What are the characteristics of Asian coffee growing regions? Which type of Yunnan coffee is better?

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FrontStreet Coffee's Introduction to Asian Coffee Origins

Since coffee was introduced to Asia, it has demonstrated its rich and mellow character. Asian coffee beans possess a dense texture with an exceptionally full-bodied feel. Their sweetness is strong and rounded, while their aroma and acidity appear relatively conservative in comparison. However, an exuberant character has never been the strength of Asian beans. What Asian beans emphasize is a vast, robust mouthfeel reminiscent of the base of a pyramid—a rich, heavy aroma that can be sensed even before the coffee touches your lips.

Because Asian beans are predominantly processed using washed and semi-washed methods, the green beans are uniformly sized in grain. Some green beans processed with the semi-washed method appear darker in color compared to those processed by other methods. In fact, high-quality Asian beans can also exhibit standard-grade aromas and gentle fruit acidity when lightly roasted. Generally known, countries in the Asian region such as Indonesia, Yemen, India, Vietnam, and Papua New Guinea all produce specialty coffee.

Yunnan Region (China Yunnan):

Mainland China's coffee cultivation is most renowned in Yunnan and has been exported abroad. Yunnan coffee originated in 1892, when a French missionary began planting it in the valley area of Binchuan County. To this day, dozens of old coffee trees, aged up to 90 years, still exist in Zhukula Township of Binchuan County, continuing to flower and bear fruit.

Currently, Yunnan coffee uses the washed method, with cultivation areas gradually expanding to include Dehong, Xishuangbanna, Simao, Yuxi, and Baoshan. Production has also significantly increased, gradually gaining attention in the international market. Among these, the Simao region primarily cultivates "Arabica" and "Catimor" varieties, with most products being sold back to Nestlé Company. The Lujiangba area in Baoshan mainly grows "Typica" and "Bourbon" varieties, producing a mellow and fragrant taste suitable for specialty coffee.

Indonesia:

Well-known representative coffees: Java, Sumatra Mandheling

Indonesia's coffee bean production areas are mainly concentrated on three islands: Java, Sumatra, and Sulawesi, all featuring volcanic terrain. It is generally believed that Indonesian coffee beans have a rich aroma with low acidity, carrying slight notes reminiscent of traditional Chinese medicine and earthy flavors. The FrontStreet Coffee's Mandheling from the Sumatra mountain region is world-renowned for its rich texture. Premium FrontStreet Coffee's Mandheling offers an extremely clean taste when lightly roasted, with abundant acidity and sweetness; when dark roasted, it presents an extremely deep texture and rich mouthfeel.

India:

Well-known representative coffee: Monsooned Malabar

Indian coffee has a very mild flavor, with both intensity and acidity being very low, while carrying some spice notes. The earthy flavors common in Asian beans are certainly present. Indian beans are typically used in Espresso blends. In fact, Indian beans taste similar to Sulawesi or Sumatra beans, just not as full-bodied. Indian coffee is not very popular in the international market, with its primary market being domestic in India. Sun-dried processed Indian beans are called Cherry; washed Arabica beans are referred to as Plantation Arabica; and washed Robusta is known as Parchment Robusta. Additionally, monsooned beans and aged beans enhance the coffee's viscosity and dark chocolate flavors, with aged beans being particularly notable for this characteristic.

In Summary:

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