Arabica
Caturra Amarelo
Also known as: Yellow Caturra, Caturra Amarelo
Caturra Amarelo (Yellow Caturra ) is a yellow-cherry color variant of Caturra, the dwarf Bourbon mutation. It is known for its bright, sweet cup and is grown primarily in Brazil and Central America.
Key Takeaways
- Caturra Amarelo (Yellow Caturra) is the yellow-cherry color variant of Caturra.
- Caturra Amarelo is often considered slightly brighter and more delicate than Red Caturra.
- Caturra Amarelo is a parent of Yellow Catuai (when crossed with Mundo Novo).
Caturra Amarelo (Yellow Caturra ) is a yellow-cherry color variant of Caturra, the dwarf Bourbon mutation. It is known for its bright, sweet cup and is grown primarily in Brazil and Central America.
Caturra Amarelo (Yellow Caturra) is a yellow-cherry color variant of Caturra, the dwarf Bourbon mutation. It is known for its bright, sweet cup and is grown primarily in Brazil and Central America.
Origin
Brazil. Yellow-cherry color variant of Caturra (Bourbon mutation).
History
Caturra Amarelo is a yellow-cherry color variant of Caturra, which is a natural dwarf mutation of Bourbon discovered in Brazil. The yellow color variant was selected alongside the red variant. Caturra Amarelo is grown primarily in Brazil and Central America, where it is valued for its compact growth, high productivity, and bright, sweet cup.
Discovery
Discovered in Brazil as a yellow-cherry variant of Caturra.
Genetics and Lineage
Caturra Amarelo is a natural mutation of Bourbon, belonging to the Bourbon genetic group. The mutation affects both growth habit (dwarf) and cherry color (yellow).
Parent Varieties
Hybrid Status: Not a hybrid. Caturra Amarelo is a natural color and growth mutation of Bourbon.
Growth Characteristics
Caturra Amarelo is a dwarf tree with compact growth habit. It produces yellow cherries.
Tree Size: Dwarf (1.5 to 2.5 meters at maturity)
Yield: High. Caturra Amarelo's compact size allows high-density planting.
Disease Resistance: Low. Like Bourbon, Caturra Amarelo is susceptible to coffee leaf rust.
Climate and Growing Conditions
Caturra Amarelo thrives in tropical highland conditions at elevations of 800 to 1,600 meters.
Climate Preferences: Tropical highland climate. Optimal temperatures 16 to 26 degrees Celsius.
Rainfall: 1,200 to 1,800mm annually.
Elevation Range: 800-1,600 meters
Processing Compatibility
Caturra Amarelo is excellent with all processing methods.
Roasting Behavior
Caturra Amarelo beans roast evenly. Light to medium roasts best preserve its brightness.
Cup Profile
Caturra Amarelo produces a bright, sweet cup with clean acidity, medium body, and notes of citrus, yellow fruit, chocolate, and caramel. The cup is often...
Professional Cupping Notes
Caturra Amarelo lots can score 84 to 88+ points in SCA cupping.
Common Defects
- •Susceptible to coffee leaf rust
Brewing Recommendations
Countries Where Grown
Notable Farms
Interesting Facts
- •Caturra Amarelo (Yellow Caturra) is the yellow-cherry color variant of Caturra.
- •Caturra Amarelo is often considered slightly brighter and more delicate than Red Caturra.
- •Caturra Amarelo is a parent of Yellow Catuai (when crossed with Mundo Novo).
Frequently Asked Questions
Sources
- •World Coffee Research
Related Varieties
Bourbon
Sweet, complex, and balanced. Known for a pronounced sweetness, deep fruit notes (berry, stone fruit), and bright but rounded acidity. Body is medium to full with a smooth, creamy mouthfeel. Among the most sought-after cup profiles in specialty coffee.
ArabicaBourbon Amarelo
Bourbon Amarelo is prized for its sweetness, complexity, and bright acidity. It has a medium body and notes of citrus, stone fruit, yellow fruit, honey, and...
ArabicaCatuai Amarelo
Catuai Amarelo produces a sweet, balanced cup with bright acidity, medium body, and notes of citrus, chocolate, caramel, and sometimes yellow fruit. The cup is similar to Catuai Vermelho but can be slightly more delicate.
ArabicaCatuai Vermelho
Catuai Vermelho produces a sweet, balanced cup with bright acidity, medium body, and notes of red fruit, chocolate, caramel, and citrus. The cup is similar to Catuai Amarelo but can be slightly fuller in body.
ArabicaCaturra
Bright, clean, and sweet. Known for pronounced citric acidity, medium body, and notes of citrus, stone fruit, and caramel. Generally produces a more straightforward but vibrant cup than its parent Bourbon, with slightly less complexity but excellent clarity.
Related Encyclopedia Entries
Acidity
In coffee tasting, acidity refers to the bright, vibrant, and often fruity quality that gives coffee its liveliness and structure. Unlike the negative connotation of acidity in everyday language, coffee acidity is a desirable characteristic when balanced. It is perceived as a pleasant tartness or brightness on the palate, similar to the acidity in wine or fruit.
Origins & GeographyCoffea Arabica: The Specialty Coffee Species Explained
Arabica coffee (Coffea arabica) is a species of coffee plant native to the highland forests of Ethiopia and South Sudan. It is the most widely cultivated coffee species worldwide, accounting for approximately 60 to 70 percent of global coffee production. Arabica is prized for its complex flavor, refined acidity, and aromatic diversity, producing notes ranging from floral and citrus to chocolate and caramel depending on origin, variety, and processing.
Origins & GeographyCoffee Cherry
The coffee cherry is the fruit of the coffee plant, a small round drupe that ripens from green to red (or sometimes yellow or orange) when ready for harvest. Each cherry typically contains two coffee seeds (beans) arranged face to face, though occasional single-seed cherries produce what are known as peaberries. The cherry consists of skin (exocarp), pulp (mesocarp), mucilage, parchment (endocarp), silver skin, and the seed itself.
Coffee ScienceCoffee Leaf Rust
Hemileia vastatrix belongs to the order Pucciniales and is an obligate biotrophic fungus, meaning it requires living host tissue to survive. The infection cycle begins when urediniospores are deposited on the abaxial (underside) surface of the coffee leaf, typically via wind or rain splash. Germination occurs only in the presence of free water—such as dew or rainfall—within a temperature range of 15°C to 28°C. Upon germination, the fungus enters the leaf through the stomata and establishes a mycelium that colonizes the internal tissue. The visual manifestation of the disease begins as small, chlorotic spots that expand into characteristic orange, powdery pustules. These pustules contain thousands of spores capable of further infection. The physiological impact includes a rapid reduction in photosynthetic capacity and the eventual abscission of the leaf. Severe cases lead to 'dieback,' where the plant's branches wither due to carbohydrate depletion, often resulting in the death of the tree or a total loss of the following year's crop.
Coffee ScienceExtraction
Extraction is the process of dissolving soluble compounds from ground coffee into water, producing the beverage we know as coffee. During extraction, water pulls acids, sugars, lipids, carbohydrates, and melanoidins from the coffee grounds in a sequence that shapes flavor, body, and aroma.
Related Book Chapters
- •Chapter 4: Varietals & Cultivars
- •Chapter 2: Coffee Origins
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Keith E. Lyons
Author, Researcher & Coffee Educator
Keith E. Lyons is the author of The Complete World of Coffee and the publisher behind Lyons Den Publishing. A licensed trauma therapist turned specialty coffee writer, Keith blends scientific rigor with genuine passion for the craft of coffee.
Last Reviewed
July 22, 2026
Sources & References
(1)Claims are cited to verifiable sources. Peer-reviewed research is marked.
- 1World Coffee Research
Authoritative References
Editorial Standards
- • Fact-checked against peer-reviewed coffee science research and industry standards.
- • Reviewed by the author with documented sources for every factual claim.
- • Updated regularly; the "Last Reviewed" date reflects the most recent verification.
- • Corrections are made promptly when new research or evidence emerges.
Our editorial process prioritizes accuracy, scientific rigor, and practical relevance for coffee enthusiasts and professionals alike.
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Catuai Amarelo
Catuai Amarelo produces a sweet, balanced cup with bright acidity, medium body, and notes of citrus, chocolate, caramel, and sometimes yellow fruit. The cup is similar to Catuai Vermelho but can be slightly more delicate.
Bourbon Amarelo
Bourbon Amarelo is prized for its sweetness, complexity, and bright acidity. It has a medium body and notes of citrus, stone fruit, yellow fruit, honey, and...
Caturra
Bright, clean, and sweet. Known for pronounced citric acidity, medium body, and notes of citrus, stone fruit, and caramel. Generally produces a more straightforward but vibrant cup than its parent Bourbon, with slightly less complexity but excellent clarity.
Bourbon
Sweet, complex, and balanced. Known for a pronounced sweetness, deep fruit notes (berry, stone fruit), and bright but rounded acidity. Body is medium to full with a smooth, creamy mouthfeel. Among the most sought-after cup profiles in specialty coffee.
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Reference definitions that complement this page.
Caturra Coffee Variety
Caturra is a natural dwarf mutation of Bourbon discovered in Minas Gerais, Brazil. Its compact size revolutionized high-density coffee farming, and its cup delivers classic Bourbon sweetness with brighter acidity, though it is highly susceptible to coffee leaf rust.
Bourbon Coffee Variety
Bourbon is one of the two foundational arabica varieties, named after Réunion Island (formerly Île Bourbon). It produces higher yields and a sweeter, more complex cup than Typica, with distinctive notes of chocolate, caramel, and red fruit that set the standard for specialty coffee quality.
Catuai Coffee Variety
Catuai is a compact hybrid of Mundo Novo and Caturra bred in Campinas, Brazil. Its small stature enables high-density planting and easier harvesting, while its cup retains a clean, bright acidity with sweet citrus notes that perform well across Central and South American farms.
Coffee Cherry
The coffee cherry is the fruit of the coffee plant, a small round drupe that ripens from green to red (or sometimes yellow or orange) when ready for harvest. Each cherry typically contains two coffee seeds (beans) arranged face to face, though occasional single-seed cherries produce what are known as peaberries. The cherry consists of skin (exocarp), pulp (mesocarp), mucilage, parchment (endocarp), silver skin, and the seed itself.