Pink Bourbon: The Wrong Name for the Right Coffee
by Nathanael Curtis
In 2014, a coffee buyer in Colombia discovered a coffee tree, unlike anything he had seen before, with distinct pink cherries. The resulting cup of coffee? Absolutely incredible. The buyer tracked down the farm where the tree originated and found it nestled among red and yellow bourbon coffee plants. The natural assumption? This “pink bourbon” must be a hybrid of the two. Ever since, the pink bourbon has been wildly popular in the coffee community, known for its delicate flavor and rarity. Though it seems that we have been calling it by the wrong name all this time. This September, Cafe Imports did genetic testing on this popular variety. Their results indicate that the plant has no relation to the bourbon variety. In fact, it is not even native to Colombia!
According to this article just released by Cafe Imports, this is the second time they’ve sent pink bourbon off for genetic testing. In 2017, genetic testing by DNA Analytica found that the plant had genetics which suggested a relation to wild Ethiopian coffee. However, these results were only an 80% match, and were therefore, inconclusive.
In the time since, the technology of genetic testing has greatly improved. This year, Cafe Imports sent more samples to be tested, from across Colombia and Costa Rica. They thought they sent four samples of pink bourbon and one sample of orange bourbon, another popular “hybrid.” The results came back with several surprises. First, is that all of the samples were pink bourbon. Four of them were mixed with other varieties, one was “pure” pink bourbon. The other surprise came with conclusive results. The pink bourbon variety was determined to be an Ethiopian coffee, with no relation to bourbon at all.
How did an Ethiopian plant end up in Colombia? The truth is that no one knows for sure. Cafe Imports suggests a few theories. Perhaps the plant was imported with the intention of breeding another variety. Perhaps someone simply thought they were buying something else, like a Gesha. As we discussed in last month’s newsletter, coffee varieties can often be misidentified, since many producers cannot afford or access genetic testing.
However, Pink Bourbon has made a name for itself in the time since its discovery. Though the name may have been incorrect, it’s here to stay. Pink Bourbon is so well known among people in the coffee community, it’s brand and popularity aren’t going anywhere any time soon.
One of our favorite lots at Solid State is the Laboyano group lot in Pitalito, Colombia. The lot is a blend of the best coffees from all the producers in the region. Every year, the Laboyano lot features a generous portion of Pink Bourbon. This Fall, we’re bringing it back, and it will be on our shelves in a matter of weeks. Whether the notorious variety is misnamed or not, we can’t deny it’s a great coffee!