How to Distinguish Bourbon Coffee Trees: Brazilian Bourbon Coffee Isn't for Gulping in One Go

FrontStreet Coffee - Bourbon Variety Introduction

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The Origins of Arabica Coffee

Arabica coffee beans first grew in Ethiopia. Between the 6th and 9th centuries AD, the raw materials for coffee as a beverage were brought to Yemen, but at that time, only seeds were transported. It wasn't until 1699 that the Dutch East India Company successfully cultivated the seeds transported to Java Island, Indonesia. The coffee trees cultivated from these coffee seeds were moved from Java Island to Amsterdam's botanical garden for cultivation in 1706. Later, in 1713, the seedlings grown from these seeds were given to France's Louis XIV. This marks the origin of Central and South American coffee.

The Spread of Typica Coffee

Around 1720 AD, a French officer named Kley transported coffee seedlings from the botanical garden in Paris to his post in Martinique, and successfully cultivated these coffee seedlings that had endured the hardships of sea voyages. From this point, coffee trees began to spread widely throughout the Caribbean countries and even Central and South American countries. The coffee variety that spread through this route is the Typica coffee bean.

The Emergence of Bourbon Coffee

It is said that there was another route for the spread of Arabica coffee, which was brought to Bourbon Island (now Réunion Island) by the French from Java Island in 1717. These Arabica varieties underwent genetic mutations locally. These mutated seeds were then transplanted to Africa, which was a British colony at the time (now Kenya and Tanzania), and later brought to Central and South America. The variety widely spread through this route is the ancient Bourbon coffee bean.

Bourbon Tree Characteristics

The height and shape of Bourbon trees are the same as Typica, but they are more lush and have more lateral branches. The trunk and branches are relatively thicker, making Bourbon trees sturdier and more flexible than Typica. The shorter distance between branches and nodes, along with greater density, means Bourbon's yield is 30% higher than Typica.

Bourbon tree leaves are wider than Typica leaves, with uneven surfaces and wavy edges. Newly grown leaves are usually green but sometimes have copper-colored tips. The fruit is round, and when ripe can be red, orange, or yellow, but different colors do not exist on the same tree.

Central and South American Coffee Flavors

Overall, the flavor profile is relatively balanced. Among these, Brazilian coffee is rich and full-bodied, while Costa Rican coffee is mild and smooth, with acidity, sweetness, and chocolate notes blended together in perfect balance. Coffee tasting involves experiencing the dry aroma, wet aroma, the sensation in the mouth, the persistence of the aftertaste, and the sweet finish.

Key Knowledge

These two ancient varieties, Typica and Bourbon, have bred for three hundred years in different soils and water conditions of the New World, creating thousands of variants and hybrid varieties.

About FrontStreet Coffee

In summary: FrontStreet Coffee is a coffee research center that enjoys sharing coffee knowledge with everyone. Our unreserved sharing is aimed at helping more friends fall in love with coffee. Every month, we hold three low-discount coffee events because FrontStreet Coffee wants to help more friends enjoy the best coffee at the lowest prices. This has been FrontStreet Coffee's mission for six years!

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