The Vast Variety of Coffee Beans: Comparing Typical Catuai and Caturra Varieties

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FrontStreet Coffee - Introduction to Caturra and Catuai Varieties

FrontStreet Coffee · Caturra

Caturra is a single-gene variant of Bourbon, discovered in Brazil in 1937. It has better production capacity and disease resistance than Bourbon, and the plant is shorter, making harvesting easier. Unfortunately, like Bourbon, it also suffers from the problem of biennial production cycles. However, its flavor is comparable to or slightly inferior to Bourbon beans. More importantly, it has extremely strong adaptability - it doesn't require shade trees and can thrive directly under intense sunlight, commonly known as "Sun Coffee." It can adapt to high-density planting but requires more fertilization, increasing costs, so coffee farmers initially had low acceptance of it.

Caturra is suitable for cultivation from low altitudes of 700 meters to high altitudes of 1700 meters, with strong altitude adaptability. However, the higher the altitude, the better the flavor, though production capacity relatively decreases - this is the destiny of specialty beans. Some in academia call Caturra the intensive and sun-exposed version of Bourbon, which is quite apt. There is also a yellow variant of Caturra (Caturra Amarello) in Central and South America, but its reputation is not as good as Yellow Bourbon.

When lightly roasted, Caturra has prominent acidic aromas and overall brightness. With proper processing, its sweetness can be expressed exceptionally well. However, the coffee body is relatively low compared to Bourbon, and the cleanliness of the mouthfeel is somewhat lacking. Usually, Caturra produces red berries, but in very rare regions, there are yellow Caturras, such as the very few yellow Caturras grown in Hawaii.

FrontStreet Coffee · Catuai

Catuai is a hybrid of Mundo Novo and Caturra, what could be called a second-generation hybrid. It inherits the advantage of Caturra's short plant stature, correcting Mundo Novo's shortcomings; it also compensates for the fragility of Arabica cherries. The fruit set is solid and doesn't easily drop when exposed to strong winds. The biggest regret is that its overall flavor is somewhat monotonous compared to Caturra.

In the 1950s and 1960s, it was discovered by Brazilian agricultural research institutions. Some say it first appeared in the late 1940s. The variety name Catuai comes from an indigenous language meaning "very good." As a member of the Arabica family, Catuai is relatively high-yielding.

The plant is relatively small, with a smaller angle between lateral branches and main branches. Besides higher yields, another prominent advantage is that coffee cherries don't easily drop after maturing, providing strong resistance to wind and rain. It is favored in regions with high rainfall and wind. Additionally, it requires sufficient fertilization and care. Catuai can adapt well to various altitudes, with cup quality becoming more outstanding when planted above 800m.

Fruit colors commonly include red and yellow. Red Catuai and Yellow Catuai.

Knowledge Point

Arabica coffee is generally believed to originate from the Ethiopian highlands and is widely distributed in tropical regions. Through repeated mutations and breeding, it has derived numerous varieties.

In Summary

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