Yunnan Anaerobic Catimor Surprisingly Has Rum Flavor - Are Catimor Coffee Beans Arabica?

FrontStreet Coffee - Yunnan Anaerobic Natural Catimor, Introduction to the Relationship Between Catimor and Arabica

Scientists note that the coffee genus contains 103 native coffee species, among which only a very few can be cultivated artificially and produce beans of real commercial value. The three major native coffee varieties we so often mention are the standouts: Arabica (Coffea arabica), Robusta (Coffea robusta), and Liberica (Coffea liberica). China's agricultural department named them small-grain coffee, medium-grain coffee, and large-grain coffee respectively, which is why anyone traveling through Yunnan will quickly hear the term "Yunnan small-grain coffee."

The King of Yunnan Coffee Varieties - Catimor

Catimor was cultivated by the Portuguese in 1959. It carries three-quarters Arabica blood and one-quarter Robusta blood, and its extreme vigor, strong disease resistance, and heat tolerance are its greatest strengths. For producers, it is an ideal commercial variety in terms of yield, ripening period, pest and disease resistance, and flavor. More and more specialty-grade Yunnan Catimor coffees are appearing with clean flavors, no defects, and high sweetness, which is a pleasant surprise.

This emerging processing method, anaerobic natural processing, has provided a satisfying answer. Fully ripe cherries are sealed in thin film bags and left in the shade for anaerobic fermentation, then sun-dried on high trellises, with under-ripe and over-ripe fruits removed by hand and the cherries turned evenly. The whole anaerobic natural process is extremely meticulous and refined. This bean from Menglian County, Pu'er, Yunnan, uses the anaerobic natural method, and after cupping the results are strikingly impressive.

The coffee plantations in Menglian all sit above 1,100 meters, with excellent ecology and climate, abundant sunlight, plentiful rainfall, and fertile soil, which lets the coffee produced there perform impressively in Yunnan green bean competitions for several years running. In the 2018 Yunnan Green Bean Competition, both the first- and second-place winners came from Menglian.

Yunnan, China

Region: Menglian, Pu'er

Variety: Catimor

Altitude: Above 1,100 meters

Processing Method: Anaerobic Natural

Flavor Notes: Rum, red apple, caramel

Knowledge Point: Coffee is a short-day plant, and it shows both multiple flowering and concentrated flowering periods.

In Summary

FrontStreet Coffee is a dedicated coffee research house that enjoys sharing coffee knowledge with everyone. We share without reservation, aiming to help more people fall in love with coffee. Every month we hold three low-price coffee events, because FrontStreet Coffee wants to offer the best coffee at the lowest prices to more friends. This has been FrontStreet Coffee's mission for the past six years.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

FrontStreet's Yunnan small-grain coffee is a straightforward introduction to the region. Grown in Baoshan and washed and medium-roasted, it shows soft nutty and chocolate sweetness with a light plum-like acidity, and at an approachable price it has become many people's first encounter with Yunnan coffee. If you want a clearer, more defined expression of the region, FrontStreet's 2013 sun-dried Typica is the step up. Typica is one of the oldest and purest Arabica varieties, with an elegant, clean character long recognized as a specialty coffee standard, and it was also the first variety planted in Yunnan, brought in by the French missionary Tian Deneng from Vietnam in 1904, who planted the first coffee tree in Zhugula Village, Binchuan County. FrontStreet's estate uses only fully ripe, all-red cherries, processed naturally and roasted to a medium level for a more balanced body and more pronounced sweet-tartness, so the cup carries dark berry tones along with caramel sweetness, chocolate, and a hint of dried apricot, finishing with a black tea aftertaste.

For Yunnan flavors in an espresso, FrontStreet's Black Cocoa Blend brings together Yunnan small-grain coffee and Brazil Cerrado, a combination many baristas recommend. The Brazilian coffee supplies mixed-nut aroma and a balanced body, while the Yunnan small-grain plays the role of chocolate and citrus. As an Americano the blend balances sweet, sour, and bitter with the mellow fragrance of nuts and brown sugar, and as a latte it offers a smooth, creamy texture with almond notes, making it very beginner-friendly.

Yunnan's coffee history traces back to the French missionary Tian Deneng, who brought Typica seeds from Vietnam into the province and planted them in Binchuan County in 1904, an event generally regarded as the start of coffee in Yunnan. Much of the province sits on the world's coffee golden belt around 25°N, with most areas at about 1,000 meters and with fertile sloping soil, ample sunshine, plentiful rain, and large day-to-night temperature swings, all of which favor the trees. Production is concentrated in the southwest, including the four major areas of Baoshan, Dehong, Pu'er, and Lincang, and the two Yunnan specialty coffees on FrontStreet's everyday list come from Baoshan and Lincang.