Introduction:The Yellow Bourbon coffee beans from Fazenda Rainha in Brazil are renowned for their unique sweetness and balanced flavor profile, making them an excellent choice for pour over enthusiasts. This article delves into the origin of the variety, the estate background, provides professional pour over brewing recommendations, and details its flavor layers to help you fully experience the charm of this rare coffee.
Yellow Bourbon is a rare variety originating from Red Bourbon, with its cherries turning an uncommon yellow upon ripening—a natural mutation that occurs with only about a 10% probability. Coming from Fazenda Rainha in the Mogiana region of Brazil, it is precisely one of the select high-quality growing regions for Yellow Bourbon. This micro-lot estate, managed by the Carvalho Dias family, is not only a frequent winner in Brazil’s COE competitions but is also known for its commitment to hand-picking and environmentally friendly practices.
The birth of Yellow Bourbon stems from a natural mutation in the Red Bourbon genetic lineage—when this mutation occurs, the ripe cherries do not turn the common red, but instead retain a golden-yellow hue. Globally, the occurrence of this mutation is quite low, making Yellow Bourbon a precious variety in the eyes of coffee farmers.
When mentioning Brazilian coffee, many people first think of large-scale mechanized plantations. Indeed, as the world's largest coffee producer, Brazil is known for its plateau plains and high yields, with pricing power in the futures market largely held by these producing regions. However, in smaller regions like Mogiana, the tradition of small estates that emphasize quality is still preserved, and Fazenda Rainha is a prime example.
Covering just 280 acres, Fazenda Rainha is considered a micro-lot operation in Brazil. Its owner, the Carvalho Dias family, is practically legendary in Brazil’s specialty coffee scene, having won awards more than 12 times since the first COE competition in 1999, including multiple top positions in 2004. The family is not only a founding member of the Brazilian Specialty Coffee Association but has also set benchmarks in environmental protection—utilizing natural waterfalls for electricity generation, operating educational and medical facilities on-site, and steadfastly preserving native forests.
For this reason, Fazenda Rainha chooses to grow the low-yield but high-quality Yellow Bourbon variety and relies entirely on manual harvesting. Using a medium roast process, it preserves the natural sweetness of the beans while highlighting their unique flavor characteristics.
For pour over enthusiasts, we recommend using a V60 dripper to showcase the bright aroma and layered complexity of this coffee, while a Kono dripper can deliver a richer mouthfeel. The key is to focus on freshness—we recommend enjoying it within 30 days post-roast, with the optimal flavor window typically appearing during the 4–7 day rest period after roasting.
Professional pour over brewing recommendations:
• Coffee dose: 15 grams
• Coffee-to-water ratio: 1:15
• Grind size: Medium-fine (75% passing through a #20 sieve)
• Water temperature: 88°C
• Pouring method: Three-pour technique
Specific brewing steps: Begin by pouring 30ml of hot water for a 30-second bloom; then pour up to 150ml of water; finally, pour up to 225ml to complete the extraction, keeping the total brew time around 2 minutes.
In terms of flavor, this Yellow Bourbon exhibits a highly layered taste profile: its bright acidity and sweet base are perfectly balanced, with some batches featuring the fresh notes of tropical fruits. The cup opens with a sugarcane-like sweetness, followed by the mellow richness of black tea and nuts, and ends with a long-lasting finish that carries delicate chocolate aromas. The overall mouthfeel is clean and refreshing, with minimal bitterness, making it an excellent representation of the refined flavors of Brazilian coffee.
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
