Overall Flavor Profile of Yunnan Coffee Beans and Brief History of Coffee Development in China's Yunnan

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FrontStreet Coffee - Introduction to Yunnan Small-Bean Coffee

The history of coffee cultivation in Yunnan can be traced back to 1892, with large-scale coffee cultivation beginning in the mid-1950s. It was also China's first coffee cultivation base, which shows that Yunnan's connection with coffee is inseparable.

Yunnan's Gaoligong Mountains are a beautiful place with an average altitude of about 3,500 meters. The Gaoligong Mountains span five latitudes and are the only region on Earth that still preserves large transitional areas from humid tropical forests to temperate forests. It is an extremely precious and rare region with outstanding biodiversity worldwide.

Yunnan small-bean coffee grows in mountainous areas at altitudes of 800-1,800 meters. There could be no more suitable place than the Gaoligong Mountains. In such a place of outstanding natural beauty and talented people, Yunnan's unique small-bean coffee is cultivated. Due to the unique geographical environment and special climate, the small-bean coffee grown here is of higher quality compared to other small-bean coffees.

China's First Coffee Tree

In 1892, Frenchman Tian De Neng came to a village called Zhukula in Binchuan County, Yunnan, and planted the first coffee tree outside his door. Since then, Zhukula has formed an indissoluble bond with coffee, and Yunnan also became the first place in mainland China to cultivate coffee.

Many places in Yunnan are located exactly on the coffee cultivation belt, with long sunshine hours and fertile soil, which is beneficial for plant photosynthesis. The large temperature difference between day and night, with low temperatures at night, helps accumulate coffee nutrients. Therefore, the effective nutritional components of Yunnan small-bean coffee are higher than other small-bean coffee varieties from abroad.

However, Yunnan also has unfavorable conditions. Its soil is slightly acidic and lacks zinc and copper—pure small-bean varieties are not likely to have high yields in such environments. Most small-bean coffee is cultivated in dry-hot valley areas at around 1,100 meters altitude, with cultivation areas mainly distributed in regions such as Lincang, Baoshan, Simao, Xishuangbanna, and Dehong.

Knowledge Extension

Most of the coffee currently cultivated in Yunnan is Catimor, a hybrid variety that is a cross between the Caturra branch of the Bourbon lineage within the Arabica species and the Robusta species lineage.

In Summary

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