Where is Chinese Coffee Grown? Yunnan - A Coffee Region Beyond Just Tea

FrontStreet Coffee - Introduction to Yunnan Coffee Growing Regions

In the past, Yunnan coffee was of poor quality and was mostly used for instant coffee, which gave it a weak reputation. In recent years, however, Yunnan coffee has emerged like a dark horse and has gradually appeared in the specialty coffee market.

History of Coffee Cultivation in Yunnan

The history can be traced back to 1892, when a French missionary brought coffee seeds from abroad into Yunnan and successfully planted the first coffee tree in a place called Zhukula. At the time he probably never imagined that a hundred years later coffee would become a highlight of Yunnan's plateau specialty agriculture.

After 1930, the renowned overseas Chinese leader Mr. Liang Jinshan brought coffee to Pupiao and Luoming for cultivation, which continued until after the founding of New China. After 1952, under the guidance of expert Ma Guojin from the Baoshan Institute of Tropical Agriculture, large-scale coffee cultivation began in areas such as Lujiang. The history of large-scale cultivation now spans nearly 60 years.

By the end of 1997, the province's coffee cultivation area had reached 7,800 hectares. Today the province accounts for 70% of the national growing area and 83% of national production. Whether measured by cultivation area or by coffee bean output, Yunnan coffee has established a dominant position within China.

International Common Grading Standards

Coffee beans are graded by size using round-hole grading screens. The international standard for small-grain coffee covers grades 10-20. The number represents the screen hole diameter as a fraction with the number as the numerator and 64 as the denominator, measured in inches. Grade 14, for example, refers to green beans that can pass through a screen with a hole diameter of 14/64 inch or larger, while grade 19 refers to green beans that can pass through a screen with a hole diameter of 19/64 inch or larger. (1 inch is about 2.54 cm.)

Yunnan's coffee cultivation is mainly distributed across Lincang, Baoshan, Pu'er and Dehong. These areas share natural conditions of low latitude, high altitude and a large day-night temperature difference, making Yunnan a golden cultivation zone for high-quality Arabica (small-grain) coffee.

Knowledge Point

Arabica coffee is generally believed to originate from the Ethiopian plateau and is widely distributed across the tropics. Through repeated mutation and breeding, it has given rise to numerous varieties.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

The easiest way to meet Yunnan coffee is FrontStreet Coffee's Yunnan small-millet bean from the Baoshan region. It is washed and roasted to a medium level, so it pours with soft nut and chocolate sweetness and a light plum acidity, and its approachable price makes it the first Yunnan coffee for many drinkers.

To see how far the region can go, try FrontStreet Coffee's 2013 Natural Typica. Typica is one of the oldest and purest Arabica varieties, and FrontStreet Coffee planted its own estate in Yunnan in 2013 to grow it. Only fully ripe red cherries are used and the coffee is dried as a natural, then roasted to a medium level for a more balanced cup: dark berry character with caramel sweetness, chocolate and a hint of dried apricot, finishing with a black tea aftertaste.

For milk drinks, 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 is balanced between acidity, sweetness and bitterness with nut and brown sugar sweetness, and a latte with an almond and cream smoothness that is ideal for beginners. The best pieces of Yunnan are grown mostly in the province's southwest, across Baoshan, Dehong, Pu'er and Lincang, on fertile sloping land with abundant sunshine, generous rainfall and a large day-night temperature difference.