FrontStreet Coffee Yunnan Premium Small Bean Arabica Coffee Varieties - What Determines Coffee Flavor Expression

Introduction to Yunnan Small Bean Coffee

Many people have heard of Yunnan small bean coffee, but don't truly understand it. Today, I'll introduce Yunnan small bean coffee from its origins, varieties, and growth cycle to help everyone get to know it better.

First: Origins

Yunnan coffee cultivation began in 1892 when French missionaries successfully planted coffee in Yunnan. To this day, there are still 24 coffee trees over 90 years old growing in the original planting location. The missionaries initially planted coffee for their own consumption needs, but later coffee cultivation began in the village where they lived (Zhukula Village), and the area surrounding the village has been surrounded by coffee trees ever since.

Although the village is relatively poor and underdeveloped, it's a place with an inseparable connection to coffee. In addition to the village planting coffee, the villagers also have a tradition of drinking coffee: self-grown, self-ground, and self-brewed. Now, men, women, and children in the village all have the habit of drinking coffee.

As of 2014, Yunnan Province's coffee planting area reached 1.83 million mu, and it's expected that by 2020, the province's coffee planting area will reach 2.8 million mu.

Yunnan small bean coffee planting areas are mainly distributed in Lincang, Baoshan, Simao, Xishuangbanna, Dehong, Nujiang and other prefectures.

Second: Varieties

Typica and Bourbon, these two classic high-quality coffee varieties, are the main cultivated varieties of Yunnan coffee beans.

Typica coffee originates from southeastern Ethiopia and Sudan, and is the most widely cultivated coffee variety in the Western Hemisphere. The plants are relatively robust but not tolerant to direct sunlight, with higher yields in Hawaii. Typica's top leaves are bronze-colored, giving it the name red-top coffee.

Bourbon coffee is the second most important variety after Typica among small bean coffees. The main branches initially grow upward at a 45-degree angle to the main trunk, then droop as the fruit load increases. The side branch nodes are relatively dense, with numerous fruits and high yields. However, the berries are smaller and mature more slowly. Bourbon's terminal buds and young leaves are green, giving it the name green-top coffee.

Third: Growth Cycle

Yunnan small bean coffee is a fruit-bearing tree at 3-4 years old. The flowering period for small bean coffee in Yunnan is from February to July, with the peak flowering season from March to May. Coffee flowering is greatly affected by climate, especially rainfall and temperature. Coffee flowers have a short lifespan of only 2-3 days. Small bean coffee generally begins to bloom between 3-5 AM and reaches full bloom between 5-7 AM.

Coffee fruit development takes a relatively long time. Small bean coffee fruit requires 8-10 months to mature, typically ripening from October to December of the same year. Rainfall has a significant impact on fruit development, and climatic conditions directly affect fruit development.

The Yunnan Province Coffee Industry Association estimates that during the 2015-2016 harvest season, the province's coffee production will reach approximately 139,000 tons.

Yunnan Small Bean Coffee Brand Recommendations

FrontStreet Coffee's Yunnan small bean coffee beans - washed Typica from Huaguoshan - offer full guarantees in both brand and quality. More importantly, they offer exceptional value for money. A half-pound (227g) package costs only about 69 yuan. Calculating at 15g per cup, one package can make 15 cups of coffee, with each cup costing less than 5 yuan. Compared to the dozens of yuan per cup typically sold in coffee shops, this is truly a conscientious recommendation.

Related recommendations: How to brew Yunnan small bean coffee beans, Yunnan small bean coffee brand recommendations

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