Have you noticed we recently stocked a new Kenyan Peaberry coffee on our shelves? Though usually a touch more expensive than your typical whole bean, here’s why you should consider giving it a try when you come across it.

The term ‘peaberry’, or caracol (Spanish for snail) is a descriptor for the actual coffee bean itself, not the specific varietal. Typically the cherry of the plant contains two separate coffee beans with flattened sides facing each other. However, when on ovule fails to pollinate there is only a single seed that develops with nothing to flatten against. The ovular, or pea-shaped, bean is known as peaberry. This is a natural and rare mutation that occurs within the coffee plant, makes up around 5-10% of a harvest, and can appear in any varietal (Arabica, Robusta, Geisha, etc).

There is virtually no way to tell from the outside of the cherry whether there will be a peaberry inside or not. Therefore, peaberries are hand-selected and sorted after harvesting to be sold and processed by themselves. This is to help ensure the quality of the lot. The process of separating the different sizes of coffee beans indicates higher attention to detail. In return, a finer and higher quality coffee lot is created. This helps the roasting process when beans are similar in size to create a finer, more consistent roast. Other variables that can contribute to creating a high-quality lot, including high-quality peaberries, are plant variety, method of processing (washed, natural, etc), and growing altitude.

Peaberries typically have a brighter acidity, lighter body, and in our experience offer a sweeter taste compared to their flatter counterparts. With our specific Kenya Condo Factory Peaberry, sources from the Mathioya region, this special coffee offers a flavor profile noting sweet butterscotch, bright grapefruit, and rich cola.