Pink Bourbon: The specialty coffee world's pink sensation and genetic mystery | Hälla Kafferosteri

What is Pink Bourbon?

The most striking thing about Pink Bourbon is – just as the name suggests – the color of the ripe coffee berries. Instead of the classic deep red or bright yellow berries, Pink Bourbon develops a beautiful, salmon pink or pink-orange hue when ripe for harvest.

The flavor profile is often described as a perfect bridge between the elegant floral character of an Ethiopian landrace (wild ancestor) or a Panamanian Gesha, and the full-bodied sweetness of traditional Latin American coffees. When you drink a cup of Pink Bourbon, you can expect:

• Lively acidity with hints of citrus and "pink lemonade".

• Delicate aromas   of white flowers, jasmine and green tea.

• Fruity complexity that draws on peach, melon and papaya.

• High sweetness   and a silky texture.

Pink Bourbon berries have been shown to have a higher sugar content ( Brix value ) than many other varieties, making the bean incredibly flexible and appreciative of coffee farmers who want to experiment with different fermentation and processing methods.

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History and the genetic enigma

For a long time, it was believed that Pink Bourbon was simply a natural cross (hybrid) between red and yellow Bourbon. It sounded logical: mix yellow and red, and you get pink. But the history of the coffee world is often full of surprises.

Coffee producer Rodrigo Sánchez   (owner of Aromas del Sur in Huila, Colombia) is often credited with helping to discover and spread the variety around 2013, after finding it locally in southern Huila.

However, the big turning point in history came at the end of 2023. Coffee importer Café Imports   made together with the research institute RD2 Vision   genetic tests on the plant. The results showed something unexpected: Pink Bourbon is probably not a Bourbon at all! Instead, DNA analyses indicate that it originates from an Ethiopian landrace . Although more scientific verification is still needed, it explains why the coffee has that extremely elegant, floral and complex flavor that is otherwise associated with East African coffee varieties.

What does the future look like for Pink Bourbon?

The future for Pink Bourbon looks incredibly bright, but it comes with challenges.

For coffee farmers, there are big advantages. Producers who grow the plant report that it is surprisingly productive and shows strong resistance to several common coffee diseases and pests. But it is not an easy variety to grow. To ensure that the coffee berries retain their unique pink color and do not cross-fertilize with other varieties, farmers must keep Pink Bourbon fields strictly isolated from other coffee plants on the farm.

Until now, production has been mainly concentrated in Colombia, but its success has meant that interest is quickly spreading across the world. Progressive producers in countries such as El Salvador and Brazil have already started planting Pink Bourbon to offer coffee lovers something out of the ordinary.

Within specialty coffee roasteries and among baristas, there is talk that Pink Bourbon could follow in the footsteps of the legendary Gesha bean – but with the advantage that it yields better harvests for farmers, which means that it could eventually become more accessible to us consumers.

For us at Hälla Kafferosteri, Pink Bourbon is the definition of what modern specialty coffee is all about: mystery, botanical magic and a truly unique taste experience in the cup. Keep an eye out in our range – this is a coffee you don't want to miss!

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Have a nice day!
/ Kaj and Dan, Hälla Coffee Roastery