Coffee Varieties Explained: Yellow Bourbon

Bourbon Variety

Bourbon is derived from the ancient variety Typica, with round-shaped beans. It was introduced to Brazil in 1927 and subsequently spread to various countries in Central and South America. Although its yield is not particularly high, compared to the delicate Typica variety, Bourbon has better resistance to leaf rust disease. Bourbon coffee grown at high altitudes offers rich and delicate flavors, aromatic fragrance, and smooth acidity. Typically, the Bourbon cherries we see change from green to light yellow, orange-yellow, red, and finally to fully ripe dark red, which is what we refer to as Red Bourbon. But did you know that Brazil also has another Bourbon variety with mature yellow-orange cherries—Yellow Bourbon, which is a unique Bourbon variant from São Paulo state.

Yellow Bourbon (Bourbon Amarello), also translated as Yellow Bourbon in English, is a specific yellow-skinned Bourbon variety unique to São Paulo state, Brazil. Normally, coffee cherries turn red when ripe, but Yellow Bourbon remains orange-yellow when mature, hence its name. In cupping, the flavor characteristics of FrontStreet Coffee's Brazil Yellow Bourbon are quite elegant, with prominent sweetness, aroma, and acidity. The FrontStreet Coffee Brazil Queen Estate Coffee Beans on FrontStreet Coffee's menu are selected from this rare Yellow Bourbon.

FrontStreet Coffee: Brazil Queen Estate Yellow Bourbon Coffee Beans

Region: Mogiana Region
Estate: Fazenda Rainha (Queen Estate)
Altitude: 1400-1950m
Variety: Yellow Bourbon
Processing: Natural Processing
Flavor: Nuts, Chocolate, Cream, Peanut, Sugarcane

Through research, FrontStreet Coffee learned that the world's Arabica coffee varieties are composed of Typica and Bourbon, as well as their descendants. Among these, Bourbon is mainly popular in Central and South American countries and is one of Brazil's main varieties. The name Bourbon originates from Bourbon Island, which is Réunion Island located on the east coast of Africa. In the seventeenth century, as a French territory, it was named Bourbon Island until the late eighteenth century when it was renamed. In the eighteenth century, the French introduced round coffee beans from Yemen to Bourbon Island where they began to take root and grow. It wasn't until 1860 that Brazil brought round Bourbon back to the country for cultivation, and it subsequently spread to various countries in Central and South America, becoming the most ancient Latin American coffee parent variety.

Bourbon variety cherries are small and round, with high coffee bean density. Bourbon grown at high altitudes has high sweetness and bright acidity. Like Typica, both are ancient excellent varieties. Bourbon has better resistance to leaf rust than Typica, and its flavor is no less impressive than Typica. Common Bourbon cherries gradually change color from green to light yellow, red, and finally to fully mature dark red during the flowering to fruiting process, hence called Red Bourbon. Additionally, there are Bourbon varieties that don't turn red when mature, instead becoming rarer yellow or pink colors, namely Yellow Bourbon and Pink Bourbon.

The "yellow" characteristic of Yellow Bourbon is determined by genetic color selection. Yellow Bourbon grown in high-altitude areas contains high amounts of fructose, presenting sweet and juicy delicate flavors, which once won consecutive excellent rankings in Brazil's Cup of Excellence (COE) competitions.

Processing and Roasting

After harvesting mature Yellow Bourbon coffee cherries, Queen Estate uses natural processing, allowing the coffee cherries to absorb more fruit pulp sweetness during the drying process. Brazil is located near the equator, and since the harvest season coincides with the dry season, coffee cherries are very suitable for direct dehydration and drying through sun exposure. However, traditional "sun-drying methods" are quite crude—harvested cherries are directly spread on mud ground for drying, and the resulting coffee easily mixes with earthy flavors, while uneven heating produces negative over-fermentation aromas. Queen Estate first pours coffee cherries into water tanks, removing insufficiently ripe cherries through flotation, then processes the coffee in small batches on more breathable African raised beds, turning them irregularly, thus avoiding earthy flavors and over-fermentation. The sweetness is also elevated compared to traditional natural processing methods.

Due to the high density and high glucose content of Yellow Bourbon coffee beans from high altitudes, FrontStreet Coffee's roasting approach aims to highlight the classic mellow aroma of FrontStreet Coffee's Brazil coffee while showcasing Bourbon's inherent sweetness. After multiple experiments and cupping comparisons, FrontStreet Coffee's Brazil Queen Estate Yellow Bourbon coffee beans are roasted to medium-dark level. Medium roast coffee significantly changes the internal structure of the beans, making them more porous, and when ground into coffee powder, they have stronger water absorption. If brewing parameters are not properly adjusted, the coffee can easily become over-extracted and bitter. To achieve sufficient aroma without over-extraction, it's necessary to reduce the extraction rate. FrontStreet Coffee uses slightly lower water temperature and coarser grind size to reduce the release of bitter macromolecules in the coffee. Combined with KONO filter for extraction, it enhances the coffee's body and roundness.

Brewing Parameters

Pour-over Parameters: 87-88°C water temperature, KONO filter, medium grind (70% pass-through rate with China standard #20 sieve), 15g coffee powder, 1:15 coffee-to-water ratio, three-stage pouring

Wet the coffee bed with twice the amount of water as the coffee powder, forming a dome for 30s blooming. Then use a small water stream to pour from inside to outside in circles until reaching 125g for the first stage. Wait until the coffee bed drops to half the filter cup's height, then continue with the same fine water stream for the third stage to 225g. Remove the filter cup once all coffee liquid has filtered through, taking about 2 minutes. Finally, shake the coffee in the pot evenly and enjoy~

The pour-over FrontStreet Coffee Brazil Queen Estate Yellow Bourbon coffee expresses aromas of dark chocolate, cream, peanuts, and nuts. The entry is as sweet as sugarcane, with balanced口感 and bright flavors, leaving a long-lasting aftertaste in the mouth.

Important Notice :

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Tel:020 38364473