Introduction:A deep dive into the award-winning Yellow Bourbon coffee from Fazenda Rainha (Queens Estate) in Brazil’s Mogiana Highlands. From the characteristics of the century-old Bourbon variety and the key steps of honey processing, to COE competition rankings over the years and flavor wheel interpretation. Master the recommended pour over parameters and flavor profile of this classic Brazilian bean to help you accurately select and brew specialty coffee.
In Brazil’s specialty coffee scene, Fazenda Rainha in the Mogiana Highlands has consistently ranked on the COE (Cup of Excellence) winners’ list, thanks to its century-old Bourbon genetics and rigorous green bean selection standards. Managed by the Carvalho Dias family, the estate sits at an altitude between 1,200 to 1,400 meters with annual rainfall reaching 1,800 mm and stable temperature variations. The Yellow Bourbon beans it produces are known for their outstanding sweetness and high cleanliness, and when paired with a unique honey processing method, they develop a lemony acidity, sugarcane sweetness, and a smooth black tea-like finish.
The Yellow Bourbon variety at Fazenda Rainha is a rare high-altitude cultivar, with some of the older trees exceeding 110 years in age. Due to the high elevation of the producing region, the coffee cherries have a longer growth cycle, allowing the mucilage and parchment layers to retain more intact viscous substances, providing an excellent foundation for honey processing. During processing, harvested coffee cherries must be delivered to the processing facility within 24 hours, where defective cherries are manually removed. They are then rinsed with clean water to screen out floaters (low-density inferior beans), followed by removal of the pulp using a depulper, leaving around 30% of the mucilage for sun drying.
The drying stage is crucial for flavor development: mucilage-covered beans are spread out on shaded, ventilated drying beds and turned 3–4 times daily to ensure even dehydration until the moisture content drops to around 20%. At this point, the natural sugars in the mucilage gradually permeate the bean core, imparting a sweet yet non-cloying quality. Later, the beans are transferred to a mechanical dryer to further reduce the moisture content to 11%, then left to rest in storage for at least 30 days to stabilize the flavors before being professionally hulled and graded. This segmented honey process avoids the overripe fermentation flavors that can result from full sun drying, while enhancing the balance between sweetness and body.
According to official COE competition records, Fazenda Rainha has won awards 12 times since 2000, including 1st place in 2011, 2nd place in 2000, and 3rd place in 2001, among other outstanding achievements. Its Yellow Bourbon coffee’s flavor wheel shows: cold brew reveals prominent caramel and roasted nut notes, while hot brewing highlights more vibrant citrus acidity. The mid-palate unveils silky textures of black tea and unsalted butter, with a long-lasting black sugar sweetness in the finish. Professional cuppers recommend using a V60 filter with medium-fine grind (approximately 70% passing through a #20 sieve) for brewing, controlling water temperature at 90–92°C, and a brew ratio of 1:15 to highlight clear layers of flavor.
For pour over enthusiasts, the recommended parameters are as follows: Use 15 grams of coffee grounds, ground at setting 4 on the small Fuji Ghost Burr grinder (equivalent to medium-fine in Chinese standards). Start with 30 grams of water for a 30-second bloom to release aroma, then proceed with incremental pouring up to a total of 225 grams (suggest pausing at 105 grams, waiting for the water level to drop by 1/3 before continuing). The entire extraction time should be controlled between 2 minutes 10 seconds and 2 minutes 30 seconds to effectively balance the acidity, sweetness, and bitterness. If using a French press, extend the steeping time to 4 minutes for a fuller body and creamier texture.
It is worth noting that Fazenda Rainha is located in the northern part of São Paulo State, adjacent to Minas Gerais, where the soil is rich in volcanic ash—a significant difference from the common red soils found in regions like Cerrado or Bahia. The high altitude combined with large diurnal temperature variations promotes the accumulation of more flavor compounds in the coffee beans, and the family’s commitment to hand harvesting and shade-grown cultivation ensures consistent ripeness of each cherry. These combined factors are the core advantages that have repeatedly earned the estate’s coffee the favor of judges in the COE competitions.
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
