Yunnan Arabica Coffee: An Introduction to Small Bean Coffee Flavor, Taste, Growing Environment

In the early days, let alone whether Yunnan coffee was good to drink, many people didn't even know that Yunnan could produce coffee. Because in the impression, coffee was an imported product. It was through a missionary's chance encounter that a coffee bean was planted in Yunnan, ultimately kicking off Yunnan's coffee cultivation history. With the continuous development of specialty coffee in recent years, focusing on origin is one of the key factors, which has gradually brought Yunnan coffee into the global spotlight and slowly increased its popularity. Although Yunnan coffee has always been the main raw material for Nestlé instant coffee, Yunnan coffee has always had potential to be discovered. FrontStreet Coffee will share the story of Yunnan coffee with everyone today!

Coffee Cultivation History

In 1892, a French missionary came to Yunnan to preach. The missionary's name was Tian Deneng. The mission location was in Zhukula Village. In order to drink coffee, he planted coffee seeds brought from Vietnam next to the church. The coffee grew successfully, and then more coffee trees were cultivated. This is how Zhukula Village began growing coffee.

Small Bean Coffee Growing Regions

Yunnan coffee is cultivated at altitudes between 800-1800 meters in the mountains, mostly in the dry-hot valley areas around 1100 meters altitude. Due to superior natural conditions and environmental climate, the coffee quality is excellent, with rich flavor and moderate body. The main growing regions include: Baoshan, Lincang, Pu'er, and Dehong. Because of advantages such as low latitude, high altitude, and sufficient rainfall, these have become preferred locations for coffee cultivation in Yunnan.

Pu'er

Coffee cultivation has a history of over a hundred years here. It is the largest coffee growing area in Yunnan, with unique geographical location, climate environment, and soil conditions.

Baoshan

One of the best quality coffee producing regions in Yunnan, with an average annual temperature of 21 degrees. Good climate conditions make this the best origin for coffee quality. The coffee beans are small and uniform, with rich fruity flavor, mellow and balanced taste.

Lincang

Located in southwestern Yunnan, between the Tropic of Cancer, with an average annual temperature of 16 degrees and abundant sunshine. The climate is quite similar to Colombia, with cultivation altitude above 1000 meters, nurturing rich acidity and sweet flavor characteristics. FrontStreet Coffee's own coffee estate also belongs to this Lincang growing region.

Dehong

Typical South Asian tropical rainforest climate, with cultivation altitude above 1000 meters.

Coffee Varieties

Typica

An ancient Arabica native variety with excellent coffee flavor genes. One characteristic of Typica is the reddish-brown young leaves on the top of the coffee tree, which is one of the features of the Typica variety. Typica is globally recognized as one of the specialty coffee varieties, but the variety's disease resistance is not high, making it susceptible to pests and diseases, requiring more human management. The variety has rich flavor, obvious sweetness, with sweet and smooth taste.

Bourbon

A genetic mutation of Typica, which spread after cultivation in Bourbon. Bourbon varieties have relatively higher yield and growth vigor than Typica, with better flavor when grown in high-altitude areas. As a mutation of Typica, it also lacks good disease resistance and has the characteristic of resting one year after fruiting. The variety has rich aroma and smooth taste, with obvious sweetness and fruity notes.

Catimor

A hybrid cross between Timor and Caturra. Because Timor is a Robusta variety, Catimor as a hybrid does not have pure Arabica bloodline, destined to have lower flavor quality than traditional Arabica varieties. Catimor was developed to improve disease resistance and yield. Although Caturra is an Arabica variety, the hybridized Catimor completely masks the characteristics of Arabica varieties. The variety's aroma and flavor are plain, with obvious bitterness.

Processing Methods

Mainly washed processing is used, with honey processing and anaerobic processing being involved in recent years. First, freshly harvested coffee cherries are screened to select high-quality coffee cherries, then the coffee skin is removed by machine to separate the coffee seeds. Then the coffee seeds are placed in water tanks for soaking and fermentation to decompose the mucilage attached to the seeds. Finally, the fermented coffee seeds are dried. Washed processed coffee has bright fruit acidity and clean taste characteristics.

Because the Arabica varieties grown in Yunnan are small in size, they are also called small bean coffee. Although Typica varieties are grown, the main cultivated variety is Catimor, which is favored by coffee farmers due to its strong disease resistance and high yield characteristics.

FrontStreet Coffee's Yunnan Typica coffee beans use natural processing. Because the harvested and selected coffee cherries are nurtured under sunlight, the pulp and mucilage will slightly ferment, giving the coffee beans fermented aroma and smooth taste. Meanwhile, the sugar in the pulp will be absorbed by the coffee beans, forming sweet flavors after roasting. Therefore, under natural processing, FrontStreet Coffee's Yunnan Typica coffee beans have plum-like acidity, black tea mouthfeel, and brown sugar aftertaste.

Finally, FrontStreet Coffee will share its brewing method for natural Typica from FrontStreet Coffee's Yunnan estate.

FrontStreet Coffee 2013 Yunnan Natural Typica

• Region: Lincang, Yunnan, China
• Variety: Typica
• Altitude: 1300m
• Processing: Natural

How to Brew Yunnan Typica Coffee Beans Well?

Choose 15 grams of coffee powder, with a powder-to-water ratio recommendation of 1:15. For clearer flavors, you can use 1:16. Choose a V60 dripper, with 88°C brewing water temperature to make the acidity softer. Medium grind (Chinese standard 20-mesh sieve pass rate about 78%).

Three-stage extraction pouring method: First pour 30 grams of water for bloom for 30 seconds. Then continue with small circular pouring to 125 grams, and when the water level drops and is about to expose the coffee bed, continue pouring to 225 grams and stop pouring. When the water level drops and is about to expose the coffee bed, remove the dripper (timing starts from bloom). Extraction time is 2'10".

The brewed coffee has plum-like acidity, black tea mouthfeel, and brown sugar aftertaste.

For professional coffee knowledge exchange and more coffee bean information, please follow the WeChat official account: FrontStreet Coffee

Important Notice :

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