Introduction to Yunnan Coffee Bean Varieties: Flavor Profile Differences Between Yunnan Typica and Arabica

When it comes to Yunnan coffee, the topic of coffee varieties is unavoidable. In Yunnan, coffee is primarily dominated by Typica and Catimor. Typica came first, followed by Catimor, and now Catimor, with its latecomer advantage, occupies the vast majority of Yunnan's small-bean coffee, becoming what people refer to as Yunnan small-bean coffee. Today, FrontStreet Coffee will discuss the current state of Yunnan coffee and FrontStreet Coffee's experiences in Yunnan coffee cultivation.

As early as half a year before starting our roasting operations, FrontStreet Coffee had already begun our coffee tree cultivation journey. At that time, we were planting coffee in a place called Dazhen in Guangdong. When the Catimor we planted grew to 20 centimeters, FrontStreet Coffee began to understand the importance and sequence of coffee varieties, growing environments, and processing methods. We realized that if we started by planting the wrong coffee variety in the wrong place, the resulting coffee bean flavor would be unimaginably terrible.

Therefore, FrontStreet Coffee abandoned the Guangdong cultivation plan. At FrontStreet Coffee, while roasting coffee, we continued moving forward with our ideas for specialty coffee cultivation. We successively visited the Tropical Agricultural Science Research Institute (Reke Institute), which has in-depth research on coffee cultivation and is the Ministry of Agriculture's coffee germplasm repository, as well as a few coffee farmers who grow specialty coffee. We clarified why Yunnan doesn't grow mainstream specialty coffee varieties like Typica and Bourbon, and through a fortunate coincidence, we found suitable land for cultivation.

Choosing the Difficult Path

If we just wanted a ready-made private coffee estate, it would actually be quite easy. Yunnan's coffee farmers have been reluctant to grow coffee because the labor cost per kilogram for picking coffee is higher than its selling price. Unless families have surplus labor, they are unwilling to pick coffee even when it ripens. At this time, one could buy a small piece of land from coffee farmers before harvest, then experiment with natural processing and honey processing, and Yunnan specialty coffee would be ready in two to three months. We don't know if this controversial approach is correct. As the former director of Yunca commented in the previous article: "The current situation of over a million acres of Catimor in Yunnan production area is the main problem we urgently need to transform and improve. So having debates is a good thing, but we can't negate all our current efforts."

In this confusion, FrontStreet Coffee deliberately chose the most difficult path: selecting high-altitude land, cultivating Arabica varieties, and implementing rational planting practices.

Choosing Typica

FrontStreet Coffee decisively chose the Typica variety for our selection. As the oldest variety, its flavor is unquestionable. Additionally, Yunnan has a history of planting Typica as early as 100 years ago, which is one reason why FrontStreet Coffee believes Typica is viable. Typica has very low yields, averaging only one-third of Catimor's, and is also very susceptible to leaf rust disease. Therefore, it requires higher agricultural techniques and manual care costs.

Typica Characteristics

Typica has distinct characteristics and is likely one of the most easily recognizable varieties. These plants have a conical shape with a main vertical trunk that can reach up to 5 meters in height. This height means that compared to other varieties, Typica has greater distances between branches and between nodes on the same branch. The side branches form angles of 50 to 80 degrees with the vertical trunk. The trunk and branches are not very robust, and the leaves, fruits, and green beans are typically elongated. The bud tips of young leaves are bronze-colored. Compared to other Arabica varieties, Typica leaves have a smoother surface and fewer wavy edges. Typical Typica fruits turn bright red when ripe.

The bronze-colored top leaves of Typica are one of its characteristics. The beans are larger, shaped as pointed ovals or slender pointed shapes, and some people call it "red-topped coffee." Typica coffee has its unique subtle and clean flavor, as well as balanced characteristics. The mouthfeel cleanliness is high, but the drawback is insufficient yield, requirements for altitude, susceptibility to leaf rust disease, and weak resistance to pests and diseases.

Yunnan Huaguoshan Washed Typica

Of course, before producing our own Yunnan Typica, FrontStreet Coffee also seeks out good Yunnan coffee.

FrontStreet Coffee · Yunnan Huaguoshan Washed Typica

• Region: China, Yunnan, Baoshan production area
• Altitude: 1200m
• Variety: Typica
• Processing method: Washed

When FrontStreet Coffee visited the Yunnan production area during the planting season, we truly experienced what a rainy season means. Clear for a few minutes, then raining for half an hour. Because of the perennial rainy season and unstable climate, most Yunnan coffee beans are processed using the washed method.

The harvested cherries have most of their pulp separated from the coffee beans using a depulping machine. The parchment beans are then guided to a clean water tank, where they are soaked in water for fermentation to completely remove the remaining pulp layer. In the past (about five years ago), the washed method was often the first choice for processing high-quality coffee beans. Through water processing, unripe beans and defective beans are selected out due to buoyancy differences. The fermentation process is also easier to control, so the flavor doesn't have the mixed flavors found in natural processed beans. Instead, it presents distinct fruit acidity, slightly stronger complexity, and cleaner cup characteristics (without any negative flavors, such as astringency or sharpness).

FrontStreet Coffee Roasting Analysis

FrontStreet Coffee's roaster believes that using a medium slow roasting method for FrontStreet Coffee's Yunnan Huaguoshan coffee beans best expresses its round, smooth characteristics while maintaining rich floral and fruit aromas.

Roasting machine: Yangjia 600g semi-direct heat

Set the drum temperature to 200°C when loading, with damper opening at 3. After 30 seconds, adjust the heat to 160°C, damper unchanged. The temperature return point is at 1'33". At 168°C, adjust the heat once more. At this point, the bean surface turns yellow, the grassy smell completely disappears, and dehydration is complete. Adjust the heat to 130°C and damper to 4. At 8'45", ugly wrinkles and black spots appear on the bean surface, and the toast smell clearly transitions to coffee aroma, which can be defined as the prelude to first crack. At this point, listen carefully for the sound of first crack. At 9'07", first crack begins. Adjust heat to 80°C, damper fully open to 5 (adjust heat very carefully, not so low that there's no cracking sound). 3'00" after first crack, unload at 198°C.

FrontStreet Coffee Cupping

FrontStreet Coffee conducts cupping within 8-24 hours after roasting sample coffee beans. FrontStreet Coffee's barista typically uses 200ml ceramic cupping bowls marked with 150ml and 200ml scale lines. According to SCAA standards, the water TDS is around 150ppm. TDS that's too low can easily cause over-extraction, while TDS that's too high can affect mouthfeel and lead to under-extraction. The cupping water temperature is 94°C. According to SCAA cupping standards, the grind size is controlled to pass through a #20 standard sieve (0.85mm) at a rate of 70%-75%. The ratio is 11 grams of coffee powder to 200ml of hot water, i.e., 1:18.18, so the extracted concentration falls within the golden cup range of 1.15%-1.35%. Steeping time: 4 minutes.

FrontStreet Coffee's Yunnan Huaguoshan coffee bean cupping notes: Rich fruit aromas at the entrance, with melon and plant herbal notes. The entry is smooth, with nuts and milk chocolate in the middle section. The finish features lively and bright plum acidity, stimulating saliva production on both cheeks. Good balance, medium body with fullness. From hot to warm temperatures, you can sense the layers of sweet and sour—sweet first, then sour—with apricot, peach, and citrus-toned acidity. The aftertaste is black tea with a hint of brown sugar.

FrontStreet Coffee Pour-over Brewing Recommendations for Yunnan Small-Bean Coffee

Choose 15 grams of coffee powder, with a powder-to-water ratio recommendation of 1:15 (for clearer flavor, you can use 1:16). Choose a V60 dripper, with a brewing water temperature of 88°C to make the acidity softer. Grind to medium-fine/fine sugar size (80% pass rate through #20 sieve).

FrontStreet Coffee's segmented brewing method: Use 30g of water for blooming for 30 seconds. With a small water stream, pour in a circular motion to 125g, then segment. When the water level drops and is about to expose the coffee bed, continue pouring to 225g and stop pouring. When the water level drops and is about to expose the coffee bed again, remove the dripper. Extraction time is 2 minutes (timing starts from blooming).

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473