What is the Taste Profile of Yunnan Small Bean Coffee? How Many Flavor Varieties Exist?

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Yunnan's Coffee: Quality and Characteristics

Yunnan's coffee cultivation and production account for 98% of the country's total. So what makes Yunnan coffee so special? Yunnan is China's main coffee-producing region, with over 90% of domestic coffee grown here.

Baoshan, Lincang, Pu'er, and Dehong are the main coffee-growing areas in our province. The climate and temperature are extremely suitable for cultivating high-quality coffee beans. These major growing regions have nearly two million acres of planting area, with total production far exceeding other provinces in China.

Coffee quality is determined by various factors including growing environment, climate, and cultivation management techniques. Its optimal growing environment is characterized by low latitude, high altitude, adequate rainfall, and appropriate sunlight. Therefore, the area between 15°N latitude and the Tropic of Cancer is the ideal growing zone for coffee.

However, other regions in this zone such as Hawaii and Saudi Arabia either have low altitudes or are deserts with little rainfall, which are unfavorable for coffee growth. Only southern Yunnan, located in this zone, possesses all the necessary conditions. According to expert measurements, Arabica coffee should be grown on mountainous land at altitudes of 800-1800 meters. If the altitude is too high, the coffee tastes sour; if too low, it tastes bitter.

Most Yunnan coffee is grown in dry, hot valley areas at around 1100 meters altitude, resulting in moderate acidity, rich aroma, and smooth flavor.

In terms of climatic conditions, southern Yunnan enjoys long daylight hours, which promotes plant growth and photosynthesis. Additionally, the significant temperature difference between day and night, with cooler temperatures at night, facilitates the accumulation of coffee nutrients. Consequently, Yunnan Arabica coffee contains higher levels of effective nutritional components than other foreign coffee varieties.

Arabica coffee is susceptible to coffee leaf rust, which significantly affects both yield and quality after infection. Due to the distinct wet and dry seasons in Yunnan's tropical regions, the ripening of fresh coffee berries coincides with the dry season, when relative humidity is low, unfavorable for the formation and growth of rust spores. Thanks to Yunnan coffee's exceptional quality, it entered the London market in the 1960s as "Lujiang No. 1" and was classified as a premium product. In recent years, world-renowned coffee companies such as Nestlé and Maxwell House have successively established raw material bases in Yunnan, and Yunnan's products have gradually gained fame both domestically and internationally.

FrontStreet Coffee's Yunnan Initiative

FrontStreet Coffee has also come to Yunnan to start our own coffee cultivation. The coffee seedlings we cultivated in the nursery bed last year have now grown to 50 centimeters. This year, they can be transplanted to suitable mountains to continue their development. In the near future, we'll be able to enjoy coffee from our own cultivation!

The 12,000 plants we cultivated this time are mainly Typica, Bourbon, and Yellow Bourbon. Typica and Bourbon, these two classic premium coffee varieties, are the main cultivated varieties in Yunnan. In 1991, the Catimor series was introduced from Kenya (stronger virus resistance and higher yield). These belong to the Arabica species (also known as small-grain variety). Due to the similar morphology and habits of Typica and Bourbon, they are often cultivated together.

Brewing Recommendations for Yunnan Arabica Coffee

Recommended brewing method: Pour-over

Filter: V60

Water temperature: 90-92°C

Coffee-to-water ratio: 1:15

Grind size: Medium-fine, similar to granulated sugar (VARIO 50: 57% pass-through rate on China standard #20 sieve)

Brewing technique: Segmented extraction. Bloom with 30g of water for 30 seconds. When pouring in small circular motions to 124g, create a segmentation. Continue pouring to 227g when the water level is about to expose the coffee bed. Remove the filter cup when the water level is about to expose the coffee bed again (timing starts from bloom). Total extraction time: 2 minutes.

When brewed with a V60 filter, it emits a strong nutty aroma. The taste reveals herbal, chocolate, and caramel notes, with a hint of light fruity acidity in the aftertaste.

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