Main Characteristics of Yunnan Coffee Beans - Introduction to Growing Regions, Varieties, Flavor, and Taste Profile of Yunnan Arabica Coffee Beans

Yunnan coffee has become well-known in the coffee world. Many people learned through the movie "Coffee or Tea?" that Yunnan also produces small-bean coffee, and have since shown support for this shining example of domestic products. Since Arabica coffee trees are only suitable for growing in high-altitude areas between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, only Yunnan meets these cultivation conditions and has the potential to grow quality coffee. However, this is just the beginning for Yunnan's excellent coffee.

It is often said that coffee is an agricultural product, so its flavor is closely related to the local growing environment. The geographical location of Yunnan, China, is exceptionally advantageous, with an environment highly suitable for coffee cultivation. Yunnan's altitude ranges from approximately 1500-2000 meters, combining high altitude, abundant sunshine, sufficient rainfall, fertile soil, and significant temperature differences between day and night. These are unique natural advantages that create the ideal conditions for growing specialty coffee. It is precisely because of this geographical environment that Yunnan small-bean coffee exhibits these characteristics: rich and mellow flavor, aromatic but not intense, full-bodied with fruity acidity.

Yunnan Coffee Bean Growing Regions

China is known as the land of tea, but coffee has actually been cultivated in China for quite some time. It simply failed to develop due to various reasons. Now that it has been discovered and valued, Chinese Yunnan specialty coffee has made its name in the world. The western and southern parts of Yunnan Province are located between 15° north latitude and the Tropic of Cancer, with most areas at altitudes of 1000-2000 meters. The terrain is predominantly mountainous and sloped, with significant variations in elevation, fertile soil, abundant sunshine, plentiful rainfall, and large temperature differences between day and night. These unique natural conditions give Yunnan small-bean coffee its distinctive character—rich without bitterness, aromatic without intensity, with a hint of fruitiness.

Yunnan coffee growing areas are mainly distributed in regions such as Lincang, Baoshan, Simao, Xishuangbanna, and Dehong. Baoshan has an average temperature of 21.5°C, reaching as high as 40.4°C, with basically no frost throughout the year, making it recognized as the best growing area for small-bean coffee. FrontStreet Coffee invites everyone to learn about the growing environments and coffee characteristics of these regions.

Dehong

Known as the "Coffee Hometown of China." The coffee cultivation altitude in Dehong Prefecture is all above 1000 meters, with 30,000 mu planted on mountainous areas above 1600 meters altitude. Additionally, Dehong Prefecture mainly uses organic fertilizers and organic pesticides for coffee cultivation, resulting in higher coffee quality, making it one of the world's rare high-quality coffee producing areas.

Baoshan

Coffee cultivation in Baoshan began in the mid-1950s, with the first coffee seedling introduced from Southeast Asia by the late patriotic overseas Chinese Mr. Liang Jinshan. In recent years, with the expansion of international trade, the small-bean coffee from Lujiang Basin has become renowned. European, American, and Arab countries, especially Britain, America, Egypt, Hong Kong, and Macau merchants, regard it as premium coffee, with supply unable to meet demand. In December 2010, after review by the China National Quality Inspection Administration, it was decided to implement national geographical indication product protection for "Baoshan Small-Bean Coffee."

Lincang

Lincang is located in the southwestern part of Yunnan Province, with the Tropic of Cancer crossing its southern part. Lincang borders Pu'er to the east, Dali to the north, and connects with Baoshan to the west, sharing a border with Myanmar to the southwest. Named for its proximity to the Lancang River, it is a brilliant pearl on the southwestern border of our country. Lincang's average annual temperature ranges between 16.8°C-17.2°C, with distinct wet and dry seasons and abundant sunshine. The unique geographical location and climate conditions have made Lincang a focus of attention for many coffee companies, which have successively established 200-mu and 100-mu high-quality coffee seedling bases in Mengding Town of Gengma Autonomous County and Xingfu Farm in Lincang City, respectively, and have carried out coffee cultivation in Gengma, Zhenkang, Yunxian, Cangyuan, and Yongde.

FrontStreet Coffee has established its own estate in the Lincang growing region of Yunnan. Then in 2021, FrontStreet Coffee produced its first self-grown coffee beans. FrontStreet Coffee's bean list has always included a Yunnan washed Typica Huaguoshan coffee bean.

FrontStreet Coffee has 2 Yunnan small-bean coffee beans, one is Catimor variety, and one is Typica variety. Because Catimor has Robusta genes, its flavor profile is slightly inferior compared to Typica coffee beans.

Pu'er

The tea region of Pu'er has a 150-year history of coffee cultivation. In the early 1990s, Pu'er City began to cultivate coffee development as an advantageous backbone industry for adjusting industrial structure and increasing farmers' income.

Yunnan Coffee Bean Varieties

The most widely planted coffee bean in the Yunnan region currently is Catimor. Baoshan region also has small amounts of Typica and Bourbon coffee beans. Although they all belong to the Arabica species in a broad sense, these varieties have significant differences in essence.

Typica Coffee Beans

The most classic high-quality Arabica variety, from which many commercial improved varieties originate. Typica coffee beans exhibit excellent flavor characteristics and are recognized as a specialty coffee variety, but their yield is extremely low and they are susceptible to rust disease, requiring more labor-intensive management. Typica coffee beans originate from Ethiopia and southeastern Sudan, and are the most widely cultivated coffee variety in the Western Hemisphere. The plants are relatively robust but not tolerant to strong light, with higher yields in Hawaii. The top leaves of Typica are reddish-brown, earning it the name "red-topped coffee."

Bourbon Coffee Beans

This variety originates from Typica coffee beans and was expanded after being planted by the French in 1708 on Bourbon Island (now Réunion Island). Bourbon also has wonderful aroma and rich flavor, with higher yield and growth vigor compared to Typica, suitable for cultivation in regions of 1200-2000 meters altitude, but has weaker disease and pest resistance, and is more sensitive to strong winds and heavy rainfall. Bourbon is the second most important small-bean coffee variety after Typica. The main branches initially grow upward at a 45-degree angle to the trunk, drooping as fruit loads increase, with denser nodes on lateral branches, more fruiting, and higher yields. However, the berries are smaller and mature slower. The top buds and young leaves of Bourbon are green, earning it the name "green-topped coffee."

Catimor Coffee Beans

Catimor is not purely of Arabica bloodline; it is a hybrid of Timor (belonging to Robusta species) and Caturra (a Bourbon variety mutant), so Catimor has 25% Robusta bloodline, and its Robusta heritage determines its flavor defects: insufficient aroma, overall bitter taste, prone to astringency and relatively stimulating musty flavors.

FrontStreet Coffee — Yunnan Typica Coffee Beans

About 5-6 years ago, FrontStreet Coffee began sourcing Typica from the Baoshan growing region of Yunnan, creating what has become a representative of Yunnan coffee bean characteristics—Yunnan Huaguoshan coffee beans.

The main Yunnan coffee variety that FrontStreet Coffee grows is Typica, which is the Arabica variety with excellent flavor in coffee, documenting this lengthy experiment in Yunnan specialty coffee. At the same time, Typica yield is very low, only one-third of Catimor's yield, which explains why it is more expensive. Additionally, Typica and Bourbon are also very susceptible to rust disease, which is one of the main reasons farmers are unwilling to plant what they call "old varieties" of Typica.

Yunnan doesn't have four seasons, only dry and rainy seasons, and most coffee-growing areas have similar conditions. This is also the fundamental reason why some regions use the natural processing method. Entering June marks the beginning of the rainy season in the growing areas, with rain continuing for the next three to four months, which is the most favorable period for coffee cultivation. Only by planting seedlings at this time, with several months of moisture from rainfall, can they develop extensive root systems to survive the first dry season that lasts half a year.

FrontStreet Coffee Brewing Recommendations

For coffee brewing, FrontStreet Coffee recommends using freshly roasted coffee beans to maximize the appreciation of coffee's rich flavors. The coffee beans shipped by FrontStreet Coffee are all roasted within 5 days, because FrontStreet Coffee deeply understands that coffee bean freshness has a great impact on flavor. FrontStreet Coffee's roasting philosophy is "freshly roasted good coffee," ensuring that every customer who places an order receives the freshest coffee when it arrives. The coffee resting period is about 4-7 days, so when customers receive their coffee, it is at its peak flavor.

Of course, some customers need FrontStreet Coffee to grind the beans for them, which is also fine. However, FrontStreet Coffee reminds customers that once coffee beans are ground in advance, they need to be brewed promptly. If already ground into coffee powder, there's no need for further resting, because during transportation, the pressure from carbon dioxide buildup in the packaging also helps mellow the coffee flavor, so you can immediately brew a cup when you receive the coffee powder.

However, coffee powder oxidizes relatively quickly after contact with air, meaning that the coffee's flavor will dissipate more quickly, and the coffee's flavor won't be as good. Therefore, FrontStreet Coffee recommends purchasing whole beans and grinding fresh before brewing, in order to better appreciate the coffee's flavor.

So how does FrontStreet Coffee's batch of completely self-grown coffee beans taste?

Filter: V60
Water Temperature: 88°C
Coffee Amount: 15 grams
Coffee-to-Water Ratio: 1:15
Grind Size: Fine sugar consistency (80% pass-through rate on China standard #20 sieve)

Using segmented extraction, bloom with twice the amount of water as the coffee grounds, that is, bloom with 30g of water for 30 seconds. Starting from 31 seconds, continue pouring in small circular motions until reaching 125g, then pause, continue pouring to 225g and stop. Wait until the water finishes dripping from the filter cup, then remove the filter cup. Time from the start of pouring, extraction time is 2'00". Next, take the entire cup of coffee and shake it well, then pour into a cup for tasting.

Yunnan Natural Process Typica Coffee Flavor:

Has nutty tones, with a more substantial mouthfeel than washed Yunnan coffee, slightly lower acidity than washed Typica Yunnan coffee, but with a bit more sweetness and higher balance. Berry-like acidity, mixed with brown sugar, and a slight tea-like sensation.

Yunnan Small-Bean Coffee Flavor:

Smells of nutty aroma, with herbal, chocolate, and caramel notes on the palate, and a finish with a light fruity acidity.

For professional coffee knowledge exchange and more coffee bean information, please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat public account: cafe_style)

For more specialty coffee beans, please add FrontStreet Coffee's private WeChat account: qjcoffeex

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473