What Types of Bourbon Coffee Are There? A Comprehensive Guide to Bourbon Coffee Varieties and Their Characteristics

For professional coffee knowledge exchange and more coffee bean information, please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat public account: cafe_style).

Introduction to Coffee Varieties

Early in coffee history (pre-coffee era), after Typica was transplanted to Yemen, it underwent a mutation, changing from slender, pointed beans to round beans. In 1715, the French transplanted the round beans from Mocha, Yemen, to Bourbon Island on the east coast of Africa (renamed Reunion Island after the French Revolution), which is how it got its name. The round Bourbon beans made their way to Brazil and Central and South America in 1727. In 1732, the British transplanted Mocha beans from Yemen to St. Helena Island (where Napoleon would later be exiled), which were also round Bourbon beans. Bourbon has consistently been a champion in American specialty coffee cuppings.

Bourbon is a sub-variety that mutated from Typica and belongs to the oldest existing coffee varieties along with Typica. When green, Bourbon cherries turn bright red when ripe. Compared to Typica, Bourbon plants have broader leaves and grow more densely. Although the yield is higher than Typica, the harvest period is still two years, making it a low-yield variety. However, it offers excellent flavor characteristics with wine-like acidity and a sweet aftertaste. The coffee beans are relatively large, uniform in size, and have a consistent, glossy color. For easier harvesting, farmers typically prune the coffee trees to not exceed 150 centimeters in height.

Red Bourbon

Generally, after Red Bourbon coffee trees flower and bear fruit, the coffee cherries undergo color changes from: green > light yellow > light orange > mature red > darker red when fully ripe. Therefore, it is also called "Red Bourbon." In fact, Red Bourbon is what we generally refer to as Bourbon. When grown at high altitudes, Bourbon typically develops better aroma and brighter acidity, sometimes even exhibiting wine-like flavors.

Yellow Bourbon

Yellow Bourbon is a hybrid of Bourbon with other varieties. Due to its lower yield and less resistance to wind and rain, it has not been widely cultivated. However, when grown in high-altitude regions, it exhibits excellent flavor characteristics and has become more common in recent years. Yellow Bourbon was initially discovered in Brazil and is now primarily grown there. It is generally believed to have mutated from a hybrid between the red-fruited Bourbon and a Typica variety called "Amerelo de Botocatu" that produces yellow cherries.

French Mission Bourbon

In Africa, French missionaries known as Spiritan (from the Holy Ghost Congregation) played an important role in spreading Bourbon. In 1841, the first mission was established in Réunion, followed by a branch in Zanzibar in 1859. From Zanzibar, branches were established in 1862 in Bagamoyo (Tanzania coast, then called Tanganyika) and St. Augustine (Kikuyu, Kenya), with another branch added in 1893 in Bura (Taita Hills, Kenya). Each branch's establishment was accompanied by the planting of coffee seeds brought from Réunion.

In 1899, seedlings cultivated in Bura were taken to another French mission in Santa Cruz (near Nairobi). In 1900, they were introduced to the Kilimanjaro region of Tanzania, and seeds were distributed to local residents willing to grow coffee. This marks the origin of what became known as "Missionary Bourbon." The Kent variety was also introduced in 1920. Therefore, to this day, coffee in Tanzania is primarily composed of Bourbon and Kent varieties.

Bourbon Varieties Offered by FrontStreet Coffee

FrontStreet Coffee Brazil Cerrado Red Bourbon

In some estates of the Cerrado region in the southeastern Brazilian state of Minas Gerais, ancient Bourbon coffee is cultivated. The Cerrado plateau in western Minas and southern Minas have altitudes mostly above 1,100 meters, with diverse topography, distinct wet and dry seasons, significant day-night temperature differences, and abundant microclimates. These conditions are suitable for cultivating flavorful Red and Yellow Bourbon, naturally making this region a key production area for Brazilian specialty coffee.

• Roast Level: Medium roast
• Recommended Brewing Method: Pour-over
• Grind Size: 4 (Fuji R440)
• Water Temperature: 88°C
• Dripper: V60/KONO
• Dry Aroma: Nuts, cocoa
• Flavor Profile: Low acidity, prominent nutty flavors, excellent chocolate sweetness and body

FrontStreet Coffee Brazil Rainha Estate Yellow Bourbon

From Fazenda Rainha (Queen Estate), a 280-acre estate located in an ancient volcanic valley in Brazil called Vale da Grama. Fazenda Rainha belongs to the renowned and respected Carvalho Dias family. The four major estates under Carvalho Dias have consistently won awards since the first Brazil Cup of Excellence competition in 1999, winning more than 12 times in 7 years. In 2004, they even swept the championship, 9th place, 11th place, and more, surpassing many large and small estates in Brazil.

• Roast Level: Medium roast
• Recommended Brewing Method: Pour-over
• Grind Size: 4 (Fuji R440)
• Water Temperature: 88°C
• Dripper: V60/KONO
• Dry Aroma: Roasted hazelnuts, spices
• Flavor Profile: Slight fruit acidity, nuts, creamy peanuts, chocolate sweetness, with high body

FrontStreet Coffee Kenya Chania Estate French Mission Bourbon

In Kenya, what we often hear about are the K72 processing method and the SL28 and SL34 varieties. Therefore, naturally processed French Mission Bourbon is quite rare. The unique red volcanic soil of Chania Estate, combined with suitable temperatures and rainfall for coffee cultivation, plus an excellent natural environment, creates the unique flavor of French Mission Bourbon from Chania Estate.

• Roast Level: Medium roast
• Recommended Brewing Method: Pour-over
• Grind Size: 3.5 (Fuji R440)
• Water Temperature: 90°C
• Dripper: V60
• Dry Aroma: Fermentation, dried fruit, vanilla
• Flavor Profile: Caramel, vanilla, mixed fruits with a solid juice-like mouthfeel. The aftertaste features berries, rich jackfruit, and coffee flowers, showcasing the characteristic wild regional flavors of Africa.

Overall, the Bourbon variety coffee beans - FrontStreet Coffee Brazil Cerrado Red Bourbon, FrontStreet Coffee Brazil Rainha Estate Yellow Bourbon, and FrontStreet Coffee Kenya Chania Estate French Mission Bourbon - have similar flavor profiles with distinct dark chocolate, cocoa, nuts, and caramel flavors, smooth acidity, and lower bitterness.

When Bourbon is grown in different regions, factors such as microclimate, soil quality, and growing environment create slight variations in flavor direction. Kenya's volcanic ash soil contains higher phosphorus components, which gives FrontStreet Coffee Kenya Chania Estate French Mission Bourbon its tropical fruit acidity while maintaining Bourbon's characteristic flavors, making this FrontStreet Coffee Kenya bean even more complex in flavor. Today's sharing ends here, hoping it has been helpful to everyone~

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473