Origin Story of Yunnan Small-Grain Coffee: Main Categories and Yunnan Coffee Bean Roasting Curve Parameters Sharing

When people nowadays talk about Yunnan small-bean coffee on the market, it belongs to the Typica coffee variety. Since Catimor coffee varieties occupy the majority of Yunnan coffee bean production by virtue of their yield, the Yunnan small-bean coffee beans that people usually refer to are actually Yunnan Catimor. In Yunnan's coffee-producing regions, 99.99% of the coffee varieties planted are Catimor. Many friends might ask why? FrontStreet Coffee believes this is because Catimor has excellent disease and pest resistance, and its yield is sufficiently high - to put it plainly, the economic benefits are high enough.

FrontStreet Coffee clearly understands the factors that affect coffee flavor importance, and we also have a heart that hopes to change everyone's perception of Yunnan coffee beans. Additionally, in FrontStreet Coffee's view, liking Yunnan coffee beans doesn't require any reason, because this is our own Chinese coffee.

Yunnan's Four Major Coffee Growing Regions

Lincang, Baoshan, Pu'er, and Dehong are the four important growing regions for Yunnan coffee beans, basically distributed in the southwestern part of Yunnan Province.

Among these, Lincang deserves special mention. (Please continue reading patiently) Lincang borders Pu'er to the east, Dali to the north, and connects with Baoshan to the west, while linking with Myanmar to the southwest. The average annual temperature in Lincang City ranges between 16.8°C and 17.2°C. Dry and wet seasons are distinct, with abundant sunshine.

FrontStreet Coffee has established its own estate in Yunnan's Lincang region. Following this, in this year (2021), FrontStreet Coffee produced its first self-grown coffee beans.

In fact, the coffee varieties initially planted in Yunnan were Typica. Due to Catimor's strong disease resistance and high yield, with the opening policy, international brands like Starbucks and Nestlé entered Yunnan for vigorous promotion. However, Catimor variety coffee beans have one drawback: lackluster flavor. Over time, Yunnan small-bean coffee gradually evolved from the previous Typica coffee variety to the current Catimor variety.

China's Coffee Producing Region · Yunnan Baoshan

The highest altitude coffee quality in Yunnan's Baoshan coffee-producing region can rival that of Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee beans. Additionally, Baoshan is also rich in the world's most expensive civet coffee. As early as 1952, Baoshan began large-scale coffee cultivation, with over 60 years of history to date. Yunnan's Baoshan coffee-producing region is known as the "Best Coffee Producing Region in Asia."

The coffee industry is also the most well-developed and mature industry in market economy among the industries led by the Baoshan municipal government since the founding of New China. To better develop this industry, Baoshan has made various attempts in this regard, including launching projects like the Yunnan Baoshan Coffee World.

Yunnan Baoshan is located in a low-latitude plateau, known for the saying "one mountain has four seasons, ten miles have different weather." Such climate conditions are extremely suitable for growing coffee beans. Here's a piece of data: Yunnan Province's coffee production reaches 136,000 tons, accounting for over 95% of the country's coffee production, with the highest export volume ranking first in the country at 60,700 tons.

The Baoshan region has a long history of coffee cultivation and is recognized as the "Best Small-Bean Coffee Origin," making it one of the better-quality coffee producing regions both nationally and globally.

FrontStreet Coffee · Yunnan Coffee Estate Coffee Bean Introduction

In this year's 2021 new Yunnan coffee season, we processed a small batch of Yunnan natural-processed Typica coffee beans ourselves. Due to limited quantity, FrontStreet Coffee could only offer this bean as a "limited gift" in promotions for everyone to sample! FrontStreet Coffee's bean list has always included a Yunnan washed Typica Huaguoshan coffee bean.

FrontStreet Coffee has two Yunnan small-bean coffee beans: one is Catimor variety, and one is Typica variety. Because Catimor has Robusta genes, its flavor profile is somewhat inferior compared to Typica coffee beans.

Yunnan possesses excellent coffee growing conditions, but FrontStreet Coffee believes that the current quality of Yunnan coffee beans has not yet reached "specialty coffee" standards primarily because: 1. Variety. Most of Yunnan grows Catimor, which is inherently inferior to the excellent Typica coffee variety. 2. Use of anaerobic processing. This is a novel processing method, but doing so has already masked the coffee's original flavor, so how can we talk about specialty coffee?

FrontStreet Coffee's physical stores often share this self-produced natural-processed Typica coffee bean as tasting samples, gifting it to different customers for sampling.

The western and southern parts of Yunnan Province are located between 15°N latitude and the Tropic of Cancer, while most areas also possess the high altitudes required for coffee cultivation and production. The terrain is primarily mountainous and sloped, with significant variations, fertile soil, abundant sunshine, rich rainfall, and large temperature differences between day and night.

Among these, areas like Pu'er, Xishuangbanna, Wenshan, Baoshan, Dehong, and Lincang in southern and western Yunnan are all distribution areas for Yunnan small-bean variety coffee bean cultivation.

We all know that washed-processed coffee beans have a cleaner taste, while natural-processed coffee beans have more fruity flavors.

However, FrontStreet Coffee believes that traditional coffee processing methods best express the most fundamental flavors of coffee producing regions. Therefore, on FrontStreet Coffee's bean list, you will find many washed-processed beans, such as those from Ethiopia, Panama, Colombia, etc.

Current Yunnan coffee beans have more choices in processing methods. Simply in terms of details, many different processing methods have already evolved. For example, adding steps during the anaerobic fermentation process.

The most widely planted coffee variety in Yunnan's coffee-producing regions currently is Catimor. Additionally, in the Baoshan region, there are still small plantings of Typica and Bourbon varieties. Although Typica and Bourbon both belong to the Arabica species, they indeed have significant differences in essence.

Coffee Varieties Comparison

Next, let's talk about Typica and Bourbon these two bean varieties.

Typica Coffee Variety

Typica coffee variety originates from Ethiopia and southeastern Sudan, and is the most widely cultivated coffee variety in the Western Hemisphere; its plants are relatively robust but not resistant to light exposure. Typica's top leaves are copper-colored, also known as red-top coffee. Currently, many commercial improved varieties originate from this species.

Typica coffee beans are recognized as a specialty coffee variety. However, their yield is extremely low, and they are susceptible to rust disease, requiring more labor input for management, resulting in high care costs. Excellent estate beans like Jamaican Blue Mountain, Sumatra Mandheling, and Hawaiian Kona all belong to Typica.

Bourbon Coffee Variety

In the 18th century, the French introduced round coffee beans from Yemen to Réunion Island. At that time, Réunion Island was still known by the name Bourbon Island, hence it got the name Bourbon. In 1860, the Bourbon variety was introduced to Brazil and from there rapidly spread to various countries in Central and South America, where these countries still grow and produce Bourbon variety coffee beans to this day.

It is a mutation of Typica, with green terminal buds and young leaves, also known as green-top coffee. Bourbon coffee beans have excellent aroma and rich layers, but very low disease and pest resistance capacity, and low yield. Therefore, many Central and South American countries choose to plant natural mutations of Bourbon - Caturra, or other more disease-resistant and higher-yielding coffee varieties.

Catimor Coffee Variety

Strictly speaking, Catimor coffee variety is not purely of Arabica bloodline. It is a hybrid of Timor variety (Robusta coffee variety) and Caturra coffee variety (a mutation of Bourbon coffee variety), so Catimor has 25% Robusta coffee variety bloodline.

And because it contains 25% Robusta bloodline, this determines Catimor's flavor defects - insufficient aroma richness, heavy bitterness, prone to astringency and relatively stimulating musty flavors.

Typica coffee variety yield is only 1/3 of Catimor coffee variety yield, which is why it's more expensive. At the same time, Typica and Bourbon are also very susceptible to rust disease, which is one of the reasons why coffee farmers are unwilling to plant Arabica.

Due to the low yield and disease susceptibility of Typica and Bourbon varieties, plus high care costs, this means growers need longer exploration time. Current coffee farmers do not yet have "specialty coffee" awareness; however, even if they understand specialty coffee, when it comes to cutting down old trees and spending several years replanting, coffee farmers can only keep their distance.

FrontStreet Coffee · Coffee Bean Processing Method Introduction

Natural Processing Method

As the oldest processing method for coffee beans, it can be summarized in four words: "dry and peel." However, producing well-processed natural coffee beans is not as easy as you might imagine. Natural processing is generally more common in dry, warm, and sunny regions.

Coffee cherries must be processed immediately after harvesting. First, manual hand-selection screening is performed to pick out defective coffee cherries, including overripe, unripe, insect-damaged ones, and of course, other non-coffee cherry objects. "Floating selection" is a commonly used screening method. After screening, coffee cherries are dried in the sun.

The drying time for coffee beans depends on weather, generally taking 4 weeks. Different regions may use different drying racks - some use tarps, some raised beds, some concrete floors, etc. The average drying time is 3-4 weeks until the coffee moisture content drops to 11% to complete the drying process. Then machines are used to remove the dried coffee pulp, skin, and mucilage parts.

Washed Processing Method

Because Ethiopia's coffee cultivation altitude is generally high and water resources are scarce, the earliest and most traditional processing method was natural processing. However, due to rough processing steps, the coffee's flavor became too concentrated and not very clean.

In 1972, Yirgacheffe introduced washed processing from Central and South America to improve coffee quality. This introduction greatly enhanced the quality of Ethiopian coffee beans by several levels. Subsequently, the jasmine fragrance and lemon-citrus flavors of washed Yirgacheffe coffee beans became representatives of African specialty beans, gaining popularity in Europe and America. The washed processing method also became mainstream in the Yirgacheffe region.

After harvesting, coffee cherries are immediately sent to washing processing plants for processing. Workers first perform floating selection on the harvested coffee cherries to remove insufficient density cherries, then use machines to remove the skin and pulp, and then place them in water tanks for waterless or water fermentation, using fermentation to decompose the mucilage layer.

After fermentation is complete, coffee beans are washed with clean water to remove mucilage. Finally, the mucilage-removed coffee beans are sun-dried, with drying time reduced by more than half. Depending on weather, drying time generally takes about 2 weeks, reducing moisture content to between 11% and 13%. Finally, coffee beans are stored with parchment, which is only removed before export.

FrontStreet Coffee · Yunnan Small-Bean Coffee Beans

Origin: Yunnan Baoshan
Altitude: 1200m
Processing Method: Washed
Variety: Catimor

FrontStreet Coffee · Yunnan Small-Bean Coffee Beans Roasting Record

Enter the drum at 190°C, heat at 120, damper set to 3; Return temperature point at 1'40", when drum temperature reaches 145°C, open damper to 4, heat unchanged; When drum temperature reaches 166°C, bean surface turns yellow, grassy aroma completely disappears, entering dehydration stage. When drum temperature reaches 188°C, adjust heat to 60°C, damper to 5; At 8'37", bean surface shows ugly wrinkles and black spots, 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. Start first crack at 9'00", damper unchanged, develop for 3 minutes after first crack, discharge at 198°C.

FrontStreet Coffee · Yunnan Small-Bean Coffee Beans Cupping Results

Smooth entry, Asian herbal plant aroma, lively and bright acidity, salivating on both cheeks, soft acidity, well-balanced body, rich layers, aftertaste with obvious black chocolate, honey, and cane sugar flavors. After completely cooling, brown sugar flavor.

About 6 years ago, FrontStreet Coffee began sourcing Typica from Yunnan's Baoshan region, creating the representative Yunnan Huaguoshan coffee beans with Yunnan coffee bean characteristics.

FrontStreet Coffee · Yunnan FrontStreet Coffee 2013 Coffee Beans

Coffee Origin: Lincang
Coffee Variety: Typica
Altitude: 1300m
Processing Method: Natural

FrontStreet Coffee · Yunnan Huaguoshan Coffee Beans Roasting Record

The beans have a moisture content of 10.9%, so the roasting plan is to enter beans at 200°C, then use high heat and small damper to speed up dehydration. After the dehydration stage ends, use medium damper and medium heat to avoid rushing the Maillard reaction time. Develop for 3 minutes after first crack then discharge. Return temperature point: 1'32", 92.5°C; Yellowing point: 5'40", 148.5°C; First crack: 8'59", 188.0°C; Develop for 3 minutes then discharge: 12'00", 196°C.

FrontStreet Coffee · Yunnan Huaguoshan Coffee Beans Cupping Record

Cupping 12 hours after roasting: Rich fruit aroma on entry, melon, herbal plant aroma, smooth entry, mid-section nuts, milk chocolate, finish with lively and bright plum acidity, salivating on both cheeks, good balance, medium body, full body. From hot to warm temperature, you can feel the layered sweet and sour sensations - first sweet then sour, apricot-peach, citrus-toned acidity, aftertaste with black tea and some brown sugar.

FrontStreet Coffee · Brewing Tips Sharing for Yunnan Small-Bean Coffee Beans and Yunnan Huaguoshan Coffee Beans

FrontStreet Coffee recommends using V60 dripper for brewing. Because the V60 has a large opening, combined with its unique spiral ribbed design, allows air to be discharged more easily, thereby improving extraction quality. The mouthfeel might not be thick enough, but its high concentration brings out Yunnan coffee's fruit acidity and distinct aroma as its major characteristic.

Dripper: V60 #01
Water Temperature: 90-92°C
Coffee-to-Water Ratio: 1:15
Grind Size: Medium-fine grind, i.e., sugar crystal size (57% pass rate on China standard #20 sieve)

Brewing Method: Segmented extraction.

30g of water for bloom for 30 seconds, small water flow circular pour to 124g then segment, when water level drops and is about to expose the coffee bed, continue pouring to 227g then stop pouring. When water level drops and is about to expose the coffee bed, remove the dripper (timing starts from bloom). Extraction time is 2 minutes.

FrontStreet Coffee · Yunnan Small-Bean Coffee Beans Flavor Description

Smells of nutty aroma, entry with herbal, chocolate, caramel, aftertaste with a hint of light fruit acidity.

FrontStreet Coffee · Yunnan Huaguoshan Coffee Beans Flavor Description

Dry aroma has light citrus acidity and nutty aroma. Taste is plum and citrus acidity tones with nutty flavors, melon-fruit fragrance and brown sugar sweetness, aftertaste with some black tea sensation. Overall flavor layers are quite rich.

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473