Which Brand Has the Best Yunnan Coffee Beans? Introduction to Main Coffee Bean Origins in Yunnan and Flavor Evaluation

Which Brand of Yunnan Coffee Beans is the Best?

Yunnan has two main types of coffee beans: one is washed Typica, and the other is Catimor. At FrontStreet Coffee, Yunnan Typica is labeled as Yunnan specialty coffee, while Yunnan Catimor is labeled accordingly as Yunnan small bean coffee following market conventions.

FrontStreet Coffee has been roasting coffee for over 9 years and has been involved in coffee cultivation for 9 and a half years. When FrontStreet Coffee first entered the coffee industry, we were exposed to coffee cultivation. FrontStreet Coffee also has our own coffee plantation, which is located in Lincang, Yunnan, China. Whether in our physical store or online Tmall store, customers often ask FrontStreet Coffee about the flavor and characteristics of Yunnan small bean coffee. Today, FrontStreet Coffee will provide an in-depth introduction to Yunnan small bean coffee.

Introduction to Major Yunnan Coffee Bean Growing Regions

Yunnan small bean coffee growing areas are mainly distributed in Lincang, Baoshan, Simao, Xishuangbanna, Dehong and other regions (prefectures). Baoshan, with an altitude of over 1,200 meters and an average temperature of 21.5°C (reaching up to 40.4°C), is basically frost-free throughout the year and is recognized as the best region for Yunnan small bean coffee. The small bean coffee cultivated here is known for being rich but not bitter, fragrant but not strong, with small yet uniform beans, rich mellow aroma, and fruity notes. With the development of Yunnan coffee over the past decade, Pu'er and Lincang, located further south, have now become the main production areas.

Why Did FrontStreet Coffee Choose to Grow Coffee in Lincang?

Initially, FrontStreet Coffee planted coffee in a place called Dazhen in Guangdong province. At that time, we knew nothing about coffee cultivation. However, when the coffee seedlings grew to 20 centimeters, the winter cold wave arrived. Dazhen is located north of the Tropic of Cancer, making it prone to weather conditions like frost, and this batch of coffee seedlings did not survive the winter.

After this experience, FrontStreet Coffee researched where coffee is suitable for cultivation, at what altitude it tastes better, and what cultivation management model should be adopted. FrontStreet Coffee visited the Tropical Research Institute in Yunnan and also visited local coffee farmers in Yunnan, gaining preliminary coffee cultivation experience. Through a fortunate opportunity, FrontStreet Coffee found a pristine high mountain forest in Lincang and thus began our coffee cultivation journey.

The coffee variety that FrontStreet Coffee grows is Typica. Compared to the Catimor variety commonly grown in Yunnan today, Typica has pure Arabica genes and performs better in terms of flavor. However, its yield and vitality cannot match Catimor, which is why many Yunnan coffee farmers prefer the robust and high-yielding Catimor variety.

Growing Typica requires planting tall trees as shade trees in the coffee fields, which means the planting density of coffee is not too high, resulting in lower yields per mu.

Flavor Evaluation and Characteristics of Yunnan Coffee Beans

Yunnan Catimor: The dry aroma has a nutty fragrance. When tasted, it presents flavors of chocolate, nuts, and cream, with brown sugar sweetness. The overall profile is quite balanced.

Yunnan Typica: The dry aroma has a light citrus acidity and nutty fragrance. When tasted, it offers the acidity of plums and citrus combined with nutty flavors, melon and fruit notes, and brown sugar sweetness. The aftertaste carries some black tea characteristics. The overall flavor profile is quite rich and layered.

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473