Which Yunnan Arabica Coffee Tastes Best? The Story Behind Baoshan Coffee Beans

FrontStreet Coffee's Introduction to Yunnan Baoshan Coffee

The story of Baoshan coffee begins with Liang Jinshan, a patriotic overseas Chinese who was the first to bring coffee to the region. In 1952, Mr. Ma Xijin of the Tropical and Subtropical Economic Crop Research Institute of the Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences carried Arabica coffee—already cultivated in the Zhefang area of Dehong Prefecture—to Lujiang Dam in Baoshan, and in 1955 Baoshan began large-scale cultivation of small-seed coffee. Lujiang Farm, the experimental base of those years, has since grown into a famous 10,000-mu coffee plantation.

Besides altitude, what gives Baoshan coffee its edge—good enough to be compared with Jamaica Blue Mountain and ranked among international premium coffees? Coffee grows between the equator and roughly 25° north and south latitude, and Baoshan sits between 24°08' and 25°51' north latitude—squarely inside the coffee belt.

The Baoshan small-seed coffee area has a classic dry-hot valley climate: distinct wet and dry seasons with rain and heat arriving together, no severe winter cold and no summer extremes. October to April is the dry season—low humidity, little cloud cover, many sunny days, hot daytime temperatures, and wide day-night swings; May to September is the wet season—more water vapor and cloud, more overcast days, cooler daytime temperatures, and narrower day-night differences. These conditions are highly favorable for coffee.

With large-scale cultivation dating to 1952, Baoshan now has over 60 years of coffee history. In short, its high-quality coffee is the combined result of altitude, location, climate, and accumulated cultivation and management experience—with soil and environment playing their parts as well.

Coffee trees bloom every March—the trees that have finished their harvest, mainly in low-altitude areas, since harvesting at higher elevations is still under way in March. After blooming, the cherries need about six to seven months to mature. The harvest runs from October through the end of April of the following year, with November and December the peak picking months. Pickers work from the inside of the tree outward, and the fruit stems must never be plucked off—otherwise that spot will not bear fruit the following year.

Baoshan mainly grows Typica, Bourbon, and Catimor. Typica and Bourbon are small-seed Arabicas; Catimor is a medium-seed hybrid of Arabica and Robusta. Typica has poor resistance to pests, disease, and drought—trees with dead cherries on their crowns are Typica—while Catimor looks far more vigorous, with healthy leaves still on the treetops and little sign of withering.

Baoshan coffee is processed primarily three ways: washed, honey, and natural.

FrontStreet Coffee's Mission

In short: FrontStreet Coffee is a dedicated coffee research studio, glad to share its coffee knowledge freely in the hope that more friends fall in love with coffee. Every month we hold three discounted coffee events, because we want more people to enjoy the best coffee at the lowest possible price—that has been FrontStreet Coffee's mission for the past six years.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

To taste Baoshan for yourself, FrontStreet Coffee recommends its Yunnan small-bean coffee from the region: washed and roasted medium, it offers soft nut and chocolate sweetness with a light plum acidity, retaining a touch of caramel and some of the region's natural acidity—an affordable first step into Yunnan terroir, and a fine showcase of what the Lujiang Dam area's dry-hot valley climate can do. If you want a clearer, more defined Yunnan profile, the 2013 Yunnan natural Typica from FrontStreet's own estate is roasted medium to bring out its balance: dark-berry and citrus tones, a whisper of winey fermentation, caramel sweetness, a creamy finish, and black tea on the aftertaste. And for Yunnan character in espresso, the barista-favored FrontStreet Black Cocoa blend pairs Yunnan small-bean with Brazil Cerrado—Brazil supplying mixed-nut aromas and balance, Yunnan bringing chocolate and citrus—pulling a balanced Americano with nutty, brown sugar sweetness and a latte with the silky smoothness of almond and cream.