Does Brazil Mainly Grow Red Bourbon? Why Don't Yellow Bourbons Ripen Red?

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Introduction of Coffee to Brazil

According to historical records, coffee was introduced to northern Brazil in 1727, initially cultivating mainly the Typica variety. Although Typica is one of the most important Arabica coffee varieties in terms of coffee culture and genetics, its yield and disease resistance are relatively low, making it economically unsuitable.

Bourbon Variety Introduction

Therefore, in the 1860s, Brazil introduced the Bourbon variety. Although Bourbon was also susceptible to diseases and pests, its yield was approximately 30% higher than Typica. As a result, Bourbon began to replace Typica and gained widespread cultivation. The first area to start growing Bourbon was Campinas in southern Brazil. Bourbon adapted well to Brazil's soil and water conditions, quickly expanding to other regions and gradually spreading to other coffee-producing countries in South and Central America.

Coffee Research and Development

Later, Brazil established the Campinas Institute of Agronomy (IAC) to support coffee crop research and find coffee varieties suitable for Brazil's environmental and climatic conditions. During this period, IAC collected numerous coffee varieties such as Caturra, Catuai, Mondo Novo, and Maragogipe. Not all varieties were suitable for cultivation in Brazilian regions, so currently Red Bourbon, Yellow Bourbon, Catuai, and Mondo Novo remain Brazil's main varieties.

FrontStreet Coffee's Brazil Selection

Currently, FrontStreet Coffee's entry-level selection series uses Red Bourbon coffee beans from Brazil's main growing regions, processed using the semi-dry method. Since Brazilian coffee is characterized by low acidity, nutty, and chocolate flavors, medium-dark roasting is employed. After brewing, it presents nutty, peanut, and cocoa chocolate flavors with low acidity and moderate body.

Red Bourbon vs Yellow Bourbon

Ordinary Bourbon coffee trees produce green fruits after flowering, which gradually turn yellow and orange as they slowly mature, finally becoming completely red when fully ripe. However, Brazil has a special Bourbon variety that doesn't turn red when ripe but instead becomes a fresh, bright yellow. To distinguish it, the coffee variety producing red fruits was specifically named "Red Bourbon."

Discovery of Yellow Bourbon

According to records, Yellow Bourbon was first discovered in 1930 in Pederneiras, northeastern São Paulo state, Brazil. Its final fruits don't turn red but retain their yellow appearance. At that time, some believed it was a natural mutation of Red Bourbon, while others suggested it was a natural progeny of Red Bourbon and "Amerelo de Botocatu" (a Typica variant discovered in 1871 in São Paulo state that produces yellow fruits).

Scientific Explanation of Yellow Color

Why does it turn yellow? FrontStreet Coffee's research found that in 1942, a professor named Krug discovered the genetic origin of this color and named it "Xanthocarpa." In Greek, "Xanthus" means yellow, and "carpus" means fruit.

Coffee fruits are plants that contain "luteolin," a flavonoid with a yellow crystalline appearance. The color of coffee fruits is determined by "anthocyanins," which are widely found in berries such as grapes and cherries. However, anthocyanins have both dominant and recessive genes. Coffee plants with the dominant XcXc gene produce red berries, but some fruits have the recessive XCXC gene, at which point the original color of luteolin becomes apparent, giving the fruit a yellow appearance.

Cultivation Characteristics

Initially, Yellow Bourbon was discovered to have high yield and excellent quality characteristics, quickly gaining popularity in Brazil. However, in the following years, production decreased and disease resistance also weakened, requiring more careful management. It is more suitable for cultivation in areas at 1000 meters or higher altitudes. Currently, it is only grown in some areas of São Paulo state, Brazil, such as Mogiana. Due to higher altitudes and larger temperature differences between day and night, the fruits have more time to develop richer aromas.

FrontStreet Coffee's Queen Estate Recommendation

If you want to experience the unique flavor of this yellow coffee fruit, FrontStreet Coffee recommends Queen Estate coffee beans. This is a Yellow Bourbon from the Mogiana region. In the high-altitude environment, the coffee has a rich yet sweet and balanced profile. To highlight its roasted nutty aroma, FrontStreet Coffee uses medium-dark roasting to present this coffee, making it suitable for various brewing methods including pour-over, moka pot, espresso machine, siphon, and French press.

Cupping Profile

Cupping analysis reveals that compared to Red Bourbon, Yellow Bourbon has softer acidity, refreshing sweetness, and a creamy texture, making it smoother. When brewed by pour-over, it presents fruity sweetness with cane sugar, chocolate, and peanut nutty flavors, along with a faint, clean bitterness and a smooth, delicate mouthfeel.

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