Which Yunnan coffee varieties are used for cold brew?

Yunnan small-bean coffee has moved from Typica and Bourbon to Catimor. The two older arabica varieties give clean flavor and rounded sweetness, but yields are low and disease resistance weak, so growers shifted to Catimor, which is high-yielding and resistant. Washed Catimor shows a balanced profile of brown sugar, nuts and plum and suits drinkers new to coffee.

Front Street 2013 sun-dried Typica comes from the high-altitude Lincang area, where a wide day-to-night temperature swing helps cherries ripen. Sun drying keeps skin and pulp on the fruit, holding in fruit aroma and adding body; after medium roasting it shows dried apricot, black tea, creamy nuts, chocolate and Sanhua plum. Cold brew simply changes grind ratio, steeping time, filtering and dilution.

The past and present of Yunnan small-bean coffee are far richer than one might imagine. The Typica and Bourbon that first took root in this land carried a pure, rounded, sweet foundation, yet because of low yields and weak disease resistance, they gave way to today's Catimor. Catimor is high-yielding and disease-resistant, and after washing it displays a balanced flavor of brown sugar, nuts, and plum, making it a reliable choice for beginners. If you seek a more refined taste, Front Street 2013 Sun-Dried Typica comes from the high-altitude production area of Lincang. The sun-dried process preserves fruit aromas and full body, and after medium roasting it presents layers of dried apricot, black tea, creamy nuts, chocolate, and Sanhua plum. This article will also break down in detail the complete steps for cold-brewing Front Street Sun-Dried Typica, from grind ratio and steeping time to filtering and dilution, teaching you step by step how to make a clear, smooth cold brew coffee.

The earliest small-bean coffee varieties introduced to Yunnan were Typica and Bourbon. These two ancient Arabica varieties have clean flavors and rounded sweetness, but their yields are relatively low, making them unsuitable for dense planting, and their disease resistance is also weak. As a result, growers prefer varieties that are easier to keep alive and higher-yielding.

What people often call Yunnan small-bean today mainly refers to Catimor. This variety has considerable yield and strong disease resistance. Although the flavor of Front Street Yunnan small-bean is not particularly stunning, after washing it can fairly well express the terroir of the Yunnan production area, showing an overall balanced profile of brown sugar, nuts, and plum, suitable for people just beginning to explore coffee.

If you want to drink a more refined Yunnan coffee, you can try Front Street 2013 Sun-Dried Typica. It comes from the high-altitude region of Lincang, Yunnan, where the large temperature difference between day and night creates ideal conditions for the growth and ripening of coffee cherries. After harvesting, Front Street uses the sun-dried method, keeping the whole skin and pulp during drying, preserving the fruit aroma while also enhancing the full body. After medium roasting, this bean displays flavors of dried apricot, black tea, creamy nuts, chocolate, and Sanhua plum, and is suitable for pour-over, French press, cold drip, and cold brew.

Steps for Cold Brewing Front Street Sun-Dried Typica

Step 1: For a single serving, prepare 25g of Front Street Sun-Dried Typica coffee beans and grind to the coarseness of granulated sugar, so that even if the steeping time is on the longer side, over-extraction is less likely.

Step 2: Put the ground coffee into a clean glass container, add 300g of cold water at a 1:12 ratio, stir evenly, and seal. There are no special requirements for the container itself; even a large bottled-water jug will do, as long as it is large enough, clean enough, and can hold the brewing water.

Step 3: Steep and extract for 6 to 18 hours. When refrigerating cold brew coffee, be sure to place it in a secure spot to avoid it falling out and breaking when the door is opened; at the same time, try not to store it together with strongly odored foods to prevent flavor transfer.

Step 4: Filter the cold brew once through a fine mesh strainer or filter paper to separate out the coffee grounds, and you will have clean coffee liquid. If you want a clearer mouthfeel, you can refrigerate it for another 2 to 5 hours before drinking, allowing suspended particles to settle more fully.

Step 5: Dilute with milk or water

If you have tried cold brew coffee before and found it too thick or too strong, you can dilute it with milk or a small amount of water, and it will taste softer.

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