Famous Colombian Coffee Varieties and Brewing Guide

FrontStreet Coffee - Colombia - Isabella Brewing Guide

Introduction to Colombian Coffee

Colombian coffee is balanced and smooth—a gentleman among coffees, well-mannered and dependable. Its growing regions are vast, with Medellin, Armenia, and Manizales the most renowned, collectively known as "MAM."

Colombia's premium beans come mainly from the southern regions at elevations above 1,500 meters: San Augustin in Huila province, Popayan in Cauca province, Nariño province, and Tolima province. Coffee from these areas shows delicate acidity, berry notes, caramel aroma, and abundant sweetness.

Introduction to Pink Bourbon

This particular coffee is a Pink Bourbon variety, and the rare Pink Bourbon shows exceptional character in the cup. Unlike the relatively flat profile of typical Bourbon, this one offers fresh floral aromatics, a sweetness like blueberry and green grape juice, cherry notes in the mid-palate, and brown-sugar sweetness in the finish. The acidity is a complex weave of citrus and berry fruits.

Brewing Recommendation: Pour-over

• Dripper: Hario V60
• Water Temperature: 90°C
• Coffee Dose: 15 grams
• Coffee-to-Water Ratio: 1:16
• Grind Size: Medium-fine (BG 6S: 58% pass-through rate through China standard #20 sieve)
• Brewing Method: Multi-stage extraction

Bloom with 35 grams of water for 30 seconds. Using a small water stream, pour in a circular motion to 127 grams, then create a stage break. When the water level drops and is about to expose the coffee bed, continue pouring to 240 grams, then stop pouring. When the water level drops again and is about to expose the coffee bed, remove the dripper. (Timing starts from the beginning of blooming) Total extraction time: 2'05".

Flavor Profile

Initial notes of citrus, berries, and cherry tomatoes. As the temperature changes, caramel sweetness and subtle fermentation aromatics emerge. The aftertaste features floral and nutty cream notes, with a smooth and clean mouthfeel.

Did You Know?

The color of coffee cherries is ultimately determined by recessive genes within the pollen grains. When crossbreeding, pollen grains contain both yellow genes (tending toward Yellow Bourbon) and red genes (tending toward Red Bourbon), both of which are recessive and easily interfere with each other. This makes Pink Bourbon an extremely rare variety.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

If this Pink Bourbon piques your interest, FrontStreet Coffee's Colombia Borderline Estate Sidra is another modern Colombian showpiece. Grown at 1650-1800 meters and finished with a double anaerobic natural process and a medium-light roast, it bursts with jasmine and citrus on the dry aroma, then passion fruit, blueberry, grape, and dried apricot in a vivid, juice-like body—bright yet gentle acidity, a touch of spice mid-palate, and a long cocoa finish.

For a more traditional cup, FrontStreet Coffee's washed Huila beans—medium-dark roasted—highlight black chocolate and nutty sweetness with moderate body, and they handle pour-over, French press, moka pot, and espresso alike, pulling well in both Americano and latte service.