What Is Bourbon Arabica Coffee? Arabica bourbon is one of the most famous coffee varieties globally because of its unique after-roast flavor. In addition, this is also the oldest coffee variety in the world; people also use this variety to make a parent, creating many current coffee varieties.
Information Origin of Arabica Bourbon coffee
Bourbon is a branch of the arabica coffee variety. This is one of the two Arabica coffee varieties used for hybridization the most, the other being Typica. Arabica variety catalog bourbon originates from Yemen.
This coffee was first produced on the island of Réunion (formerly the island of Bourbon) before 1789. This is also the reason why this Arabica variety is called the bourbon coffee variety. Later, this coffee variety was brought to France and planted in Africa and Latin America.
This coffee was grown in Brazil in 1860, then quickly spread throughout the surrounding regions in central and south America. It was bred to breed varieties from Bourbon and grown from India to Ethiopia.
To this day, It is almost replaced by other Arabica varieties such as Caturra, Catuai, and Mundo Novo. Some regions that grow Bourbon are El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Peru.
Growing conditions and yield
This coffee variety grows best at an altitude of 1,100m – 2,000m above sea level. Fruit yield per tree is 20% – 30% higher than Typica, but the coffee quality is similar. With that output, it can be commercialized to a certain extent. However, this coffee variety is susceptible to most diseases in coffee trees.
The quality of these coffee beans is often assessed as very good and readily accepted by consumers. However, not many gardeners choose this variety due to its poor tolerance to pests and diseases.
Characteristics variety bourbon
These coffee trees are tall, with green leaves and medium-sized beans (2/4). The optimal height for plants and good-quality coffee is 1,100m – 1,600m. When grown at the optimum size, the quality of this Bourbon variety is highly appreciated: 4/5 points.
However, compared to Arabica varieties widely used in the market, the Bourbon variety has a low yield, only 2/5, compared to the Caturra variety, 3/5, or SL28, also 3/5. Low tolerance to rust (on leaves), fruit, and root pests. This makes this coffee not the preferred choice of farmers despite its excellent quality and taste.
These coffee trees bear fruit each year. From the time of planting, the 2nd year can already bear fruit. However, producing quality coffee beans and roasted coffee beans takes the fourth year.
Talking about the shape of coffee beans, one of the identifying characteristics of this coffee is that the coffee beans have a more rounded shape compared to Typica and other Arabica varieties.
Arabica Bourbon coffee trees in Vietnam Rwanda
Information Arabica Bourbon coffee trees are grown by the French in Vietnam in the land of Da Lat. You may have heard about Moka coffee (or Moka Cau Dat). Some people say Moka coffee is Arabica Bourbon or Arabica Typica.
However, it is a fact that the raw material areas such as Cau Dat and the neighboring regions today grow mainly Arabica Catimor. This coffee variety is bred from Carturra (Arabica variety) and Timor ( Robusta variety ). Arabica Catimor has better disease tolerance and better yield but not as much flavor as Bourbon and Typica varieties.
Therefore, getting pure Arabica Bourbon and Typica in Vietnam is tough, and if so, the price is relatively high. The average selling price is 700,000 VND/kg.
Offer lists ordering: Helena Coffee
- Arabica coffee beans
- Bourbon coffee beans
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