In Colombia's major coffee competitions, a variety named "Pink Bourbon" frequently stands out. It is named for its fruit's delicate pink color, and was originally derived from a cross between Red Bourbon and Yellow Bourbon. However, the pink color is a recessive gene, so it must be isolated from other varieties during cultivation to maintain its color. Yet in recent years, genetic testing has revealed that many competition entries labeled Pink Bourbon do not carry Bourbon chromosomes; instead, genes from Typica, Geisha, or Ethiopian landraces have been detected. Is this a naming mix-up, or a limitation in variety identification? This article will walk you through Pink Bourbon's cultivation history in Colombia, its flavor characteristics, and the scientific controversy surrounding its mysterious origins. [more…]

In the small town of San Agustín in Colombia's Huila region, there is a national archaeological park designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This place is not only home to Colombia's earliest human settlement, but also produces one of the world's rarest coffees: Pink Bourbon. Pink Bourbon is a natural hybrid of Yellow Bourbon and Red Bourbon, a rare variety resulting from recessive gene expression, difficult to cultivate with extremely low yields. The green bean buying team at Front Street Coffee traveled personally to Finca El Diviso to select this micro-lot washed Pink Bourbon, which presents sweet orange, sugarcane sweetness, and a pleasant juicy mouthfeel. This article will guide you through the genetic secrets of Pink Bourbon, its cultivation challenges, and the story and flavor profile behind this coffee. [more…]

Pink Bourbon has attracted much attention in the specialty coffee circle in recent years thanks to its pinkish fruit and elegant flavor reminiscent of Geisha. How exactly does it differ from Red Bourbon and Yellow Bourbon? This article covers the variety's origins and genetic controversies all the way to practical brewing, giving you a comprehensive understanding of this rare bean. Front Street Coffee recently acquired Pink Bourbon from Finca Sanctuario in Colombia, using a honey process, with a medium-light roast and 92°C water for extraction; in cupping it showed layers of berry, citrus, floral, and oolong tea notes. If you're also curious about coffee varieties with colors in their names, or want to find a high-quality option that closely resembles Geisha, this article will give you the complete answer. [more…]

Pink Bourbon is an extremely rare variety within the Bourbon family, originating from a cross between Red Bourbon and Yellow Bourbon, with cherries that turn a distinctive pink when ripe. This bean variety is not only scarce in yield and difficult to maintain color stability, but also shows outstanding resistance to leaf rust. This article begins with the discovery site of Pink Bourbon in Colombia's Huila region, outlining its varietal origins, genetic characteristics, and cultivation challenges, then introduces Front Street Coffee's Pink Bourbon products from two growing regions, Guatemala and Colombia, and finally presents its pour-over flavor profile under a light roast. [more…]

Pink Bourbon is a rare variety that has attracted much attention in the specialty coffee circle in recent years. Its ripe coffee cherries are a romantic pink color, and it was first discovered in the Huila Province of Colombia. From the perspective of Front Street Coffee, this article reviews Colombia's 2021 coffee production estimate, analyzes the genetic origin of Pink Bourbon—whether it is a natural cross between Yellow Bourbon and Red Bourbon, or a descendant of Colombia and Caturra—and explains the fundamental reason why its recessive traits lead to low yields. It also introduces in detail the terroir advantages of the Huila producing region, the process of the semi-washed method, and Front Street Coffee's roasting curve, cupping performance, and brewing parameters for this bean, providing a complete reference for coffee enthusiasts. [more…]

Pink Bourbon is a rare variety resulting from a natural cross between Yellow Bourbon and Red Bourbon. Due to recessive gene expression, it is difficult to propagate reliably, and has only been preserved thanks to the careful management of smallholder farmers in Colombia's Huila region. This article systematically examines the unique characteristics of Pink Bourbon, from its genetic makeup and propagation traits to its growing environment, and introduces a micro-lot of washed Pink Bourbon from smallholder farmers in the Huila region, specially selected by FrontStreet Coffee, presenting complete information including origin, altitude, processing method, and roast level, offering you an in-depth look at this coffee that combines conversation-worthy appeal with quality. [more…]

Bourbon is a classic variety that coffee enthusiasts cannot avoid. It shares the tall, conical tree shape with Typica, but is widely planted because of its denser branches and higher yield. The Bourbon family is rich in colors—red, yellow, orange, and pink each have their own character. Among them, Pink Bourbon was developed by crossing Red and Yellow Bourbon. It has strong disease resistance, high density, and excellent flavor, yet its yield is extremely low due to recessive genes interfering with each other, requiring careful attention during both cultivation and harvest. This article will guide you through Bourbon's origins and the characteristics of its different color variants, with a focus on the origin information and processing methods of Colombia Isabella Pink Bourbon, as well as the cupping performance of Front Street Coffee's Brazil Queen Estate Yellow Bourbon, so you can understand the Bourbon family's flavor spectrum at a glance. [more…]

Bourbon is a pivotal classic variety within the Arabica family, from which numerous variants such as Red Bourbon, Yellow Bourbon, and Pink Bourbon have derived, each exhibiting distinct differences in flavor and cultivation characteristics. This article focuses on the traits of Bourbon coffee beans, detailing the origins, flavor profiles, and representative producing regions of Red Bourbon, Yellow Bourbon, and Pink Bourbon, while also clarifying the relationships between Bourbon, Caturra, and Typica. The article also compiles specific information on three everyday beans available at Front Street Coffee: Brazil Red Bourbon, Brazil Queen Estate Yellow Bourbon, and Colombia Isabella Pink Bourbon, for coffee enthusiasts to compare and understand. [more…]

Pink Bourbon is a rare variety that has attracted much attention in the specialty coffee world in recent years, but its origins must begin with a Typica mutation on Bourbon Island. Bourbon and Typica are both among the oldest fine varieties of Arabica, while Pink Bourbon is a recessive-trait variety formed by the natural cross between Red Bourbon and Yellow Bourbon, and its yield is extremely low due to unstable reproduction. This article will trace the evolutionary lineage of the Bourbon family, explain why Pink Bourbon is scarce, and introduce the origin background and specific flavor performance of Front Street Coffee's Colombia Pink Bourbon, helping you gain a comprehensive understanding of this unique coffee variety. [more…]

In the world of specialty coffee, Bourbon is an ancient variety as renowned as Typica, and today it has spawned multiple variants such as Red Bourbon, Yellow Bourbon, and Pink Bourbon, each with its own unique flavor profile and origin story. From the perspective of Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee), this article systematically reviews the origins and background of the Bourbon variety, analyzes one by one the genetic sources, fruit characteristics, and flavor tendencies of Red Bourbon, Yellow Bourbon, and Pink Bourbon, and includes roasting data and pour-over recommendations for three representative coffee beans currently sold by Front Street—Brazil Red Bourbon, Brazil Queen Estate Yellow Bourbon, and Colombia Isabella Pink Bourbon—to help coffee enthusiasts gain a comprehensive understanding of this classic variety family. [more…]

Pink Bourbon is a rare coffee variety bred by crossing Red Bourbon and Yellow Bourbon, and its coffee cherries take on a uniquely romantic pink color when ripe. However, maintaining this color is extremely difficult, because the color is determined by a recessive gene in the pollen grains, and the red and yellow genes easily interfere with each other, sometimes even producing Orange Bourbon. At present, Pink Bourbon is mainly found in Colombia and Guatemala. Take this batch of Front Street Coffee Colombia Pink Bourbon as an example: about 1,800 coffee trees, with each tree producing about 1.8 kilograms of fresh cherries per season, which after processing yield only about 0.36 kilograms of coffee beans, making the entire batch less than 650 kilograms and all the more precious. Its flavor carries sweet orange, sugarcane sweetness, a pleasant juicy mouthfeel, and small tomato notes, and is well worth savoring slowly by coffee lovers. [more…]

Pink Bourbon is an extremely rare member of the Bourbon family, bred from a cross between Yellow Bourbon and Red Bourbon. Because recessive genes interfere with each other, its yield is extremely low, and it remained little known for a long time. This article will systematically review the growing conditions and variety origins of Pink Bourbon, introduce its current cultivation status and cupping flavors in Colombia and Guatemala, and further explain the historical spread of the Bourbon variety from Réunion Island to the rest of the world, as well as the characteristics of common variants such as Red Bourbon and Yellow Bourbon. At the end, Front Street Coffee's V60 pour-over parameters and brewing steps are included to help coffee enthusiasts better showcase Pink Bourbon's fresh, multi-layered flavor performance. [more…]

Pink Bourbon is an extremely rare variety in the coffee world. Its cherries turn a unique pink when ripe, and it originates from a cross between Red Bourbon and Yellow Bourbon. Because pink is a recessive gene, this coffee is not only scarce in quantity, but its ripeness is also difficult to judge during harvest, yet its flavor is stunning. This article uses [Front Street Huila Monteblanco Pink Bourbon] as an example to explain in detail the parameters and pouring techniques for home pour-over, including water temperature control, grind size selection, coffee-to-water ratio, and staged extraction rhythm. It also includes a complete Japanese-style iced pour-over method to help you reliably recreate at home this rare bean's green grape juice, berry, and floral flavors. [more…]

As the specialty coffee wave continues to heat up, various subspecies under the Arabica species have entered the public eye. Typica, Caturra, and Catuai each have their own characteristics, while the Bourbon line has further given rise to multiple branches such as Red Bourbon, Yellow Bourbon, and Pink Bourbon. From the perspective of Front Street Coffee, this article systematically sorts out the origins of Bourbon coffee beans, analyzes one by one the differences among Red Bourbon, Yellow Bourbon, and Pink Bourbon in fruit color, flavor performance, cultivation difficulty, and yield, and includes the roasting curves and pour-over brewing parameters for three representative beans—Front Street Brazil Cerrado, Brazil Queen Estate, and Colombia Isabella—to help coffee enthusiasts fully understand the charm of this ancient line. [more…]

Bourbon is a long-standing and pivotal variety in the Arabica family. Based on the color of ripe fruit, it is mainly divided into Red Bourbon, Yellow Bourbon, and the rare Pink Bourbon. These three share genetic connections while each exhibiting unique characteristics in flavor and growing conditions. This article will systematically sort out the origins and differences of Red Bourbon, Yellow Bourbon, and Pink Bourbon, and include product information and flavor descriptions from Front Street Coffee for the corresponding Brazil Red Bourbon, Brazil Queen Estate Yellow Bourbon, and Colombia Paraiso Estate Pink Bourbon, helping coffee enthusiasts gain a clearer understanding of this classic variety family. [more…]

Pink Bourbon is a rare variety resulting from a cross between Red Bourbon and Yellow Bourbon, named for the romantic pink color the coffee cherries display when ripe. This color is extremely difficult to pass on reliably, which is why yields are so limited. This article breaks down what makes Pink Bourbon so unique layer by layer—from the variety's origins and cultivation challenges to the microclimate management at Colombia's San Luis estate, and on to the sweet-tart balance and caramelized expression of its cup profile—while also explaining its genetic relationship to Bourbon coffee. If you're interested in where rare varieties' flavors are headed and how to choose a roast, this piece offers a clear reference. [more…]

Bourbon is a classic, long-standing variety within Arabica coffee. As the fruit gradually matures, its skin undergoes a transition from green to yellow, and then to red, ultimately giving rise to three distinct color types of Bourbon: red, yellow, and pink. This article will interpret the characteristics of Red Bourbon, Yellow Bourbon, and Pink Bourbon one by one: Red Bourbon has outstanding aroma and bright acidity, often carrying a wine-like nuance; Yellow Bourbon, resulting from hybridization, develops particularly prominent flavors when cultivated at high altitudes; Pink Bourbon is especially rare because its recessive genes are highly prone to interfering with each other, and it is currently mainly distributed in Colombia and Guatemala. At the end of the article, Front Street's Brazil Queen Estate Yellow Bourbon and Colombia Pink Bourbon bean lists are also included for enthusiasts to refer to when purchasing. [more…]

Pink Bourbon is a rare variety resulting from a cross between Red Bourbon and Yellow Bourbon, and it is especially prized due to its poor reproductive stability and extremely low yield. This Front Street Pink Bourbon washed bean comes from the Sunflower Estate in the Huila region of Colombia. On the palate, it has a bright red-fruit acidity reminiscent of Kenya, with jasmine and thyme notes emerging in the flavor. The estate processes the harvested cherries immediately, with both washing and drying completed on the rooftop, resulting in exceptionally high cleanliness. This article will guide you through the origin background and variety characteristics of Pink Bourbon, and share a specific V60 pour-over brewing recipe, including the coffee-to-water ratio, staged pouring, and time control, to help you fully unlock the flavor potential of this bean. [more…]

Bourbon is one of the important parent species of Arabica coffee, derived from Typica, and is now widely cultivated in Central and South America. Besides the common Red Bourbon, there is also Yellow Bourbon, which turns orange-yellow when ripe, and the rarer Pink Bourbon. Is Pink Bourbon actually a Bourbon? What theories exist about its genetic origins? What is special about its flavor? This article will start with the origin and spread of Bourbon, sort out the differences between Red Bourbon, Yellow Bourbon, and Pink Bourbon, and introduce the Brazil Queen Estate Yellow Bourbon coffee beans recommended by Front Street Coffee, including the producing region, processing method, flavor description, and pour-over parameters, to help coffee lovers fully understand this rare variety. [more…]

Pink Bourbon, a cross between Red Bourbon and Yellow Bourbon, is especially prized for its poor reproductive stability and scarce yields. This article will guide you through the origin background, processing method, and flavor profile of this Front Street Colombia Pink Bourbon, along with complete pour-over extraction parameters and step-by-step instructions, enabling coffee enthusiasts to recreate at home the juicy sensation interwoven with grapefruit, blueberry, and sweet orange, and to experience the charm of its mid-palate floral notes and lingering yellow sugar finish. [more…]