Birds of Paradise Sigri, Papua New GuineaCoffee Bean Intro:

Front Street Coffee: Papua New Guinea · Birds of Paradise Coffee Beans

Country: Papua New Guinea

Region: Sigri · Birds of Paradise Estate

Elevation: 1600~1800 meters

Grade: AA

Variety: Typica

Process: Washed

Region Introduction

Coffee was first introduced to Papua New Guinea in the late 18th century by Dutch sailors, and it flourished in the Rigo region around 1892. By 1908, Papua New Guinea had 180 acres of land planted with coffee. By 1970, the country could produce 460,000 bags of coffee; today, its annual coffee production has reached 900,000 to 1.2 million bags.

Papua New Guinea is mainly divided into four provinces: Eastern Highlands, Momase, New Guinea Islands, and Southern. Located east of the Indonesian archipelago, Papua New Guinea, with its predominantly highland terrain, features both large estates/farms and smallholder farming models, cultivating a variety of coffee varieties. The flavor of Papua New Guinea coffee differs significantly from other Asian regions such as Indonesia, South Asia (India), or Pacific islands. Unlike the low acidity, rich body, and earthy tones of semi-washed (honey processed) Indonesian beans (Sumatra, Sulawesi), washed Papua New Guinea coffee always has a brighter profile.

Sigri Estate

The parent company of Sigri Estate (Sigri Estate) is WR CARPENTER COMPANY-PNG (Carpenter Company). It owns approximately 1,000 hectares of Arabica coffee cultivation area in Papua New Guinea. Carpenter Company accounts for 80% of the country's tea and coffee bean exports, making it the largest coffee producer and exporter, exporting about 1.6 million kilograms of high-quality washed Arabica beans annually.

The Carpenter Company (CARPENTERE) coffee cultivation area is located in the Wahgi Valley near the Mt. Hagen mountain range in the Goroka highlands of the Western Highlands Province, at an elevation of about 1,600 meters. Since 1957, Typica variety seedlings from the Blue Mountain region of Jamaica have been transported across the ocean and planted in this land. The optimal coffee-growing zone provides these seedlings with a favorable climate and soil, creating ideal conditions for high-quality coffee production.

(2) The Meaning and Rules of Coffee Bean Names in Papua New Guinea: PNG Plantation Y（ Country + Planting Type + Grade Name

  In Papua New Guinea, Plantation (plantations) and Large Estates (large estates) account for 25% of national production; small and medium-sized farms (Holdings or Blocks) sized 10-20 hectares account for 10%; there are a total of 76 registered plantations and estates in PNG.

Taking the most notable specialty-grade AA and A as examples:

(1) AA and A-grade coffee belong to the specialty coffee tier, primarily sourced from larger estates.

  For AA, the bean size is larger than 18 mesh, and the bean shape is flat and oval. Defects: a maximum of 10 defects per kilogram. The raw bean appearance is green with a slight blue tint. The raw bean flavor should be clean, the roasted flavor should be clean and smooth.

(2) A-grade beans should be larger than 17 mesh, and cupping should reach at least GTF grade (Good to Fine), meaning good to excellent taste—the other defect numbers and raw bean conditions are the same as AA.

Why is Papua New Guinea coffee known as the "Little Blue Mountain"?

In 1931, Papua New Guinea introduced the Typica variety from Jamaica, which shares the same lineage as the famous Blue Mountain coffee and is the main coffee variety in the region. Typica has an elegant flavor but is delicate, with low disease resistance and susceptibility to leaf rust. Front Street Coffee believes the most distinctive feature of Typica coffee trees is their bronze-colored top leaves, also referred to as "red-topped coffee." Typica beans are larger, forming a pointed cone or slender shape, unlike the round beans of the Bourbon variety. Typica coffee has a unique clean and delicate flavor, as well as balanced characteristics, with high cleanliness in taste.

Front Street once conducted a cupping comparison between the "Little Blue Mountain" Papua Typica and Blue Mountain Typica, and found Jamaican Blue Mountain has a richer, more solid taste, while Papua New Guinea Typica has a lighter, more refreshing taste with bright, uplifting fruit acidity. Therefore, when customers seek a coffee with balanced taste and moderate acidity, sweetness, and bitterness, Front Street will prioritize recommending the Birds of Paradise from Papua New Guinea.

Coffee Style of Papua New Guinea

Although bordering Indonesia, Papua New Guinea lacks the "rough" characteristics of Indonesian coffee, instead showcasing balance and cleanliness. If Indonesian Mandheling is likened to an old man with years of sediment, then Papua New Guinea is a fresh and elegant beauty.

Papua New Guinea coffee is primarily washed, offering bright fruit acidity similar to Central American coffee styles. Farmers harvest ripe red coffee cherries and send them to the estate’s own washed processing facilities. The washed processing method in Papua New Guinea differs from that of Central and South America. It involves three rounds of washed fermentation, each soaking for about 24 hours, with clean water changes to control the coffee flavor. This meticulous process brings out the uplifting fruit acidity while preserving the beans' inherent long-lasting sweetness.

Since Typica beans are of lower density, to highlight their inherent refreshing acidity and fruity aroma, Front Street uses a medium roast. This allows the Grapefruit acidity of the Birds of Paradise coffee beans to shine, along with a bright, juicy fruit flavor, and a tea-like and cocoa aroma in the mid-to-late stages.