How does the coffee grading system apply to Papua New Guinea beans?

Papua New Guinea coffee is often called Little Blue Mountain because Typica was introduced from Jamaican Blue Mountain in 1931 and the island climate resembles Jamaica's. It is not Jamaican Blue Mountain. Beans grow between roughly 1,200 and 2,500 meters on volcanic soil, and washed processing gives a bright, clean cup that stands apart from Indonesian coffee.

The coffee grading system sorts these lots by screen size, defect count, and preparation, with estate names such as Sigri, Wahigi Valley, and Goroka marking provenance. Varieties arrived over decades: Typica in 1931, Bourbon from Kenya in 1950, then Mundo Novo and Caturra from Brazil in 1962. That mix, plus high altitude and the coffee bean process, shapes the flavor.

Many people have heard of Blue Mountain coffee, but not necessarily "Little Blue Mountain coffee." It is not Jamaican Blue Mountain, but coffee produced in Papua New Guinea. The country introduced Typica from Jamaica and also has a similar island-type climate and high-altitude environment, hence the name. This article provides a complete overview of the flavor code of Papua New Guinea coffee, from variety history, producing regions and estates, washed processing, and grading systems to roasting and brewing suggestions, and uses the Paradise Bird Estate coffee beans sourced by Front Street as an example to present its bright and clean cupping and pour-over performance.

Almost everyone has heard of Blue Mountain coffee, but far fewer people have heard the term "Little Blue Mountain coffee." Is Little Blue Mountain coffee Blue Mountain coffee? The answer is no. It actually refers to coffee produced in Papua New Guinea. Front Street believes that the reason local coffee has been given the title "Little Blue Mountain" is that the country once introduced the Typica variety from Jamaica, and its growing environment also has an island-type climate and high-altitude conditions. Not long ago, Front Street obtained a batch of Papua New Guinea coffee beans. After roasting, cupping, and brewing, we felt that coffee from this producing country is among the brightest and cleanest in flavor among Asian beans.

Papua New Guinea is located east of Indonesia and is a typical island-climate country. It lies between the equator and 10 degrees south latitude and has tropical rainforests, volcanic rock, and highland terrain, with elevations generally ranging from 1,200 to 2,500 meters. The varieties grown locally are quite diverse: Typica was introduced from Jamaican Blue Mountain in 1931, Bourbon from Kenya in 1950, and Mundo Novo and Caturra from Brazil in 1962.

Papua New Guinea's specialty coffee beans are mainly concentrated in the Wahigi Valley and Sigri Estate in the Western Highlands, as well as Arona, Kimel, and Arokare estates in the Eastern Highlands, among which Goroka Estate is the most well-known. Because the varietal composition differs from Indonesia's, the altitude is also higher than Sumatra's, and washed processing is commonly used locally, Front Street believes that the regional flavor of Papua New Guinea coffee is completely different from the spicy, herbal, and low-toned character of Indonesian beans. Instead, it is closer to South America, showing brightness, sweet acidity, and floral and fruity aromas.

Sigri Estate

This Papua New Guinea coffee bean sourced by Front Street comes from Sigri Estate. The estate was founded in 1950 and has a history of more than 60 years, making it a pioneer of the local coffee industry. Paradise Bird Estate is located in the Waghi Valley of Western Highlands Province, at an altitude of about 1,500 meters, and has mineral-rich volcanic soil, a cool climate, fertile soil, and abundant rainfall. Paradise Bird Estate also attaches great importance to ecological protection. In order to protect soil and water sources, it refuses to use pesticides and insecticides, balancing ecology with the surrounding birds.

For many years, Paradise Bird Estate has consistently implemented high-standard cultivation and processing systems. During the harvest season from April to September each year, only fully ripe red coffee cherries are picked by hand, allowing the acidity and sweetness in the berries to reach an ideal balance. The estate conducts cupping every day to ensure a stable supply of specialty coffee of consistent quality to customers. Because of this, Paradise Bird Estate has become a classic representative of the world's specialty coffee. FrontStreet Coffee chose this Paradise Bird Estate coffee bean precisely because of its strict production chain, thereby ensuring bean quality.

FrontStreet Coffee: Papua New Guinea · Paradise Bird Coffee Beans

Producing country: Papua New Guinea

Estate: Sigri Paradise Bird Estate

Altitude: 1600-1800m

Processing method: washed processing

Variety: Typica

Grade: AA

Coffee bean variety

As mentioned earlier, Papua New Guinea has introduced Typica since 1931. This variety has an elegant flavor, but the plant itself is relatively weak and has poor disease resistance. It is susceptible to leaf rust, and its coffee beans have low yields, making it difficult to meet economic benefits. Typica beans are relatively large and shaped like pointed ovals or slender points. Unlike the round beans of the Bourbon variety, Typica has a uniquely quiet, clean flavor and balanced characteristics, with high cup cleanliness.

Coffee bean processing

The country grows coffee under tropical rainforest climate, volcanic rock, and highland terrain conditions. Abundant water sources lead local coffee farmers to commonly adopt washed processing.

After harvesting ripe, fully red coffee cherries, they are sent to the estate's own washing station. Papua New Guinea's washing method differs from that of Central and South America: after three rounds of washing and fermentation, each soak lasts about 24 hours, and clean water is replaced to regulate flavor; after washing is completed, the green beans have their husks removed and are then graded, such as AA, AB, PB peaberry, and so on. This refined post-processing brings the coffee a bright and delicate fruity acidity, as well as a clean and lingering sweetness.

FrontStreet Coffee has found that in producing regions with strict coffee grading systems, the coffee beans often share a common trait: uniform bean size and fewer defective beans. Such green beans color more evenly during roasting, and the cup is cleaner. Washed coffee has more obvious acidity, better cleanliness, a medium mouthfeel, and the most consistent green bean quality. The most obvious appearance characteristic of roasted washed coffee beans is that they retain a clear center line of silver skin.

Front Street roasting suggestions

FrontStreet Coffee recommends using a medium roast. Typica is a lower-density green bean. In order to highlight its refreshing acidity and fruity aroma, the focus will be on heat adjustment after first crack. Charge when the oven temperature rises to 170°C, set the damper to 3, heat to 140 degrees, and the turning point is 1'36"; when the temperature reaches 140 degrees, open the damper to 4; roast to 6'25", at 151 degrees, the bean surface turns yellow, the grassy smell completely disappears, dehydration is complete; when the temperature is 176 degrees, lower the heat to 110, and change the damper to 4; at 180 degrees, lower the heat to 90, wrinkles and dark streaks appear on the bean surface, and the toast aroma clearly turns into coffee aroma, which can be regarded as the prelude to first crack. At this point, raise the heat to 183.5 degrees. At 10'08'', first crack begins, open the damper fully, at 188 degrees reduce the heat to 60 degrees, with the damper fully open (heat adjustment must be very careful, not so small that there is no cracking sound; control the rate of temperature rise after first crack within 6 degrees), first crack development time 3'00", drop at 198.5 degrees.

Front Street cupping report

Front Street brewing suggestions

Dripper: Kono

Coffee dose: 15g

Coffee-to-water ratio: 1:15

Grind size: granulated sugar coarseness (75% passing through a No. 20 sieve)

Water temperature: 89 degrees

Regarding grinding, Front Street determines the grind size through sieving, based on the SCA's grinding recommendations for pour-over coffee and verified through practical operation. Brewing with different grind sizes produces noticeably different results, and the suitable grind size for each coffee bean varies. This is precisely the significance of sieving. If there is no coffee sieve at home, FrontStreet Coffee suggests judging by observing the flow rate: if the flow is too fast, the grind is coarse; if the flow is too slow, the grind is fine.

Front Street uses staged extraction, also called three-stage brewing: first bloom with 30 grams of water for 30 seconds, then pour in a small stream in circles up to 125 grams for the first stage. When the water level drops and is about to expose the coffee bed, continue pouring to 225 grams and stop. When the water level drops again and is about to expose the coffee bed, remove the dripper (starting timing from the bloom). The extraction time is 2'00".

Brewed flavor: nuts, cocoa, soft fruity acidity, caramel finish, a slight smoky note, with an overall balanced flavor.

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