Yunnan Small Bean Coffee Brewing Recommendations: Differences Between Typica and Catimor Coffee Varieties

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Is Yunnan Small Bean Coffee Typica or Catimor? What are the Flavor Differences Between Natural, Washed, and Honey Processing Methods?

Currently, Yunnan's coffee varieties include Bourbon, Typica, and Catimor, all belonging to the Arabica series. The most common varieties on the market are Typica and Catimor. Typica is an older variety with small beans - truly small-grained coffee. Catimor has been cultivated into many new varieties, such as Catimor AA, Catimor peaberries, Catimor natural, and Catimor honey process, all belonging to the Catimor family with larger sizes. Therefore, the most common variety currently marketed as "Yunnan Small Bean" is actually Catimor.

Yunnan small bean coffee belongs to the Rubiaceae family, Coffea genus, with growing areas mainly distributed in Lincang, Baoshan, Simao, Xishuangbanna, Dehong, and Nujiang prefectures. Small bean coffee originated from Ethiopia or the Arabian Peninsula. It is cultivated in Fujian, Guangdong, Hainan, Guangxi, Sichuan, Guizhou, and Yunnan. Superior geographical conditions have enabled Yunnan's coffee industry to develop rapidly. In 2014, both planting area and production accounted for over 99% of the country's total.

Origin of Yunnan Small Bean Coffee

In 1892, French missionary Father Tian successfully cultivated coffee in a place called Zhukula in Yunnan. To this day, 24 coffee trees over 90 years old still grow in Zhukula Township. Zhukula is a mysterious, legendary, and beautiful natural village, belonging to Zhukula Village Committee, Pingchuan Town, Binchuan County, Dali Prefecture, located on the bank of Yupao River, a tributary of the Jinsha River. This is a place where Dali Prefecture, Chuxiong Prefecture, and Lijiang City meet.

Over 100 years ago, Zhukula was called "Ruokelai" (in Yi language), meaning "winding mountain road" in Yi. In 1892, due to the arrival of French missionary Father Tian, the essence of Yi language combined with French romance, giving birth to the name Zhukula, which later generations translated to mean "paradise on earth."

According to records, in 1892, French missionary Father Tian, for his own coffee needs, propagated the first coffee tree using coffee cherries outside the church, then cultivated more coffee trees and planted them around the church. From that time on, Zhukula Village began coffee cultivation, and the village has been surrounded by coffee trees ever since. The two oldest elders in the village, Qi Guanghui and Li Fusheng, are both over 80 years old this year. They jointly witnessed the formation of China's oldest coffee forest.

Although Zhukula is poor and backward, it is a place with an inseparable connection to coffee. In addition to everyone growing coffee, villagers all have a tradition of drinking coffee: self-grown, self-ground, self-brewed. Now, regardless of age or gender, everyone in the village has the habit of drinking coffee. The villagers here have a special affection for coffee trees. Even if coffee beans haven't brought them any economic benefits, villagers are reluctant to cut down a single coffee tree.

When receiving guests, Zhukula Village serves local coffee and walnuts. Although the coffee brewed in earthen jars may not taste the best, this primitive drinking method reflects the Zhukula villagers' love for coffee and is also the highest ceremonial reception for guests. The unique and rich original coffee culture makes everyone who knows Zhukula sigh in admiration - this place truly deserves to be called "China's No. 1 Coffee Village." The Zhukula coffee forest belongs to Arabica beans, specifically Yunnan small bean Bourbon and Typica varieties.

As of 2014, Yunnan Province's coffee planting area reached 1.83 million mu (approximately 122,000 hectares), and it is expected that by 2020, the province's coffee planting area will reach 2.8 million mu (approximately 187,000 hectares).

In 1892, French missionary Father Tian successfully cultivated coffee in a place called Zhukula in Yunnan. To this day, 24 coffee trees over 90 years old still grow in Zhukula Township. The Zhukula coffee forest belongs to Arabica beans, specifically Yunnan small bean Bourbon and Typica varieties. Today, Yunnan's Arabica coffee plantations have exceeded 21,000 hectares. Small bean coffee is suitable for growing on mountainous land at altitudes of 800-1800 meters. If the altitude is too high, the taste is sour; if too low, it's bitter. Most small bean coffee is planted in dry-hot valley areas around 1100 meters altitude, resulting in moderate acidity, rich aroma, and mellow smoothness.

Flavor Profiles of Different Varieties

1. Typica: Clean taste, round and smooth, relatively balanced

2. Catimor AA: Balanced texture, soft and bright entry, slightly fruity

3. Catimor Peaberry: Rich aroma, nutty, thick and mellow entry

3. Catimor Natural: Balanced taste, sweet and round, black tea finish

4. Catimor Honey Process: Fruity sweetness, vanilla, lively and varied flavors

The above "flavor description charts" and "flavor introductions" (overall impressions of aroma, acidity, bitterness, sweetness, and body) for Yunnan small beans have been detailed, and I believe everyone now roughly understands the different characteristics of each bean.

Overall, each bean's flavor is different and has its own characteristics:

01. Typica (Old Variety)

The oldest variety among Yunnan beans, close to the original variety. High tree age, low yield, high bean quality, clean taste, balanced, soft, and smooth flavor.

02. Catimor AA (Large Beans)

AA refers to the grade, with coffee bean sizes between 16-18 mesh, with weak fruit acidity and bright texture.

03. Catimor Peaberry (Peaberry Variety)

Coffee beans generally grow as twins, while peaberries belong to single-seeded type. Overall, they absorb more "essence of sun and moon" than flat beans, so the taste is relatively richer and more intense, with good aftertaste.

04. Catimor Natural (Natural Drying)

Natural is a processing method, also called "natural drying method." This taste is relatively rich, sweet, round, with good aftertaste. This is personally my preferred variety, with fruit sweetness and sourness, and red wine fermentation notes.

05. Catimor Honey Process (High Sweetness)

Catimor honey process (honey processing is a method, divided into red honey and black honey processing) uses fully red cherries. The advantage of this variety is high sweetness, good cleanliness, and rich, lively, varied flavors.

06. Catuai (New Variety)

Balanced taste, balanced bitterness and acidity, thick and sweet aftertaste.

Processing Method Flavor Differences

Speaking of processing methods, you might ask what are the taste differences between them?

1. Washed Processing / WASH (Simple taste): Emphasizes brightness, acidity, and floral notes

2. Honey Processing / HONEY (Like eating dried fruit): Emphasizes sweetness, fruity taste

3. Natural Processing / NATURAL (Has the taste of sunshine): Emphasizes richness, sweet and sour

The above varieties and processing methods are several common ones. This year also introduced a very unique Yunnan bean "Catuai" (new variety), grown at an altitude as high as 1600 meters. "Balanced taste, balanced bitterness and acidity, thick and sweet aftertaste," very similar to "Jamaican Blue Mountain" coffee (this year's Blue Mountain green bean price has risen to nearly 1000 RMB/kg, with market prices no less than 1000 RMB per pound after roasting and packaging). If you can't afford "Blue Mountain," why not try this "Catuai"! —because this coffee bean has exceptionally high cost performance, with only over 100 kg of green beans produced annually (everyone knows good coffee beans have low yields). Of course, the quality of this bean is also very high, completely refreshing my perception of Yunnan beans - no exaggeration, it feels like a qualitative leap. The prospects for this bean will be very good!

FrontStreet Coffee's Recommended Brewing:

Dripper: Hario V60

Water temperature: 90 degrees

Grind size: Fuji grind level 3.5

Brewing method: Water-to-coffee ratio 1:15, 15g coffee grounds. First pour 25g water, let it bloom for 25 seconds. Second pour to 120g, wait until the water level drops to half, then continue pouring slowly until reaching 225g water. Extraction time around 2:00.

Analysis: Using three-stage brewing to clearly distinguish the front, middle, and end flavors of the coffee. Because V60 has many ribs and drains quickly, stopping the water flow can extend the extraction time.

Important Notice :

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