Advantages of Coffee Cultivation in Yunnan: Characteristics of Yunnan-Grown Coffee Beans

Introduction to FrontStreet Coffee's Yunnan Baoshan Huaguoshan Coffee

The provinces most suitable for coffee cultivation in China are mainly Yunnan, Hainan, Guangdong and Guangxi. Among them, Yunnan's planting area and production both account for over 95% of the national total. The southern and western parts of Yunnan, including Dehong, Lincang, Pu'er, Baoshan, Xishuangbanna and Wenshan, are all distribution areas for Yunnan small-grain coffee cultivation. To date, Yunnan's coffee planting area has reached 1.8 million acres, with an annual coffee production of 150,000 tons.

The western and southern parts of Yunnan lie between 15 degrees north latitude and the Tropic of Cancer. Most areas sit at an altitude of 1,000-2,000 metres, with terrain dominated by mountains and slopes. Here the fertile land, abundant sunshine, rich rainfall and significant day-night temperature difference create the unique character of Yunnan small-grain coffee: strong but not bitter, fragrant but not intense, with a slight fruity flavour.

Coffee cultivation in Baoshan began in the mid-1950s, with the first coffee seedling introduced by the late patriotic overseas Chinese Mr. Liang Jinshan from Southeast Asia. The Baoshan coffee growing area lies at the eastern foot of the Gaoligong Mountains, in a dry-hot valley zone with a South Asian tropical dry-winter, wet-summer plateau monsoon climate. It enjoys abundant sunshine, rich heat, relatively little rainfall and warm winters with little fog, and is frost-free year-round, earning it the reputation of a "natural greenhouse" and "tropical treasure land."

The locally famous small-grain coffee is of excellent quality. It won a gold medal at the 42nd Brussels Eureka Exhibition in 1993 and was praised by world-class coffee experts from Brazil, Turkey, Indonesia and other countries as "world-class quality" and "world-class cultivation standards." In recent years, with the expansion of international trade, the small-grain coffee from the Lujiang Basin has become even more renowned.

Countries in Europe, America and the Arab world, especially merchants from Britain, America, Egypt, Hong Kong and Macao, regard it as premium coffee, with products in high demand and short supply. In December 2010, after review by the China General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, national geographical indication product protection was granted to "Baoshan Small-Grain Coffee." By the end of 2016, Baoshan's coffee planting area reached 260,000 acres with a total production of 35,000 tons, mainly distributed across counties and cities such as Longyang, Longling, Changning and Shidian.

Typica

One of the old coffee varieties grown in Baoshan, Yunnan is Typica. Typica is an ancient, original coffee variety from Ethiopia.

Typica's top leaves are bronze-coloured, with opposite leaves that are long ovals with a smooth surface. The terminal branches are long with few side branches. Although Typica coffee has an elegant flavour, it is physically weak, has poor disease resistance, is susceptible to leaf rust and does not yield highly.

Yunnan Huaguoshan's dry aroma has a subtle citrus acidity and a nutty fragrance. On the palate it presents the acidity of plum and citrus along with nutty flavours, melon and fruit aromas and brown sugar sweetness. The aftertaste carries a black tea sensation. Overall the flavour profile is rich and layered.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

FrontStreet Coffee's Yunnan small-millet bean from Baoshan is the most approachable way into the region. It is washed and roasted to a medium level, so it brews with soft nut and chocolate sweetness and a light plum acidity, and its friendly price makes it the first Yunnan coffee for many drinkers. The washed process removes the pectin layer by fermentation and rinsing before drying, letting the bean show the terroir's characteristic flavour.

For a clearer expression of Yunnan, FrontStreet Coffee's 2013 Natural Typica comes from FrontStreet Coffee's own estate. Typica is one of the oldest and purest Arabica varieties, and FrontStreet Coffee uses the most traditional post-harvest method, natural sun-drying, with only fully ripe red cherries. The natural process gives a heavier body and more pronounced sweetness and acidity, with citrus and berry character, a hint of fermented wine, caramel sweetness and a creamy finish.

For an espresso built on Yunnan, the FrontStreet Black Cocoa Blend combines a Yunnan small-millet bean with Brazil Cerrado. Brazil supplies the mixed-nut aroma and a balanced body while Yunnan supplies chocolate and citrus, giving an Americano that balances acidity, sweetness and bitterness with nut and brown sugar sweetness, and a latte with an almond and cream smoothness that is very friendly to beginners.