What does Yunnan coffee taste like and how is it grown?

Yunnan small-bean coffee has a fairly neutral profile, with acidity and bitterness in balance rather than one dominating. Cups show brown sugar sweetness, fruity acidity, and the earthy, piney, nutty notes common to Asian beans. It is aromatic without being bitter and full-bodied without harshness, which makes it easy to drink for people who dislike extremes.

Small-bean coffee is another name for Arabica, and Yunnan grows both classic Typica and the disease-resistant, high-yielding Catimor. Annual output is around 26,000 tons, roughly ninety percent of China's total. The province sits south of the Tropic of Cancer with plateau red soil and a mild subtropical mountain climate, conditions close to those of Colombia.

Yunnan, as China's core coffee-producing region, has drawn more people to the charm of domestic coffee through film and television works. Is Yunnan small-bean coffee actually good? And how does it differ from what is generally called Yunnan coffee? Yunnan small-bean coffee has a relatively neutral taste, with a balance of acidity and bitterness, carrying local terroir characteristics such as brown sugar and fruity acidity, and is overall aromatic without being bitter, and rich without being harsh. From the perspective of variety, small-bean coffee is actually another name for Arabica, while what is currently grown in Yunnan includes both the classic Typica and the disease-resistant, high-yielding Catimor. Front Street Coffee established an estate in Lincang and launched products such as sun-dried Typica, committed to improving the quality of Yunnan coffee from the source of varieties. This article will sort through the origins of the varieties, main producing areas, processing methods, and brewing suggestions.

As the province with the largest coffee planting area in China, Yunnan has helped the public gain a deeper understanding of domestic coffee through the film "One Point to Home." So is Yunnan coffee actually good?

Yunnan coffee

belongs to the Asian coffee system, so it naturally carries the earthy, piney, and nutty notes common to Asian beans, while also presenting the terroir tone unique to the producing area: brown sugar and fruity acidity.

Yunnan small-bean coffee

has a relatively centered flavor profile, with neither prominent acidity nor bitterness. It can indeed achieve sufficient aroma without bitterness, moderate strength without harshness, and slight, comfortable acidity, making it friendly to most people's tastes.

Coffee cultivation in China is mainly concentrated in Yunnan and Hainan, with Yunnan having higher output. In recent years, its annual output has been about 26,000 tons, accounting for ninety percent of the national total. Yunnan is located in a subtropical mountainous climate zone south of the Tropic of Cancer, with unique plateau red soil, fertile and loose soil, and a mild climate, which is very suitable for cultivating small-bean coffee and provides the conditions for producing high-quality coffee. Yunnan's natural conditions are quite close to those of Colombia, also featuring a low-latitude, high-altitude environment with large temperature differences between day and night. In cup quality analysis, it belongs to the mellow-aroma type, and its taste quality is similar to Colombian coffee.

The history of Yunnan small-bean coffee can be traced back to 1904, when the French missionary Father Théodore brought coffee seeds (Typica) from Vietnam into Yunnan and successfully trial-planted them in Zhugula Village, Binchuan County. This is regarded as the starting point of Yunnan coffee, usually called small-bean coffee, commonly known in China as Yunnan small-bean coffee. Small-bean coffee refers to Arabica coffee beans, and because the beans are relatively small, it is also called small-fruit coffee; Robusta is called medium-fruit coffee, and Liberica belongs to large-fruit coffee. What Yunnan grows is exactly Arabica, so it is also called Yunnan small-bean coffee. At Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee), you can see two kinds of Yunnan coffee beans, one is Front Street 2013 Sun-Dried Typica Coffee, and the other is Catimor small-bean coffee. Both can be classified as small-bean coffee, but because Typica's floral and fruity notes and fruity acidity are softer and richer, the name Huaguoshan is deliberately used to distinguish these two varieties.

Yunnan coffee bean varieties

Yunnan coffee is coffee riding the wave of the times. After a century of refinement, domestic coffee demand continues to grow, and the quality of Yunnan coffee is also steadily improving. The varieties of Yunnan small-bean coffee also belong to Arabica, among which Robusta genes are also mixed. In the 1970s and 1980s, coffee leaf rust broke out in many countries in Central and South America, severely impacting coffee production. In response to the leaf rust problem, a Portuguese coffee research center, CIFC, crossed Timor, which carries Robusta genes, with the Bourbon variety Caturra in 1959, breeding the disease-resistant and high-yielding Catimor. To address the disaster caused by leaf rust, and with the encouragement and promotion of coffee organizations, Central and South America began widespread introduction and planting starting in the 1980s.

In the past, Yunnan coffee was called "Yunnan small-bean coffee." In fact, "small-bean species" is another name for Arabica coffee. Arabica coffee (Arabica) is also called small-bean coffee. It originated from wild coffee in Africa, later spread to Europe through Arabia and gradually became widely known. It was introduced to Zhukula, Binchuan County, Dali, China in the 1890s, and since then took root and developed in mainland China. Yunnan also became the representative of Chinese coffee, so Yunnan coffee is also called "Yunnan small-bean coffee."

Arabica coffee has high requirements for the growing environment and is usually more suitable for cultivation in mountainous areas with abundant rainfall and large temperature differences between day and night. In addition to paying attention to bean variety, estate, and processing method, some specialty coffees even indicate the growing altitude on the packaging. In addition, Arabica coffee includes many varieties, such as the common Typica, Bourbon, Caturra, and so on (similar to citrus varieties such as Hongmeiren, Ehime, and Dekopon). These are all names of coffee tree varieties.

The most classic high-quality Arabica variety is Typica. This coffee tree has strong adaptability, and many coffee varieties we know well are its mutations: for example, Blue Mountain coffee is a mutation of Typica grown in Jamaica, Kona coffee is a mutation of Typica grown in Hawaii, and Mandheling is a mutation of Typica grown in Sumatra.

Typica coffee beans (Typicati) originated in Ethiopia and southeastern Sudan, and are one of the oldest coffee varieties among the many Arabica species, also known as old-variety small-bean coffee. Typica coffee trees are quite tall and have conical branches, with the main branches inclined at about 60 degrees. The leaves are usually dark bronze, and the top leaves are red-copper colored, hence the name red-top coffee. Typica coffee trees are very tall and produce less than other varieties, making cultivation difficult. This means that obtaining this high-quality coffee is often difficult. Although the bean yield is very low, the cupping score is extremely high, and the coffee flavor shows varied fruity notes.

And the Typica variety Front Street 2013 Sun-Dried Typica Coffee, under the careful sun-drying of Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee), shows berry, brown sugar, nut, and black tea-like notes.

Catimor (Catimor) is a hybrid from Timor and Caturra. Catimor inherited Timor's Robusta genes, can better resist coffee berry disease and coffee leaf rust, and also has stronger resistance to pests and diseases, while the fruit ripens quickly and yields are high. This also leads to insufficiently complete flavor development, and improper processing can easily produce negative tastes such as heavy bitterness and grassy notes.

However, Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee) believes that if you want Yunnan coffee to taste good, you have to start changing from the variety. Therefore, in 2013, Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee) went to Lincang, Yunnan, and began planting Typica and a small amount of Bourbon. The reason for choosing Typica is, first, because as one of the oldest coffee varieties, it possesses the genes of a pure Arabica variety, and because of its elegant, clean flavor, it has always been recognized by everyone as a specialty coffee variety; second, because the earliest coffee trees planted in Yunnan were also Typica, brought in by French missionaries.

Main producing areas of Yunnan coffee

The western and southern parts of Yunnan Province lie between 15° north latitude and the Tropic of Cancer, with most areas at an altitude of 1,000 to 2,000 meters. The terrain is mainly mountainous and sloped, with great undulation, fertile soil, sufficient sunshine, abundant rainfall, and large temperature differences between day and night, making it very suitable for coffee growth. Yunnan's geographical and climatic conditions are very high quality, providing good conditions for coffee growth. Planting areas are mainly distributed in Lincang, Baoshan, Simao, Xishuangbanna, Dehong, and other prefectures.

Baoshan

Baoshan, Pu'er, and Dehong. A large amount of low-latitude, high-altitude tropical resources with large temperature differences between day and night makes Yunnan a golden growing area for producing high-quality Arabica (small-bean) coffee. Front Street Washed Yunnan Small-Bean Coffee and Sun-Dried Catimor Coffee come from the Baoshan producing area.

After more than 60 years of development, Baoshan small-bean coffee has formed a scaled coffee industry and become a distinctive industry with an annual output value of nearly 500 million yuan. Baoshan's coffee industry once created many glories. At the 1980 National Coffee Conference, Baoshan small-bean coffee was praised as the "crown of national coffee"; in 1992, at the first China Agricultural Exposition, Baoshan small-bean coffee was awarded the highest silver medal; in 1993, at the 42nd Brussels Eureka World Fair in Belgium, it won the Eureka Gold Award...

Pu'er

Pu'er, the tea hometown. Pu'er City's coffee planting area has reached 650,000 mu, making it China's largest coffee main producing area in terms of area, highest in output, and best in quality, and a major distribution center for coffee trade. While improving in "quantity," Pu'er is also seeking a breakthrough in "quality." In recent years, the Pu'er municipal government, enterprises, and coffee farmers have strengthened coffee variety selection and deep processing of coffee beans, introduced international coffee giants, learned from their planting and production techniques, and while improving raw material quality, "gone global" to expand markets, allowing the Pu'er coffee brand to grow out of its cocoon. A series of measures, including building coffee estates, coffee museums, coffee-themed streets, and holding the China Coffee Culture Festival, have gradually unfolded the blueprint for the development of Pu'er's coffee industry.

Dehong

In Dehong Dai and Jingpo Autonomous Prefecture, a mature price protection mechanism, along with technological support and a complete management system, is the source of confidence for coffee growers. It is understood that Dehong Hogood Coffee Co., Ltd. has fully played a leading role since 2004, implementing the "three unifications and three guarantees" measures of protected prices, guaranteed investment, guaranteed quality, unified purchasing, unified processing, and unified sales.

Lincang

Lincang City has a subtropical low-latitude plateau mountainous monsoon climate, with complex terrain and topography, and is a region with multiple climate types. It is mainly affected by the warm and humid airflow from the Indian Ocean and the southwest monsoon. The distinction between the four seasons is not obvious, but the dry and rainy seasons are distinct, with relatively abundant rain and long sunshine hours. The average annual sunshine duration is more than 2,000 hours, and the frost period is relatively short; in some areas there is no frost all year round. The vertical climate is obvious, with an average annual temperature in mountainous areas of 13–15°C. Front Street established the Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee) estate in Lincang and produced Front Street 2013 Sun-Dried Typica Coffee.

Is Yunnan small-bean coffee good?

The taste of Yunnan small coffee is relatively neutral, neither too sour nor too bitter. It truly belongs to the category of coffee that is aromatic without being bitter, rich without being harsh, and mildly acidic and comfortable, and it also better suits the general public's taste.

Compared with the Typica variety, although the Catimor variety carries Robusta genes, today's Yunnan Catimor is no longer the hard-to-swallow flavor of the past. Under reasonable cultivation and traditional processing methods, Yunnan Catimor small-bean coffee shows nutty, caramel, and plum-like flavors; Yunnan coffee belongs to Asian beans, so it naturally has herbal and piney notes, but it also has more flavor characteristics of the local producing area, such as brown sugar, tea-like notes, and plum acidity. Front Street also likes Yunnan coffee very much, because this is Chinese people's own coffee.

The flavor of coffee cannot be separated from the variety. The coffee variety is the essence and basically determines the general flavor characteristics of the coffee. For example: most Arabica variety coffees appear as specialty coffee, while Robusta variety coffees mostly appear in the form of blended espresso. That is to say, the flavor of Arabica variety coffee is better than that of Robusta, but it is not to say that all Arabica variety coffees taste better than Robusta. Yunnan small-bean coffee used to be Arabica, also called Yunnan small-bean coffee. In terms of taste, it is relatively neutral, neither too sour nor too bitter. It is truly coffee that is aromatic without being bitter, rich without being harsh, and mildly acidic and comfortable, and it also relatively suits the general public's taste. But at present, most Yunnan small-bean coffee is the Catimor variety, so the taste is not as good anymore.

Yunnan coffee bean processing methods

Yunnan's weather is rainy and foggy, so washed processing has become the most commonly used processing method for Yunnan coffee. Of course, there are also sun-dried treatments, such as Front Street's Sun-Dried Catimor Coffee and Front Street 2013 Sun-Dried Typica Coffee. With the advancement of specialty coffee, Yunnan coffee beans have also gained some special processing methods, such as honey processing and so on, but these processing methods still cannot fully cover the flavor of Yunnan coffee beans themselves. Therefore, Front Street chose coffee beans with the most traditional sun-dried and washed processing methods, and washed coffee beans can better reflect the local coffee flavor. Therefore, most of Front Street's daily beans are washed processed.

Front Street brewing parameters for Yunnan Catimor coffee:

Front Street store production parameters: Use Kono dripper, water temperature: 88°C, coffee dose: 15 grams, coffee-to-water ratio: 1:15, grind size: medium-fine grind (75% passing through China standard No. 20 sieve).

[Front Street Washed Yunnan Small-Bean Coffee Flavor] Herbal, nutty aroma, chocolate, caramel, black tea-like notes.

[Front Street Sun-Dried Yunnan Catimor Coffee Flavor] : Nuts, chocolate, spices, caramel, plum.

Front Street coffee brewing suggestions:

No matter what kind of coffee you are brewing, to brew a good cup of coffee, you still need to pay attention to the freshness of the coffee beans. Front Street has always believed that the freshness of coffee beans has a great relationship with the flavor of coffee. Therefore, the coffee beans shipped by Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee) are all within 5 days of the roasting time. Front Street's roasting principle is "freshly roasted good coffee," so that every customer who places an order receives the freshest coffee. The resting period of coffee is about 4–7 days, so when the customer receives it, it is exactly at its best flavor.

For friends who need ground coffee, Front Street kindly reminds you: if the coffee beans have been ground in advance, then there is no need for further resting, because during transportation, the pressure generated by carbon dioxide inside the package can also make the coffee flavor rounder, so you can immediately brew a cup after receiving the ground coffee. But the ground coffee needs to be brewed promptly, because after ground coffee contacts air, it oxidizes relatively quickly, which means the coffee flavor will dissipate relatively quickly and the coffee flavor will not be as good. Therefore, Front Street recommends buying whole beans and grinding fresh before brewing, so that you can better taste the flavor of the coffee.

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The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.