Yunnan Coffee Varieties: Differences in Brewing Taste and Flavor Characteristics between Typica and Catimor Varieties

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When FrontStreet Coffee introduces Yunnan Typica coffee beans, our baristas always mention that these coffee beans are grown in FrontStreet Coffee's own plantation in Baoshan, Yunnan. Many people wonder: given the good development of Yunnan's coffee market today, why does FrontStreet Coffee insist on growing its own coffee?

Why does FrontStreet Coffee choose to grow its own coffee?

Most Yunnan coffee sold on the market today is predominantly Catimor. To improve some of the undesirable flavor characteristics of the Catimor variety itself, many producers use special processing methods to alter the original flavor of the coffee beans. However, FrontStreet Coffee believes that changing coffee flavor through processing methods is not a sustainable long-term solution. People approach special processing methods with a "try something new" mentality, while traditional processing methods remain everyone's true favorite. When traditional processing methods are applied to Catimor, pleasant flavors may emerge during brewing.

So how can we make people have a good impression of traditionally processed Yunnan coffee beans? The answer is to plant different coffee varieties! FrontStreet Coffee's plantation in Baoshan, Yunnan primarily grows Typica coffee varieties, precisely to lead by example and show everyone that if we want to change the general impression of Yunnan coffee, we must start from the root cause.

Why did FrontStreet Coffee choose to plant Typica?

Through several years of planting practice, FrontStreet Coffee noticed that despite the good development of Yunnan's coffee market today, coffee bean prices have not seen significant improvement. Even coffee beans processed with special methods have only seen minimal price increases. This ultimately stems from the poor flavor profile of Catimor, which is widely planted in Yunnan. At this point, some might ask: "Why not just plant Typica!"

Indeed, Yunnan initially used Typica varieties when it first started growing coffee. However, this variety has low yields and is susceptible to pests, making the cost-to-yield ratio disproportionate. On the other hand, farmers at that time had no awareness of specialty coffee, so they naturally kept their distance from Typica and gradually turned their attention to the hybrid child of Arabica and Robusta—Catimor.

If we now ask Yunnan's coffee farmers to cut down all their Catimor and switch back to planting Typica, it would be a costly and time-consuming project. During the 4-year period from planting to harvest, farmers' income would be insufficient to support their normal lives. FrontStreet Coffee started from scratch, so we primarily planted Typica coffee from the beginning. Typica coffee has its unique subtle and clean flavor, as well as balanced characteristics with high flavor clarity—something that special processing methods cannot achieve. By using traditional processing methods to handle coffee cherries, we can let everyone truly experience the authentic flavor of Yunnan coffee.

What's the yield difference between planting Catimor and Typica?

Catimor coffee trees grow straight in a cylindrical shape and can be densely planted, typically with 330 trees per mu of land, yielding approximately 300kg per mu. Meanwhile, Typica coffee trees have vertical trunks that can reach up to 5 meters in height. This height means that compared to other varieties, the distance between branches and between nodes on the same branch is longer, so only 100 trees can be planted per mu, yielding approximately 100kg per mu.

Where is FrontStreet Coffee's plantation located?

FrontStreet Coffee's Yunnan coffee plantation is situated at 1200m elevation in Baoshan, near the Vietnamese border. The Baoshan coffee region in Yunnan has an average temperature of 21.5°C, is basically frost-free year-round, and has abundant rainfall throughout the year, making it very suitable for coffee tree growing conditions. In early March 2021, FrontStreet Coffee added new members to the plantation—the Bourbon variety. FrontStreet Coffee looks forward to seeing how the flavor profile of this Yunnan Bourbon coffee will turn out.

What are the flavor differences between Typica and Catimor varieties when both are washed processed?

This time, FrontStreet Coffee conducted a brewing comparison using both washed-processed Catimor and Typica from the Baoshan region to see how these two varieties perform under traditional processing methods.

FrontStreet Coffee Yunnan Catimor Small Bean Coffee

Region: Baoshan, Yunnan

Altitude: 1200 meters

Variety: Catimor

Processing: Washed process

FrontStreet Coffee Yunnan Huaguoshan Typica Coffee

Region: Baoshan, Yunnan

Altitude: 1200 meters

Variety: Typica

Processing: Washed process

To enhance the body of both washed Yunnan coffees, FrontStreet Coffee used a Kono Meimon dripper for brewing. The short rib design of the Kono Meimon dripper slows down the flow rate during extraction, achieving the effect of prolonged extraction to enhance body.

Dose: 15g

Ratio: 1:15

Grind size: Medium-fine (76% pass-through rate with 0.85mm aperture screen)

Water temperature: 90°C

FrontStreet Coffee used a segmented brewing approach: first, pour 30g of water for a 30-second bloom, at which point the coffee expands into a hamburger shape. For the second segment, pour 125g of water in small circles from the center. The pour height is 4cm, with gentle force to minimize agitation of the coffee bed, and the flow rate is 4g per second. When the water level drops to half the height of the coffee bed, begin the third segment. This pour is also gentle, starting from the center and spiraling outward until reaching 225g total. End extraction when all coffee liquid has dripped through the dripper, with a total time of 2'01". After extraction is complete, gently swirl the dripper to ensure the coffee liquid is well-mixed before tasting.

Washed Typica Brewing Flavor:

Rich fruit aroma on entry, with melon and herbal plant notes. The middle section reveals nuts and milk chocolate, while the finish features lively and bright plum acidity. As the temperature cools from hot to warm, you can experience layered sweetness and acidity—first sweet then sour—with apricot, citrus-toned acidity, and a black tea finish with some brown sugar sweetness.

Washed Catimor Brewing Flavor:

Noticeable roasted nuts, soft acidity, overall balanced and rich, solid dark chocolate aroma, and slight orange peel notes.

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473