Table of contents
China
$ 0.02 - $0.05 per ounce
| Varieties | Arabica, Robusta, Catimor |
| How to Serve | Served as black regular coffee |
| Flavor | Mild acidity with a light body and strong taste, floral and sweet tastes |
| Recommended Machine | Espresso Machine, Moka Pot, French/AeroPress |
| Good As | Espresso, Cappuccino, Ristretto, Mocha |
| Price Range | $0.02 – $0.05 per ounce |
| Caffeine Level | 0.3% on average |
You probably have heard more about the tea culture in China than coffee. However, it is important to know that Chinese coffee beans’ quality has improved significantly in the previous decade, and it may soon be able to compete in the specialty coffee market as well. Both the production and consumption of coffee in China, a historically tea-drinking country, have been rising quickly. In the meantime, China may become the world’s top coffee consumer in the near future. So, why not know more about it?
The first important coffee production started in the country back in 1998. Over 20,000 hectares of coffee are produced in China today, and more than 80% of the crop originates from Yunnan, a region with a climate and geology that has been mostly compared to Colombia and Indonesia.
Prior to the 1950s, the majority of China’s coffee crop was derived from Bourbon and Typica coffee plants imported from Myanmar. Catimor is a newer hybrid coffee plant that is more resistant to the terrible coffee rust – Today, roughly 70 percent of China’s coffee is Catimor.
There are several big, state-run coffee plantations in China, as well as many small farms and privately-owned large farms having contracts with large businesses. In this guide, we will be talking about all important facts including Chinese coffee quality, top products, growing regions, etc.
As we already mentioned, Yunnan Province, located in the southwest of the country, is China’s largest growing area. Yunnan coffee often has a distinct sweetness and texture that makes it stand out from other coffees. When it comes to its pricing point, it has a pretty excellent body that works well in just about every mix. Yunnan coffee is doing better and better on its own, rather than as part of a blend, as a result of its improved quality and distinctive flavor characteristics. All in all, it is pretty clear that because of its altitude and temperature, the Yunnan region is ideal for coffee cultivation.
However, Yunnan province is not the only location where it is possible to produce organic Chinese coffee. In the list below, you can see other regions, where small farmers produce some high-quality coffee beans:
Located between 9800 and 13,000 feet above sea level, the rich soil and average annual temperature of 70 degrees makes some of the Chinese regions an ideal place to cultivate premium Arabica coffee beans.
Around 40,000 tons of green coffee are produced in China each year, which represents 0.05% of the global output. Currently, Yunnan produces 98 percent of all domestic coffee – that is 30,000 tons of Chinese green coffee beans each year, and that number is expected to grow significantly. A considerable rise in the production of Arabica coffee plant varieties has also been seen.
Despite exporting a large amount of Yunnan coffee to Germany and Japan, Starbucks began serving Yunnan coffee beverages in its China outlets a few years ago. South of the Clouds Mix, a new Arabica coffee bean blend from Yunnan, was released by Starbucks in 2009.
Fujian and Hainan are two more provinces where coffee is cultivated. A majority of robusta is grown in Fujian and Hainan, whereas Arabica is cultivated in Yunnan with catimor (caturra–Timor hybrid) as the preferred variety.
If you are someone who has already tasted some Chinese coffee beans and is looking for alternatives, then we have got you covered. Due to the fact that there are a lot of similar environments in Asia for coffee production, it is not a hard task to find alternatives. Make sure to check out the list below – all of these products can easily be found online on different platforms.
| Vietnamese Coffee | Laos Coffee | Myanmar Coffee | Taiwanese Coffee |
I mostly buy my coffee from Amazon. But, unfortunately, Amazon does not feature any Chinese coffee beans at the moment, but they can be purchased on Alibaba. However, Alibaba mostly has sales for commercial purposes so it’s not really recommended to buy there. We tried some Chinese coffee from a private supplier, so we can offer alternatives you can find on Amazon.
We pay attention to the following:
For more detailed information on how exactly we rate the coffee products we suggest in our guides, click here.
Simply naming our top alternatives to Chinese coffee makers will not be enough for you to guess whether a specific product is worth your time, money, and attention. Down below, we will do individual overviews, stating all important features about each product – That way, you can choose the one that suits your interests the best. So, get ready!
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Price: $$11.99 (subject to change) |
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Size: 12 ounces |
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Type: Robusta |
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Roast: Medium |
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Producer: VN Roaster |
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Beans: Ground |
We are more than happy to start our list with Vietnamese Butter Roasted Robusta, which is something truly unique. These coffee beans are produced in the Dak Lak region (this is considered the capital of coffee production in Vietnam). Another special feature of this product is its roasting technique – Beans are roasted in butter and as a result, you get a very creamy and silky taste.
This product is made from Robusta beans – the ones that are also produced in China. They give you a buttery finish with a smooth and powerful taste. My favorite part of Vietnamese coffee is that it has a rich, almost chocolaty flavor. The fact that this coffee is roasted in butter still surprised me. When I first heard the term “Butter Roasted,” I assumed it was just a fancy way of describing the dark, rich flavor I enjoy so much. There is a little butter flavor that is not overbearing, but it is discernible and I enjoy it.
It is also important to note that this product may be a great choice if you have a Vietnamese phin filter at home – It produces the best possible taste. The price is also pretty affordable – For a 12-ounce bag, you will have to pay $11.99. I liked the packaging a lot as this is not something you expect for this price. All in all, this is one of the best alternatives to Chinese coffee.
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Price: $$21.49 (subject to change) |
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Size: 12 ounces |
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Type: Robusta |
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Roast: Medium |
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Producer: Nguyen Coffee Supply |
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Beans: Ground |
The next one is Peaberry Ground Robusta. This one might be the best option for coffee lovers that enjoy consuming healthy products. The brand does not use any artificial ingredients or fillers, so you never have to be concerned about whether this product is safe to consume or not. Additionally, this coffee can be adjustable – meaning that you can brew it with all different methods including French Press, Pourover, Phin Drip coffee maker, etc.
What I like about this product is that it is a balance of Arabica and Robusta – both of these are included in Chinese coffee production. This brings a robust and nutty brew with a silky finish. So, what will you be able to taste in your cup of coffee? Tasting notes include Grapefruit, Bitter Melon, and Scotch. I definitely have not tasted all of these but the overall quality of the product was more than satisfactory. It tastes precisely like real Vietnamese coffee, but without the full impact of traditional Vietnamese coffee bitterness.
All in all, if you are a strong coffee lover, this might be a great choice for you. Although it is a little expensive – A 12-ounce package costs $21.49, a little much more than some other alternatives.
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Price: $$23.99 (subject to change) |
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Size: 12 oz |
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Type: Arabica |
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Roast: Dark |
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Producer: Coffee Round The World |
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Beans: Ground |
Laos Ground Organic coffee comes with chocolate and fruit notes. With your cup, you will feel toned aromatics that shimmer over earthy bottom notes. This USDA organic, Single origin product is delivered in a fresh condition, so you are able to taste the original taste. As it was in the case of the previous product, this one also does not include any artificial flavors or preservatives, giving you the original aroma that is closest to Chinese coffee brands online.
One package of this 12-ounce coffee is $23.99 and the packaging is pretty impressive. It comes with a description of the coffee including roasting date, size, and flavor name. What I am trying to say is that you can feel the quality and the fact that the brand cares about your first impression. I tried making this one with an Espresso machine, however, the taste did not meet my expectations – so it might be a good idea to experiment and find your favorite brewing method.
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Price: $$17.24 (subject to change) |
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Size: 21 oz |
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Type: Arabica |
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Roast: Medium |
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Producer: Dao |
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Beans: Whole |
Laos Dao is a pretty simple product. I am sure you have heard of instant coffee – this one is very easy to prepare and in addition, you can take it with you everywhere. As long as you have hot water with you, you can pretty much prepare your coffee everywhere. Just pour the boiling water into the coffee and that’s that!
The coffee itself is grown in the southern mountain plateau in Laos – this one has a very good environment for growing unique Arabica coffee varieties. Grown at a height of 1200 meters, Dao Coffee has a very rich and harmonious flavor – something you might not be expecting from an instant coffee. It comes with a pleasantly smooth taste but you definitely need to keep one thing in mind. Although we have already mentioned how simple it is to prepare your coffee, you should always use the right amount of water because if you use too much of it, your coffee will become watery and taste awful.
Another good thing about this product is that it comes with individual containers, so you are able to take it with you everywhere. So, this one is a perfect option for those that enjoy the simplicity of things!
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Price: $$22.99 (subject to change) |
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Size: 8 ounces |
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Type: Arabica |
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Roast: Medium |
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Producer: Bluekoff |
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Beans: Whole |
Thai Single Origin Peaberry comes directly from Mae Suay, Chiang Rai Province, Thailand. One of the most impressive things about it is that these Arabica peaberry coffee beans are cultivated at a height of 4,900 feet above sea level. The peaberry beans have a deep cherry taste and are lightly roasted to retain their inherent acidity.
The flavor of the coffee is strong but not overwhelming. From the first sip, I noticed a little hazelnut taste, which is not always very noticeable. One drawback of this product can be its price – For an 8-ounce package you pay $22.99 and for this price, you can definitely get better alternatives to Chinese coffee online. The packaging itself is impressive and creative. All in all, this can be a great option for people that are looking for a unique taste and beans that are produced in exotic locations.
I am pretty sure that you know how many different methods of brewing there are. For instance, some prefer to do manual brewing – that way they have more control over the taste and strength, others prefer to simply use the machines, click the “start” button, and walk away. We appreciate everyone’s preferences, however, down below we would like to share some of the best machines for brewing Chinese coffee beans. Due to the fact that a lot depends on the brewing method you choose, it is a good idea to try each of them so you are able to find the one that produces the best taste for you.
One of the most popular ways of brewing Chinese Arabica is with an Espresso machine. Although you might not be able to make a perfect cup from the first try, it is possible to improve after several tries. So, what you need to have is:
Once you have all these things at home, it means that you are ready to start the brewing process, which looks something like the following:
Keep in mind that the secret to creating consistent and high-quality espresso is timing. Once you’ve mastered the timing, you can be certain that the flavor and quality will be consistent every time you brew.
Making Moka Pot coffee is not as hard as making your cup with an Espresso machine due to the fact that Moka Pot is a pretty simple tool. Before you begin your brewing process, grab all the necessary tools and ingredients, here’s the list:
Once you have all of these things, it means that you are ready to start the brewing, just follow these simple steps below:
Newly popularized methods of brewing coffee in China seem to be French and Aero press. Today, we are going to discuss French Press, however, AeroPress can also produce a high-quality cup from your Chinese coffee beans. For this method you will need to have:
That’s all – once you gather all these things, follow these steps:
