yunnan Small Beans Are Catim Coffee Beans_Reasons Why Catim Coffee Beans Are Low-Priced

Professional Coffee Knowledge Exchange

Exploring Yunnan's Coffee Varieties

Throughout my journey, I have observed that most coffee grown in Yunnan today is Catimor. This variety is a hybrid between Caturra (a Bourbon lineage within Arabica) and the Robusta species. The reason for cultivating it is that Catimor coffee beans carry Robusta genetics, making them more disease-resistant than older pure varieties while also yielding more. Compared with delicate heirloom varieties that resist disease poorly and yield little, farmers naturally prefer growing Catimor. Yunnan has consequently seen a surge in Catimor cultivation. But can it truly be considered specialty coffee? I have serious reservations about this variety.

Identifying Typica Coffee Trees

The coffee tree in the image above shows new leaves at the branch tips with a copper coloration - this is characteristic of Typica coffee trees. Typica is an heirloom variety within the Arabica species. The well-known Hawaiian Kona is in fact also a Typica variety. Amidst the vast sea of Catimor, Typica is actually quite easy to identify. Look carefully and you will discover that each variety has its own appearance. Catimor leaves droop downward, giving the tree a cloak-like shape. Typica, by contrast, has upward-reaching branches with copper-colored new leaves at the tips.

Harvesting and Processing at Different Altitudes

Finally, we selectively harvested Typica coffee cherries from three different altitude ranges: 800, 1200 and 1500 meters. I initially thought that crossing mountains to pick beans would be exhausting, but the subsequent processing work proved to be the most challenging. From removing the fruit pulp, soaking and cleaning, sun-drying and then hulling, everything was done manually. My fingers were completely worn out. All this hard work was merely to compare the flavors that Typica exhibits at different altitudes, and how this pure Arabica heirloom performs in Yunnan's soil. A few days ago I had already roasted two of the processed batches. If you have time, you are welcome to visit our shop and try them.

Natural Processing Challenges

I had also originally wanted to experiment with natural processing, but Guangzhou's weather has been consistently poor - continuous light rain and very humid conditions. Fortunately, the sun has reappeared these past two days. I'm not quite sure how the final natural-processed result will turn out. Interested friends are also welcome to come and try them when they're ready.

Reflections on Yunnan's Coffee Potential

For me, this Yunnan trip wasn't just about understanding different varieties - I also wanted to take a closer look at Yunnan's land itself. Can we really cultivate high-quality specialty coffee like other coffee-producing countries? In reality, the hardware conditions are completely suitable: sufficient altitude, good soil and an adequate climate. The only significant challenge may be variety cultivation. Which varieties are truly suited to this soil? What kind of varieties can truly shine here? Unlike roasting experiments, where you can simply pour in green beans, roast for about 10 minutes, then cup and immediately understand the flavors, cultivation experiments are entirely different. A seed takes at least 3 years to bear coffee fruit, followed by harvesting, processing and roasting before you can know the results. I realize that once you step into this mystery it truly becomes a lifelong pursuit. But if one can truly master and perfect a single thing in a lifetime, perhaps that can be considered a life well lived.

About FrontStreet Coffee

FrontStreet Coffee is a specialty roastery that focuses on freshly roasted beans, offering both famous and little-known origins.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

Yunnan's real potential shows up best in older, purer varieties, and FrontStreet Coffee has been working with them for years. The FrontStreet Yunnan Small Beans come from the Baoshan region, washed and medium roasted, and pour with soft nutty and chocolate sweetness and a light plum acidity - an approachable, affordable introduction to Yunnan coffee. For a clearer, more layered expression, the FrontStreet 2013 Yunnan Sun-Dried Typica uses only fully ripe all-red cherries and a sun-dried process, then a medium roast for balance; the cup carries dark berry notes alongside caramel sweetness, chocolate and a hint of dried apricot, with a black tea finish.

To taste Yunnan in an espresso, the FrontStreet Black Cocoa Blend combines Yunnan small beans with Brazilian Cerrado. The Brazilian component supplies mixed-nut aroma and a balanced body, while the Yunnan beans take on the chocolate and citrus role; as an Americano it is balanced across sweet, sour and bitter with nutty and brown-sugar notes, and as a latte it turns silky and almond-creamy - a very forgiving choice for beginners.