Bourbon coffee in a glass jar: reviews of the brand, range, price

Today on store shelves you can often find instant Bourbon coffee in beautiful glass jars. They look very high quality, solid and expensive. Most online stores state in the product description that this is Brazilian coffee.

Let's look at this brand and find out what kind of drink it is, who the manufacturer is, the range, prices and reviews of those who have tried Bourbon coffee. After all, everyone wants to drink our daily invigorating drink of the best quality, the aroma and taste of which brings pleasure.

History of the origin of Bourbon coffee

Ile de la Bourbon is an outdated name for the rainiest island in the world: nowhere else receives as much rainfall as this small territory in the Indian Ocean. It, like the famous whiskey, was named after the House of Bourbon, a French noble family, the most famous of which is Louis XIV, the Sun King. The French made several attempts to cultivate coffee here, and, in the end, their efforts were crowned with some success, so the new variety was named Bourbon - in fact, also in honor of the king.

Today you will not find this island on the map - it was soon renamed Ile de la Reunion, but the names of the types of drinks remained the same.

Prices, where to buy Brazil Yellow Bourbon in Moscow and the regions

Bravos, -20% using my promo code 101KOFE

Publication date: 01/17/2021. Your opinion is important to me. Please rate the material:

Features of growth

Since the climate was particularly humid, after dry Africa, plants had to adapt to new conditions. To grow successfully in soil that was literally saturated with water, the trees produced smaller, rounder fruits. Interestingly, in poor soils, plants also reduce fruit weight, so this is quite typical. Trees usually have large leaves to absorb as much sunlight as possible.

The fruit of the Bourbon coffee tree is always rounder and smaller than the typical Arabica.

Classic Bourbon

Classic Brazilian Bourbon has a clean, slightly sweet, pleasant aroma. But, this coffee is harvested only for the first three harvests from the coffee tree, since after 4 years the coffee berries become small and taste like regular Santos. The main distinguishing features of Bourbon are its bittersweet taste, oily consistency and slight sourness. All these characteristics are completely absent from Santos. The second has a heavier, bitter, smoky taste and aroma.

If you combine pure Bourbon with soft varieties of Latin American Arabica, you can get a great drink.

In general, Brazilian coffee has brought to humanity the energy and vigor that modern man so lacks. Brazil itself is famous for three things - football, carnival and coffee, which they drink here in unlimited quantities.

Bourbon coffee taste

The range of species of this variety is very diverse. Since the variety spread across the planet, trees have grown in a variety of conditions. For example, acidity greatly depends on the type of soil, the length of daylight hours, and the method of cultivation.

Many plantations are located in rainy regions where typical dry processing is not possible, so washed processing is chosen.

As with all fruits and vegetables, different colored varieties have different sugar and acid compositions. For example, yellow coffee cherries contain a higher total sugar concentration but release less complex flavors when roasted. Thus, yellow cherries lend themselves very well to fruity, sweet flavor profiles, while red cherries produce very balanced, more complex flavor profiles.

It is difficult to describe a specific taste - a lot depends on the manufacturer, roasting, etc., so you need to consider individual brands.

So, there won't be any specifics? Characteristics of Yellow Bourbon

Will. Usually, if it says “Bourbon Coffee” and means a specific variety of beans (or ground, it doesn’t matter), we are talking about “normal coffee,” that is, not a marketing, trade name for who knows what (see instant coffee “ Collection" at the beginning of the article), then they mean "Brazil Yellow Bourbon" .

Yellow Bourbon is a natural mutation of Bourbon noticed in the mountainous regions of southwest Brazil in 1859. A special feature is the thin skin of the berries. Because of this, the sun warms the pulp and grain more, more ultraviolet radiation passes through the skin, thereby increasing the specific amount of sugars. And vice versa, since the ripening rate is higher, less acids are formed.

By the way, there is also Orange Bourbon and Pink Bourbon, which belong to the “Colored Bourbons”. But there are many times fewer of them than yellow (of which there are also few). Readers may also have come across the term “Red Bourbon” somewhere - in fact, it’s just regular Bourbon.

The processing of Yellow Bourbon is usually natural, dry. Screen 16-18. Our roasters usually roast it under a filter or “omni” (medium-universal). It can be consumed in the form of espresso (including using as a base for milk drinks: cappuccino, latte), and prepared in a filter, as well as in a Turk and in an AeroPress. In general, whatever.

Brazil yellow bourbon from Bravos in cappuccino.

Description of taste and nuance

The dominant flavors are caramel, milk chocolate, sweet nuts - cashews, macadamia, green apple in the background, and ranetka in the aftertaste. The body of the drink is medium density, quite round. The taste is soft, balanced, even.

At the same time, you should not think that Yellow Bourbon is some kind of special coffee, a real microlot, etc. This is the most common “commercial” variety. He won't be able to surprise you. And to be honest, in principle he was not far from the usual Santos.

However, if the yellow variety of Bourbon is the same as regular Bourbon but just a little sweeter, then why is there so little of it? Why doesn't everyone grow Yellow Bourbon, sweetness is always good?

Because it is difficult to determine the ripeness of such berries. The ripeness of regular coffee is easy to understand by its color: green, then yellow, then light red, then rich red - pick it! And then, after turning green, the berry turns yellow and... then the color hardly changes. At the same time, a berry in this color can be either already ripe or completely unripe.

As a result, manual picking becomes more complicated and the number of unripe berries—Quakers—increases. And the taste, in fact, is not very different from the red variety of the same subspecies - regular Bourbon (or its other descendants grown in the same terroir).

Actually, Yellow Bourbon is typical specifically for Brazil, because mechanized collection by machines - harvesters - is in use there. And they collect everything, even the yellow variety, even the red one - the cost of the work does not increase.

However, if you want to independently compare how thin skin increases the sugar content in a yellow subspecies of seemingly the same Brazilian coffee, it is not so easy to do; the distribution of the variety in the Russian Federation leaves much to be desired.

Varieties and subspecies of Bourbon coffee

The bourbon line includes Yellow Bourbon, Red Bourbon, Orange Bourbon, Pink Bourbon, and Point Bourbon (also called Laurina or Leroy Coffee). There are also two that emerged as a result of the "French Mission" (1897) - SL 28 and SL 34 (both found in Tanzania and Kenya), Pacas (El Salvador), Villa Sarchi (Costa Rica) and the dwarf form Caturra, from which it later developed the famous Catuaí in Brazil.

Yes, that's quite a lot. Therefore, to illustrate the line of “Bourbon” coffee, we will tell only about the most interesting varieties.

Yellow Bourbon

That same “real Brazilian coffee” is a natural hybrid of Red Bourbon and Amarelo de Butacuto, yellow Typica. Sweet and delicate, with citrus and floral notes. Complex flavors include dark chocolate, brown sugar and nuts, with moderate acidity (but higher than red or orange). It is often added to various blends to add a sweeter overall profile.

Red Bourbon (Red)

Another very popular variety, a natural mutation. It is believed that this is one of the best subspecies of Arabica for gourmets. Clean, light, yet quite bright coffee with a rich aromatic profile. While it is hot, the aromas of sugar and lemon are more noticeable; as it cools, tones of blackberry, red wine and chocolate appear.

Pink Bourbon (Pink)

A hybrid of yellow and red varieties, this subspecies took all the best. The brightest aroma and light body are exactly what many appreciate in a drink. It has bright fruity tones, milk chocolate, and the aroma of orange blossoms. However, depending on the plantation, these may include notes of green apple, apricot and red grapes. The aftertaste is unexpressed, but sometimes with hints of roasted almonds.

Orange Bourbon (Orange or Orange)

Another red-yellow hybrid created by nature, only now towards yellow. Clean, well-balanced, with notes of tart coffee cherry, orange and dark chocolate. The chocolate note carries a delicate astringent aftertaste. A very interesting shade that is appreciated by gourmets.

Bourbon Pointu / Laurina (Pointu, Laurina)

A natural mutation of Bourbon, which originally occurred on Reunion, that same rainy island. Due to this specific climate, it is characterized by very low tree growth and small grains. Interestingly, this variety has a reduced caffeine content, about 0.6%. The taste is sweet and sour, rich and dense, with sour and citrus notes.

Caturra

An exceptionally dwarf modification of red bourbon. It can produce both red and yellow fruits, as well as all their shades. This variety of beans is known for its fresh acidity and smooth body. Lower sweetness and clarity in the cup, sweet fruity wine notes with a bias towards red berries. It was originally grown in Brazil, then the subspecies spread to Costa Rica, Colombia and Nicaragua.

The variety is very great. But definitely, if you value a quality drink, you should try one of these pure varieties if possible.

Types of drink

It is supplied exclusively in glass containers in soluble form, the volume of the vessel is 100 g. Every connoisseur of real coffee is able to independently notice the positive properties of Bourborn by trying one or several options.

You can choose from the following varieties:

1. GRAND CRU - Arabica grown in Brazil on plantations located high in the mountains. The beans are dried on trees and then picked by hand using shaking. Although this method, characterized by a low-cost processing process, reduces the aromatic properties, the richness of taste is not lost. You can feel the aftertaste left by the cream and the Cuban cigar.

2. Espresso – a mix of crystals and a natural product made from finely ground beans. Ground beans give espresso a whole palette of different taste qualities; a natural aroma with light fruity notes stands out.

3. ORIGINA - a successful combination of the fruits of Brazilian and Costa Rican Bourbon, which as a result brings a rich taste, a citrus bitterness is felt, and chocolate and nut notes are noticeable. To extract all the beneficial properties from the beans, they are roasted slowly.

4. ARABICA GOLD – a blend of Arabica beans grown in Brazil, Kenya and Colombia. The beans are roasted lightly to keep the color light. The drink acquires a delicate, creamy aroma, with a hint of spice.

5. SELECT-A-VANTAGE KENYA - fruits are collected from plantations located on volcanic slopes. The ripening period takes a long time, as a result of which the harvest is aromatic and, when finished, tastes good. The beans are thoroughly roasted, no additional mixtures are added, which allows you to experience light notes of herbs, orange zest, spices and red wine.

6. Yellow Bourbon is a rare type of coffee whose beans grow in the highlands. A distinctive feature is the thin skin of the berries, which manage to absorb a lot of solar heat.

7. Santos - harvest is harvested from trees whose age does not exceed 4 years. Although the fruits are not outwardly presentable, manifested by their small size and the presence of defects, they are tasty, aromatic and slightly sour, characteristic of Arabica varieties.

8. Flat Bit Santos - differs from ordinary Santos in that, regardless of the use of the same trees for collecting, their age, on the contrary, must reach 4 years or more. A similar factor affects the size of the beans, which become large and beautiful. The drink is strong, there is no sourness, there is a nutty aftertaste.

Buyers can independently compare each of the varieties, as a result of which they will be able to find the option that will work better than others.

Bourbon coffee producers

It's a very confusing area, and if you're looking for information online, it can be difficult to pinpoint what you need. For example:

Monosort. This is exactly what we are talking about, natural grains with their special taste, from different plantations, a drink for gourmets. For example, Santos Bourbon coffee, which is grown on plantations in the Santos region of Brazil, is quite popular - it’s a classic.
Bourbon coffee brand. In fact, it's also Bourbon Sobranie coffee. Something that is widely found on the Internet. The Russian brand, which we have already talked about, offers to buy Espresso Bourbon, or Arabica Gold coffee, instant options in beautiful cans.
Coffee with bourbon, that is, flavored. Of course, there is no alcoholic drink there, just a slight taste and bright smell created chemically. There are a lot of manufacturers, it can be grain, ground, instant.

It is worth understanding that selected specialty grains are not used for instant or mass-produced inexpensive products. If it is “bourbon coffee,” it is usually made from the most inexpensive or substandard beans.

About the brand

Bourbon coffee for the Russian market is produced by Manchester Enterprise LLC in Yaroslavl, at a confectionery factory where they also produce sweets and tea, and other coffee brands - Cafe Krem, Parliament, Impresso, Italica, Napoletano, President, Senator, Imperial, Glavkofe, Our Brand.

The trademark belongs to the company Sobranie, they are also, apparently, Intergroup. All links from the Intergroup website lead to the Sobranie website. Manchester Enterprise, in fact, does not have a website - it is not informative at all.

Bourbon coffee price

Depending on the type of product we discussed above, the cost and options for where to buy it differ. Here are a few options, just to give you an idea of the situation:

Bourbon coffee from a Russian brand, in glass jars of 100 grams, about 300 - 500 rubles per beautifully decorated jar.
Lavazza Bourbon Intenso 1 kg – 600 rub. Contains 100% Robusta from Asia. Just a nice name.
Brazil Yellow Bourbon from Modena Coffee – they promise specialty coffee, – 250 rubles for 250 grams of beans.
Blues Organic Brasil Bourbon 200 g – 950 rubles. Organic, certified by Switzerland.
Live coffee – all variants of “bourbon” coffee – about 600 rubles per half kilo.

You can buy bulk products at any supermarket. And what belongs to elite single varieties is better to buy in specialized coffee and tea stores, or in an online store that you trust.

Bourbon coffee reviews

For the most part, those reviews that are found in the Russian-language segment of the Internet refer specifically to the mass-produced instant product. On average, the score fluctuates around 4/5, there are some solid A's and some disappointments.

But if we are talking about high-quality, real bourbon, the ratings here are usually 5/5, because the taste and aroma are truly impressive and memorable. Different varieties have their own characteristics of bitterness, sourness, sweetness and nuances, but they are always good. If possible, try and buy Bourbon coffee directly from where it grows, you are guaranteed to be impressed!

Bourbon coffee from other countries

On the shelves you can find products supplied from Ukraine, Belarus, and so on, which does not make the goods fakes, but you need to be extremely careful, since descriptions of the composition vary.

The cans may be poorly packaged, indicating that bad coffee is poorly disguised by scammers. It is necessary to carefully check the country of origin, since there are cases when consumers came across goods packaged in similar containers as the original, but there was no information regarding the manufacturer itself.