Pink Bourbon was discovered in the San Adolfo district of Huila, Colombia between 2008-2010. The now coveted and rare cross-cultivar of Red and Yellow Bourbon emerged during a devastating rust outbreak caused by the La Niña phenomenon – a climatic event that affected nearly half of the country’s growing regions with extreme rain causing up to 80% losses.

Amongst the destruction, a small group of isolated lots survived the plague and caught the eye of a few curious producers. Among them was Floresmiro Guaca and his brother Andres who noticed that Bourbon trees which had previously been ignored on their farm had not been damaged. The particular colour of the cherries was even more striking as they did not ripen red but had a soft, pale pink tone. They quickly began renewing their coffee plantations with seeds obtained from these trees, seeking to develop a plant that was resistant to the rust.

It proved difficult to cultivate, requiring meticulous plant maintenance and the need to isolate the crops in order to retain the unique pink colour of cherries during cross-pollination. Harvesting also called for extra diligence and a trained eye to spot the subtle colour nuances that separate under ripe cherries from mature ones. Throughout the years, the Guaca brothers have spear-headed the expansion of knowledge and understanding of both the cultivation and processing of this new variety.

They attended courses in modern processing techniques, learned how to taste and even implemented a laboratory on the farm that allowed for greater control over the quality-sorting of the coffee they processed.

With the proper cultivation and training, the varietal began providing outstanding results, with a very delicate and clean cup profile. Research found that Pink Bourbon had a higher glucose content than many other varieties, which helps explain the incredible sweetness and silky body that characterises this coffee. At the Colonna Roastery, we find ourselves regularly picking this cultivar off the cupping table when tasting samples with El Mesón being a wonderful example of the sparkling acidity and vibrancy of this coffee at its best.

The cherries of this lot were harvested at their optimum point of maturity and then anaerobically fermented for 70 hours in grainpro bags. During this stage, they closely monitor the temperature which must remain below 20ºC to ensure a slow and continuous process. They were then removed and put through a final stage of dehydration that starts in a mechanical dryer and is completed with 15 to 20 days in the sun on raised beds.

Now showcased in our Compostable Lungo Capsules, Limited Release Rare 006 – El Mesón Pink Bourbon – is bursting with red fruits and has a delightful silky and creamy body.

Compostable Capsules

Compostable Capsules

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