History of Baoshan Coffee_Introduction to Baoshan Specialty Coffee Brands_Baoshan Coffee Bean Prices

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Yunnan Coffee: Asia's Rising Star

As part of Asia's coffee-growing regions, Yunnan coffee inevitably represents the face of Asian coffee. In fact, Yunnan is not only famous for tea but also for coffee. However, compared to its well-known tea, Yunnan's coffee history seems relatively insignificant, to the point that many Chinese people don't even know that coffee is grown in Yunnan!

In the past, Yunnan coffee suffered from poor varieties and was mostly used for instant coffee, leading to negative perceptions. However, in recent years, Yunnan coffee has shown remarkable improvement, emerging like a dark horse into the specialty coffee world. Today, we'll introduce Baoshan, Yunnan—the place with the longest history of growing small-seed coffee in China—and discuss the differences between Yunnan's Typica and Catimor varieties.

Yunnan's Unique Growing Conditions

The western and southern parts of Yunnan Province lie between 15°N and the Tropic of Cancer, with most areas at elevations of 1,000-2,000 meters, predominantly mountainous and sloped terrain.

Here, fertile soil, abundant sunshine, plentiful rainfall, and significant temperature differences between day and night create the unique characteristics of Yunnan small-seed coffee—rich without bitterness, aromatic without being overpowering, with subtle fruit notes. In southern and western Yunnan's Pu'er, Xishuangbanna, Wenshan, Baoshan, Dehong, and Lincang regions, these areas form the distribution zones for Yunnan small-seed coffee cultivation.

Baoshan Coffee

As one of Yunnan's three major small-seed coffee-producing regions, Baoshan is the pioneer of small-seed coffee cultivation and processing in China. With a long history of small-seed coffee cultivation and rich growing experience dating back to the mid-1950s, research shows that the oldest coffee trees are already over 60 years old.

Since 1952, Baoshan City in Yunnan has been engaged in large-scale coffee cultivation for nearly 60 years. Due to the unique natural conditions of the Nujiang River and Kuhe River basins within its territory, along with years of accumulated cultivation techniques, Baoshan coffee enjoys a high reputation in international markets for its unique excellent quality, thanks to the careful cultivation by numerous farming households and technical personnel.

The Development History of Baoshan Coffee Industry

First Phase: In the 1950s, Baoshan small-seed coffee was successfully promoted and cultivated on a large scale in Lujiangba. By 1960, the city's coffee cultivation area reached nearly 10,000 mu.

Second Phase: Due to market factors and disease impacts in the early to mid-1960s, cultivation declined. By the late 1970s, the city's coffee cultivation area had shrunk to only 0.3 mu.

Third Phase: In the late 1980s, with the United Nations Development Program's assistance projects in Yunnan and the participation of international professional coffee production groups, coffee prices rose, reaching up to 30 yuan/kg. Baoshan coffee restarted, and by 1997, the city's coffee cultivation area reached nearly 30,000 mu.

Fourth Phase: Since the implementation of Yunnan Province's biological resources development projects, Baoshan's coffee industry has experienced rapid development.

Coffee Varieties

Most Yunnan coffee varieties are Catimor, but there are also Typica varieties.

Typica: The oldest native variety from Ethiopia, originating from southeastern Ethiopia and Sudan. All Arabica varieties are derived from Typica. It offers elegant flavor but has weak constitution, poor disease resistance, and low fruit yield.

Catimor: In 1959, Portuguese breeders hybridized Brazilian Caturra with Timor to create Catimor, which has strong disease resistance. It is currently an important commercial variety.

Growth Period of Baoshan Coffee: Baoshan coffee trees begin bearing fruit at 3-4 years of age.

Small-seed coffee in Yunnan flowers from February to July, with peak flowering from March to May. Coffee flowering is greatly influenced by climate, particularly rainfall and temperature. Coffee flowers have a short lifespan of only 2-3 days. Baoshan coffee typically begins blooming between 3-5 AM and reaches full bloom between 5-7 AM.

Coffee fruit development takes a long time. Baoshan coffee cherries require 8-10 months to mature, typically ripening from October to December of the same year. Rainfall significantly affects fruit development, and climatic conditions directly impact the fruit quality.

FrontStreet Coffee Yunnan Coffee Comparison

FrontStreet Coffee Yunnan Small-seed (Catimor) and Yunnan Huaguoshan (Typica) Display and Comparison

What are the differences between washed Yunnan Small-seed and Yunnan Huaguoshan green beans?

FrontStreet Coffee placed Yunnan Huaguoshan and Yunnan Small-seed beans together and discovered that Yunnan Huaguoshan green beans are relatively more slender, while Yunnan Small-seed green beans are more rounded.

FrontStreet Coffee Yunnan Small-seed Roasting Guide

Roaster: Yangjia 800N (300g batch size)

Charge temperature: 190°C, heat power 120, damper setting 3; Return temperature at 1'40", when temperature reaches 145°C, open damper to 4, keep heat unchanged; When temperature reaches 166°C, bean surface turns yellow, grassy aroma completely disappears, entering dehydration stage. When temperature reaches 188°C, adjust heat to 60°C, damper to 5;

At 8'37", ugly wrinkles and black spots appear on bean surface, toast aroma clearly turns to coffee aroma, can be defined as prelude to first crack. At this time, listen carefully for the sound of first crack. At 9'00", first crack begins, keep damper unchanged. Develop for 3 minutes after first crack, discharge at 198°C.

FrontStreet Coffee Yunnan Small-seed Brewing Parameters

Filter: V60

Water temperature: 90-92°C

Coffee-to-water ratio: 1:15

Grind size: VARIO #5O

FrontStreet Coffee Brewing Technique

FrontStreet Coffee's team first uses 30g of water for 30-second bloom, then uses a small stream to pour in circles to 125g for segmentation. When water level drops by half, continue pouring to 225g and stop. The total drip time is 2 minutes.

Flavor Description

When brewed with V60 filter, it has a strong nutty aroma, with herbal, chocolate, and caramel notes on the palate, and a light fruit acidity in the aftertaste.

FrontStreet Coffee Yunnan Huaguoshan Roasting Guide

Roaster: Yangjia 600g semi-direct flame

Charge at 200°C, damper setting 3. After 30 seconds, adjust heat to 160°C, keep damper unchanged. Return temperature at 1'33", adjust heat once at 168°C. At this point, bean surface turns yellow, grassy aroma completely disappears, dehydration complete. Adjust heat to 130°C, damper to 4;

At 8'45", ugly wrinkles and black spots appear on bean surface, toast aroma clearly turns to coffee aroma, can be defined as prelude to first crack. At this time, listen carefully for the sound of first crack. At 9'07", first crack begins, adjust heat to 80°C, open damper fully to 5 (adjust heat very carefully, not so low that crack sounds disappear). 3'00" after first crack, discharge at 198°C.

FrontStreet Coffee Yunnan Huaguoshan Brewing Suggestions

Filter: V60

Water temperature: 89-90°C

Grind size: BG #6W

Coffee-to-water ratio: 1:15

Flavor Description

Melon and fruit aroma, nuts, cane sugar, cream, gentle fruit acidity, black tea.

Conclusion

FrontStreet Coffee colleagues who tried both found that Yunnan Huaguoshan is more easily accepted. This may be due to variety differences. Yunnan Huaguoshan (Typica) is suitable for cultivation at high altitudes, grows slowly, and accumulates more nutrients, resulting in more complex layers. Meanwhile, Yunnan Small-seed (Catimor) has 1/4 Robusta heritage, can be grown at lower altitudes, grows faster, and combines fewer nutrients like sugars. Additionally, Robusta genes inherently carry some bitterness, so the overall flavor profile is not outstanding.

Important Notice :

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