Timor coffee has a medium to full body with an expansive taste and an acidity that is vibrant yet low-toned. Occasional inconsistencies in harvesting and processing may produce a coffee defects resulting in musty and/or hard qualities.
Timor Coffee Plant Varietals – Hybrido de Timor
An interspecific hybrid of Robusta (Coffea canephora var. robusta) and Coffea arabica, the Hybrido de Timor coffee plant varietal was first discovered in the 1940s on the island of Timor in Indonesia.
Timor coffee plants began to be cultivated due to their strong resistance to coffee leaf rust, a disease that afflicts most coffee plant species.
The Catimor Coffee Plant Varietal
The Hybrido de Timor coffee plant varietal has also been crossed with the Caturra varietal (Coffea arabic var. caturra) to produce the Catimor varietal (Coffea arabica var. catimor), which is also resistant to coffee leaf rust. Export of Timor coffee is limited and it’s generally difficult to find wholesale distributors that carry green coffee beans.
The Politics of Coffee Growing in Timor
Coffee grown in Timor was considered a classic coffee bean though the country’s coffee industry saw a decline due to political turmoil and other causes. More recently Timor’s coffee industry has received assistance from international agencies, though political issues remain a serious concern.
The Timor varietal has 44 chromosomes and resembles the Arabica coffee plant. Timor coffee is also called Tim Tim Coffee; Bor Bor Coffee; Hybrido de Timor Coffee.
Timor Coffee and Espresso Brewing Tips
For tips on brewing the perfect cup of Timor coffee see our section on Coffee Brewing. You can also read detailed coffee taste profiles of gourmet coffee and instructions on preparing Espresso Drink Recipes.
For step-by-step instructions see Pulling A Perfect Espresso Shot as well as How to make a Latte.
Detailed definitions of coffee and espresso terms can be found in the Coffee Terms. Also check out the World’s Best History of Coffee.
Timor Coffee Production
- Crop Year: April 1 to March 31
- 2010 Production: 60,000 x 60kg bags
- 2011 Production: 47,000 x 60kg bags
- 2012 Production: 61,000 x 60kg bags
- 2013 Production: 80,000 x 60kg bags
- 2014 Production: 117,000 x 60kg bags
Timor Coffee Export Volume
- Crop Year: April 1 to March 31
- 2010 Export: 60,000 x 60kg bags
- 2011 Export: 47,000 x 60kg bags
- 2012 Export: 60,000 x 60kg bags
- 2013 Export: 80,000 x 60kg bags
- 2014 Export: 116,000 x 60kg bags
Green Coffee Production
60kg bags2016: 80,000 = 10,560,000 lbs
2015: 66,363 = 8,759,916 lbs
2014: 116,504 = 15,378,541 lbs
2013: 80,218 = 10,588,802 lbs
2012: 60,748 = 8,018,776 lbs
Green Coffee Exports
60kg bags2016: 0 = 0 lbs
2015: 65,870 = 8,694,840 lbs
2014: 116,010 = 15,313,320 lbs
2013: 79,730 = 10,524,360 lbs
2012: 60,260 = 7,954,320 lbs
Data may not be available for the most recent year.
Source: ICO
Leave a Reply