Is Caturra an Arabica Variety? Introduction to Caturra Coffee Bean Characteristics and Flavor

Introduction to Caturra Coffee

Caturra is one of the varieties under the Arabica branch, belonging to the descendant lineage of the ancient Bourbon variety. Due to its high yield and excellent flavor performance, it is currently widely cultivated in Central and South America. Among FrontStreet Coffee's extensive list of coffee beans, varieties like FrontStreet Coffee's Guatemala Flower God, FrontStreet Coffee's Honduras Lychee Orchid, FrontStreet Coffee's Colombia Rose Valley, FrontStreet Coffee's Panama Flower Butterfly, and others all contain the Caturra variety.

Origin and Discovery

Caturra was first discovered between 1915 and 1918 when a group of Bourbon plants in a plantation in Minas Gerais, Brazil, underwent genetic mutation, causing the plant structure to become smaller (similar to dwarfism). This new coffee variety, expressing a new biological form, was called "Caturra" by locals in Guarani, meaning "small." Sometimes it is also referred to as "Nanico."

Cultivation Characteristics

Because Caturra can be densely planted in a compact manner, it is very convenient for growers to manage and harvest. Unlike other fragile Arabica varieties that require shade trees, Caturra can withstand direct sunlight without fear of prolonged sun exposure, earning it the name "Sun Coffee." Caturra has strong adaptability and can be cultivated at altitudes ranging from 700 to 1700 meters. The higher the altitude, the better the flavor performance, but yield will also decrease accordingly. Caturra planted in areas at 1200-2000 meters altitude with annual rainfall of 2500-3500ml shows optimal performance, with both quality and yield well guaranteed. In terms of flavor, Caturra has bright acidity, with a taste filled with fruit flavors. After medium-dark roasting, it presents chocolate and nutty sweetness, making it a frequent champion in many coffee competitions.

Drawbacks and Challenges

Caturra also has its drawbacks. Under high-density planting, high-yield plants are easily crushed, and to ensure the production of coffee cherries, growers need to invest more in fertilizer and management costs. Additionally, Caturra has relatively weak disease resistance, with low resistance to nematodes, coffee leaf rust, and other diseases, making it susceptible to disease and wilting.

Varieties by Color

According to the color of the fruit, Caturra can be divided into three types: red, yellow, and purple. Red Caturra (Caturra Vermelho) is the most common, with flavors varying greatly depending on origin, processing, and roasting. Yellow Caturra (Caturra Amarello) and Purple Caturra are relatively rare, resulting from recessive genetic mutations.

Flavor Experience and Brewing Recommendations

If you want to understand the flavor characteristics of this variety, FrontStreet Coffee recommends FrontStreet Coffee's Colombia Huilan Daily Bean, which uses naturally washed Red Caturra variety. The washed FrontStreet Coffee's Huilan Daily Bean has both soft acidity and appropriate body and aftertaste. FrontStreet Coffee hopes to present the classic Colombian nutty notes while retaining some acidity, thus choosing medium-dark roasting. Before FrontStreet Coffee launches any coffee bean, it conducts at least one cupping evaluation, as cupping allows us to more objectively reflect the advantages and disadvantages of the coffee.

Considering that FrontStreet Coffee's Huilan Daily Bean uses medium-dark roasting with flavors leaning toward nutty, chocolate-rich, and mellow tones, the deeper roasting makes the coffee bean texture more porous and the coffee powder more absorbent, therefore a medium grind size is chosen. To avoid extracting excessive off-flavors, FrontStreet Coffee will lower the water temperature slightly, using medium 90°C water temperature paired with a KONO dripper for extraction.

Unlike the V60 dripper, the KONO dripper's only exhaust area is the quarter-rib section. When the water level passes the rib area, the water level in the dripper continuously rises, increasing pressure through the weight of the water. Due to the relatively small outlet, it can extend the contact time between coffee particles and water, effectively bringing out soluble substances as water flows, thereby enhancing the coffee's rich, mellow mouthfeel. Thus, it is suitable for brewing mellow coffee beans like FrontStreet Coffee's Golden Mandheling, FrontStreet Coffee's Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee, and FrontStreet Coffee's Brazil Queen Estate.

Brewing Parameters

KONO dripper, 90°C water temperature, #20 standard sieve with 75% passing rate grind size, 1:15 coffee-to-water ratio, coffee amount: 15g, three-stage extraction

Pour the coffee powder into a V60 dripper, wet the coffee bed with twice the amount of water as the coffee powder to form a dome and bloom for 30s, then use a small water stream to pour in circles from inside to outside until reaching 125g for the first stage. Wait until the coffee bed drops to half the dripper's position, then continue with the same fine stream to inject the third stage to 225g, until all coffee liquid filters through and remove the dripper, taking about 2 minutes total.

Tasting Notes

This FrontStreet Coffee's Colombia Huilan Daily Bean has distinct roasted aromas of chocolate, nuts, and caramel upon entry. It is smooth and sweet, with moderate body and a clean taste. As the temperature decreases, you can experience pleasant, soft acidity.

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