Yellow Bourbon: Sunshine in the coffee cup

After exploring the historical roots of the coffee world, it's time to zoom in on one of the absolute most beloved and distinctive varieties in specialty coffee: Yellow Bourbon .

If you've ever had a high-quality coffee from Brazil with an almost shockingly high sweetness, creamy texture, and clean flavor profile, chances are it said Yellow Bourbon on the bag. But why do the berries turn yellow instead of red, and what makes this bean so special to both the coffee farmer and the coffee roaster? Let's find out!

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What is Yellow Bourbon?

The most obvious thing about Yellow Bourbon is of course its color. While 95% of all coffee in the world turns a deep red when ripe, Yellow Bourbon trees brighten up the coffee fields with their bright yellow berries.

But it's not just a visual difference. Chemically and in terms of taste, Yellow Bourbon has properties that make it unique:

• Exceptional sweetness:   Yellow coffee berries generally have a higher sugar content ( Brix value ) in their pulp compared to many red varieties.

• The taste profile: It is characterized by a wonderfully clean and full-bodied cup. You can expect a clear taste of roasted nuts, creamy chocolate, almonds and maple syrup, but with a lively and fresh acidity that draws in ripe citrus and stone fruits like apricot.

• Mouthfeel:   The coffee often has a noticeably thick, almost buttery body (mouthfeel), making it an absolute favorite for espresso.

The Story: A Brazilian Discovery

The history of Yellow Bourbon begins in Brazil in the early 1900s. Around 1930, coffee farmers in the state of São Paulo discovered a natural cross in their fields. It turned out that the classic Red Bourbon   had been cross-fertilized with an old, yellow-producing coffee variety called Amarello de Botucatu .

The result was a plant that not only produced yellow berries, but also ripened significantly faster than traditional Bourbon. The reputable Brazilian research institute   The Instituto Agronômico de Campinas (IAC) began studying and isolating the plant in the 1940s. It quickly became apparent that Yellow Bourbon produced extremely high-quality coffee, and since then it has been the pride of Brazil and a cornerstone of the country's specialty coffee revolution.

 [Red Bourbon]  x  [Amarello de Botucatu]                      │              [Yellow Bourbon] The scientific secret behind color [Red Bourbon]  x  [Amarello de Botucatu]                      │              [Yellow Bourbon]

Why do the berries turn yellow? The answer lies in the genetics of the coffee berry. Red coffee berries get their color from high levels of a substance called   anthocyanin (the same pigment that makes blueberries blue and strawberries red).

Yellow Bourbon carries a recessive gene that blocks this process. Instead, the pigment dominates   lutein , which gives berries their sunny yellow color. Research published by Perfect Daily Grind   shows that this genetic difference also affects how sugars are concentrated in the berry's mucus ( mucilage ) during the ripening process, which is the direct cause of coffee's famous sweetness.

The challenge on the farm and the future

Growing Yellow Bourbon requires extreme dexterity from the coffee farmers, and this is where the craftsmanship in specialty coffee really shows itself.

As a regular coffee berry ripens, it is easy to tell the difference between an unripe (green), a ripe (red) and an overripe (black) berry. But for a picker on a Yellow Bourbon farm, the margins are smaller. The difference between a nearly ripe berry and a perfectly ripe berry is just a subtle shade of yellow. It requires extremely experienced pickers who hand-pick the berries in multiple rounds.

In addition, Yellow Bourbon is more sensitive to leaf rust than modern hybrids, which means it requires a lot of care and the right altitude to thrive.

Despite the challenges, Yellow Bourbon is more popular than ever. Coffee lovers around the world demand its pure, sweet and reliable quality, and it continues to be one of the safest and most magical tasting experiences you can find in the specialty coffee world.

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