What Does Washed Yunnan Baoshan Typica Taste Like?

"Are you guys at FrontStreet Coffee crazy? Hurry up and place your orders, hahaha!" A long-time fan received the news and immediately contacted us. Yes, we never thought FrontStreet Coffee would go this crazy...

Really, for the first time, including express delivery, we were completely breathless...

Actually, at the beginning, we never expected this promotion to become so popular. On the first day, just 4 hours into the event, we encountered a small accident - our inventory was completely sold out. We had to temporarily remove the listing for 5 minutes. The owner immediately rushed to have a batch of beans delivered from Baoshan, and then relisted them. We couldn't let our fans down!

Because we roast to order and genuinely didn't anticipate this promotion would be so overwhelming, after three days and nights of hard work, we finally shipped out all orders for Yunnan Typica... Thank you all for your patience...

Some anxious fans who couldn't see tracking information simply came directly to FrontStreet Coffee to pick up their orders, haha!

Actually, we just wanted to give back to our fans with substantial support, or rather, to heavily promote Yunnan coffee. Previously, when we ran the 29.9 drip bag promotion, we also included Yunnan Typica. However, some fans left comments saying they didn't want Yunnan coffee (which is understandable). Our shop occasionally introduces this "Flower Fruit Mountain" variety, but most customers aren't interested in it. We've tasted this bean and found it truly distinctive, so we took this opportunity to promote Yunnan specialty beans and see how well they're accepted.

So far, we haven't quite determined what the flavor profile of Yunnan specialty beans should be. We're still searching for the proper regional characteristics that Yunnan specialty coffee should have.

Fortunately, the first batch of fans who received this bean gave positive feedback after trying it. We hope our efforts were worthwhile.

What Does 1200m Altitude Pure-Blood Washed Yunnan Baoshan Typica Taste Like?

So is Yunnan coffee good or not?

Based on fundamental factors to judge whether a coffee bean will be good, it's as follows:

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

1. Looking at Variety: Typica, an original variety

When we talk about specialty coffee, Blue Mountain and KONA are also Typica varieties. Returning to bloodline theory, we have to admit that good bloodline accounts for a large proportion of what makes a good bean.

2. Looking at Growing Altitude

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

3. Looking at Processing Method

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

4. Looking at Roasting

FrontStreet Coffee has been focusing on roasting for 5 years, using medium roast to express the regional characteristics that Yunnan specialty coffee should have.

Let me share some basic information about this Yunnan bean, how to brew it after purchase, and what flavors we found in our cupping, so everyone can understand it better.

Yunnan Baoshan Typica

Yunnan Typica

Product Name: Flower Fruit Mountain

Coffee Origin: China, Yunnan, Baoshan

Coffee Variety: Typica

Growing Altitude: 1200M

Quality Grade: AA

Processing Method: Washed

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

Yunnan small-seed coffee belongs to the Rubiaceae family, Coffea genus.

Good bloodline accounts for a large proportion of what makes a good bean. Choosing the right variety, planting it at appropriate altitude, and after maturity, experimenting with processing methods that can express unique flavors - Yunnan Typica growing areas are mainly distributed in Lincang, Baoshan, Simao, Xishuangbanna, Dehong and other prefectures in Yunnan, China.

The path of specialty coffee is not that difficult, but not that easy either. The current transformation of Yunnan coffee to Yunnan specialty coffee, most of Yunnan now grows Catimor, which is a hybrid of Caturra (a Bourbon branch of Arabica) and Robusta. The reason for growing this variety is that Catimor has Robusta genes.

Therefore, it has stronger disease resistance than single old varieties and also yields better. Compared to delicate old varieties with poor disease resistance and low yields, farmers naturally prefer growing Catimor, so a Catimor trend has now swept across Yunnan.

Looking through them, in a vast field of Catimor, it's actually easy to recognize. After careful observation, you'll find that each variety has its own appearance. Catimor's leaves droop downward, and the tree shape looks like it's wearing a cloak. Typica, on the other hand, has branches that grow upward, with copper-tipped new leaves at the top of the tree.

The new leaves at the tips of the branches in the picture above are copper-colored - this is a Typica coffee tree.

Typica is an old variety in the Arabica family. The well-known Hawaiian Kona is actually also a Typica variety. In a vast field of Catimor, it's actually easy to recognize. Typica is one of the oldest varieties of Arabica coffee trees. The beans are oval or pointed and slender; the flavor is elegant, but the plant is relatively weak with poor disease resistance and low fruit yield.

Typica Coffee Beans

Typica: Oval in shape, looking thin and flat from the side. The ends of Typica beans are slightly upturned. Even if grown at different altitudes, the thickness difference on the side of the green beans won't vary significantly.

Roasted beans: Distinguishing between Typica and Catimor

Growing Altitude

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

Processing Method: Washed

The harvested cherries are processed through a depulper to separate most of the fruit flesh 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 remaining fruit flesh layer. Through washed processing, unripe and defective beans are selected out due to buoyancy, and the fermentation process is easier to control. Therefore, unlike natural processed beans which may have impure flavors, washed processing presents clear fruit acidity, slightly stronger complexity, and a cleaner taste.

Roasting Analysis

The bean's moisture content is 10.9%, so the roasting plan is to charge at 200°C, then use high heat and low air flow to speed up dehydration. After the dehydration stage ends, use medium air flow and medium heat to prevent the Maillard reaction from being too rushed. Develop for 3 minutes after first crack and then discharge.

The roasting process is as follows: HB roaster, 2Kg batch size

Return to temperature: 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

Development for 3 minutes

Discharge: 12'00, 196°C

Roast Level: Medium Roast

Cupping

Cupping 12 hours after roasting: Rich fruit aroma on entry, melon, herbal plant notes. Smooth entry, nuts and milk chocolate in the middle section, lively and bright plum acidity in the finish, mouth-watering on both cheeks, good balance, medium body, full-bodied. From hot to warm temperature, you can feel the layers of sweet and sour, first sweet then sour, apricot and citrus-toned acidity, black tea finish with some brown sugar aftertaste.

Pour-Over Parameters

Dripper choices: V60, Kalita wave, and cake dripper are all suitable

Demonstration with V60

Parameters: 15g coffee, water temperature 90°C

Grind size 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 speed slightly faster to reduce fine particles clogging the dripper, causing over-extraction.

Other Extraction Suggestions:

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

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

AeroPress: Grind size 2.5, water temperature 88°C

We are also exploring the taste of Yunnan specialty coffee. Choosing the right variety, planting it at appropriate altitude, and after maturity, experimenting with processing methods that can express unique flavors - this is what we believe is the only logical relationship for specialty coffee to have distinct regional characteristics. FrontStreet Coffee is still on this journey - in the mist, why did FrontStreet Coffee choose the most difficult path.

It's simply because we want long-time coffee drinkers to take a sip and say, "Ah, this is the taste of Yunnan specialty coffee."

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473