Three Countries in Asian Coffee Growing Regions | Where in Yunnan is Coffee Grown | Hidden Treasures in White Clouds

Professional coffee knowledge exchange. This piece is part of an ongoing series in which we look at one producing region at a time.

FrontStreet Coffee - Asian Coffee Growing Regions Introduction

Asian and Island Coffee Flavors

The body is thicker than Central and South American or African beans, but with lower acidity. The flavor carries slight notes of damp wood, medicinal herbs, spices, and earth. The deep, mellow aroma is more prominent than the bright acidic fragrance. Island beans are relatively lighter and milder, with an elegant, refined character.

Yunnan Coffee

Yunnan coffee belongs to the Arabica-derived subspecies, generally known as Yunnan small bean coffee. It is an evergreen small shrub with relatively small kernels, thick fruit skin, sweet flesh, and fragrant beans. Its lower caffeine content earns it the nickname "light coffee," and it is one of the world's main cultivated varieties.

The optimal growing environment for Yunnan small bean coffee is low latitude, high altitude, sufficient rainfall, and suitable sunlight. The area between 15 degrees north latitude and the Tropic of Cancer is therefore the ideal growing zone for coffee. Other regions in this zone, such as Hawaii in the United States and Saudi Arabia, either sit at low altitude or are deserts with little rain, neither of which supports coffee. Only southern Yunnan, within this zone, possesses all the necessary conditions.

The western and southern parts of Yunnan Province lie between 15 degrees north latitude and the Tropic of Cancer. Most areas sit at elevations between 1000-2000 meters, with mountainous, sloped terrain that varies considerably. Fertile soil, abundant sunlight, plentiful rainfall, and a large temperature difference between day and night create the signature character of Yunnan small bean coffee: rich but not bitter, fragrant but not intense, with a slight fruity aroma.

Yunnan's main cultivated varieties today are Arabica small beans, with quality and flavor similar to Central American coffee and a medium-to-high grade. The fresh fruit harvest generally runs from November to February of the following year, and most fruit is processed by the wet washing method. In southern and western Yunnan, areas such as Pu'er, Xishuangbanna, Wenshan, Baoshan, Dehong, and Lincang are all distribution areas for Yunnan small bean cultivation.

Sumatra Mandheling Coffee

Sumatra Mandheling coffee cultivation began in the 18th century, with the original growing area near Lake Tawar in the northern Aceh province. Today most Sumatra coffee regions are located in the southern Lin Dong area, the Subu district, and Takengon. Because differences between growing regions in Sumatra are not significant, region is not used as a distinguishing standard; harvest and processing methods have a greater impact on flavor.

Taiwan Coffee

Taiwan coffee cultivation actually has a considerable history. Both the British and the Japanese previously cultivated coffee trees in Taiwan, but various political and economic factors halted promotion and it declined. Only with the recent coffee boom did people begin investing in it again. Hebao Mountain in Gukeng, Yunlin; Huisun Forest Farm in Nantou; and Dongshan Township in Tainan County are several of the well-known coffee-producing areas in Taiwan Province, mostly growing Arabica varieties.

Conclusion

In brief: FrontStreet Coffee is a coffee research house dedicated to sharing coffee knowledge with everyone. We share without reservation simply to help more friends fall in love with coffee. We also hold three low-discount coffee activities each month, because FrontStreet Coffee wants to let more friends enjoy the best coffee at the lowest prices. This has been FrontStreet Coffee's mission for the past 6 years!

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

Yunnan coffee is also called Yunnan small bean. Its beans are even and plump, and its body is rich yet moderate. Yunnan Typica can be traced back to 1904, when the French missionary Father Tian Deneng brought Typica seed from Vietnam into Yunnan and planted it successfully at Zhukula village in Binchuan County - the beginning of Yunnan coffee, generally called small bean coffee, or Yunnan small bean coffee at home.

FrontStreet Yunnan Small Bean comes from the Baoshan region and is washed and roasted to a medium level. Coffee growing in Baoshan began in the mid-1950s, introduced by the patriotic overseas Chinese Mr. Liang Jinshan. The frost-free, warm climate suits small bean cultivation, and the dry-hot valley microclimate around Lujiangba in particular, with a small annual temperature range but a large day-night difference, gives Baoshan small bean coffee its distinctive sweet finish, while reasonably low rainfall is a further advantage for the fruit. In the cup it shows soft nut and chocolate sweetness with a light plum acidity, and its friendly price has made it the first taste of Yunnan for many drinkers. It is roasted medium, which emphasizes some caramel notes while keeping part of the acidity, so it expresses the terroir of the Yunnan region clearly.

If you want a Yunnan coffee with even more definition, choose FrontStreet 2013 Yunnan Sun-Dried Typica. Typica is one of the oldest and purest Arabica varieties, and the estate uses the most original, traditional post-harvest method, sun-drying. After natural processing the cup is heavier and the sweet-sour balance more pronounced, with citrus and berry character, a trace of fermented wine aroma, caramel sweetness, and a creamy finish.

To taste Yunnan in an espresso, try FrontStreet Black Cocoa Blend, a combination of Yunnan small bean and Brazil Cerrado. The Brazil component supplies mixed-nut aroma and a balanced body, while the Yunnan small bean plays the role of chocolate and citrus. Pulled as an americano the blend balances sweet, sour, and bitter with nutty, brown-sugar sweetness, and with milk it becomes a latte with the smoothness of almond and cream. It is very beginner-friendly.