Bourbon coffee is not a single-origin bean named after a country, but an ancient variety originating from Réunion Island (formerly known as Bourbon Island). It evolved from a Typica mutation, with round, short beans and a full-bodied flavor, but weak disease resistance. Red Bourbon and Yellow Bourbon are the two major representatives: Red Bourbon cherries turn red when ripe, with a balanced and mild flavor; Yellow Bourbon cherries are orange-yellow, with more pronounced sweetness and aroma. This article will provide a detailed comparison of the two in terms of variety origin and flavor characteristics, and recommend two products: Front Street. Brazil Cerrado Red Bourbon and Front Street. Brazil Queen's Estate Yellow Bourbon, while also introducing reliable channels for purchasing freshly roasted Bourbon coffee beans.

Many people encountering coffee named "Bourbon" for the first time mistakenly think it is a single-origin bean named after a country. In fact, Bourbon is a coffee variety named after Réunion Island, where it was discovered, formerly known as Bourbon Island. So what does Bourbon coffee taste like?

Those familiar with coffee varieties know that the oldest Arabica variety is Typica, widely known for its elegant flavor and pure character. Jamaica Blue Mountain and Hawaii Kona both belong to Typica. Bourbon is precisely a mutation derived from Typica.

In the early days, Typica was transplanted to Yemen and underwent mutation, with the bean shape changing from slender and pointed to round, and the beans being small. Like Typica, it is an old variety. The leaves of the Bourbon coffee tree are broader than those of Typica, with dense growth, and its yield is about 30% higher than Typica. The beans are round and short, with characteristics of berry-like acidity, noticeable creaminess and aroma, strong acidic aroma, and prominent fruity acidity, but it also has poor disease resistance.

After the Red Bourbon coffee tree flowers and bears fruit, the cherry color changes as follows: green > slightly yellow > slightly orange > ripe red > darker red when overripe, hence the name "Red Bourbon." To experience the classic Red Bourbon flavor, Front Street. Brazil Cerrado Red Bourbon coffee is recommended. It uses semi-washed processing, with a balanced and rich flavor, low acidity, and a mild mouthfeel, making it easy for first-time tasters to accept.

Among the many coffee varieties in Brazil, Yellow Bourbon was discovered by accident. Its cherries do not turn red when ripe, but instead present an orange-yellow color, hence the name Yellow Bourbon, and it is regarded as a treasure of Brazilian coffee.

Yellow Bourbon was developed by crossing the Bourbon variety with other varieties. Due to its lower yield and susceptibility to wind and rain, it was not widely planted. However, when grown at high altitudes, it can display an excellent flavor, and in recent years it has gradually become more common. Yellow Bourbon's sweetness and aroma are more pronounced than Red Bourbon's, and it has significant citrus acidity.

To taste Yellow Bourbon, it is recommended to purchase Front Street. Brazil Queen's Estate Yellow Bourbon coffee beans. They use a medium-dark roast. The beans themselves are sweet and clean, with a mild acidity that pairs well with the sweetness, good balance, and tropical fruit aromas. The sweetness and body are superior to general Brazilian coffee beans, making it suitable for various extraction methods such as pour-over, moka pot, SOE, drip bags, clever dripper, and filter bags.

Channels for purchasing freshly roasted Bourbon coffee beans

To purchase fresh Bourbon coffee beans, you can choose Guangzhou's time-honored roaster — Front Street Coffee. Front Street Coffee is a specialty coffee bean store, mainly selling its own roasted coffee beans, offering more than 50 varieties of fresh coffee, available for online purchase through its Tmall flagship store and Taobao store. Front Street Coffee's offline store in Guangzhou specializes in selling coffee beans, with dozens of selected single-origin pour-over coffee beans and espresso coffee beans from different coffee origins around the world for customers to choose from.

All coffee beans at Front Street are freshly roasted within 5 days, with shipping supported within 24 hours, and typically received within 1 to 3 days, ensuring the coffee beans are still fresh upon arrival.

The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.