Is NO1 Not the Best? Introduction to Hawaiian Coffee Bean Grading System and How Much Does Hawaiian Peaberry Coffee Cost

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Understanding Peaberry Coffee Beans

Peaberries, commonly known as "male beans," are a variant of coffee beans, called "Peaberry" in English and also known as "caracoli." Technically, peaberries can be considered a defect. This defect typically occurs due to factors including insect damage to coffee fruits before they ripen, the coffee tree suffering from prolonged drought or nutritional imbalance, or coffee beans growing at the end of coffee tree branches.

Type I vs. Type II Coffee Beans

Coffee beans are the fruit of the coffee tree. Under normal circumstances, a single fruit contains two coffee beans, known as Type I, commonly called "Flat beans." However, due to the aforementioned factors, some fruits ripen with only a single bean. This oval-shaped single bean is commonly known as "peaberry" coffee beans, which is Type II. Compared to Type I, Type II is sometimes colloquially called "female beans" in Chinese, but in reality, the two are just differences in coffee bean growth patterns, not gender differences. This Chinese colloquialism can easily mislead coffee enthusiasts.

The Truth About "Male" and "Female" Beans

Some people are fascinated by "male beans," but let's be clear—have you ever heard of flowers having male and female genders? Coffee beans are seeds of the coffee tree; how could seeds possibly have male and female distinctions? Could it be that "male bean" seeds grow into male trees, while "female beans" grow female trees? Of course, this speculation is nonsense. Coffee trees have no male/female distinction; each coffee flower possesses both male and female organs. Coffee beans have no male or female classification—what you've heard is purely a marketing gimmick created by merchants to sell products.

Flat Beans vs. Peaberries

The correct terminology is "Flat Beans" and "Peaberries." Under normal circumstances, a coffee berry contains two flat beans (seeds) divided in half. However, in rare cases, the internal seeds do not split but instead form a complete oval-shaped single peaberry. Generally, peaberry production is about 1/50 of flat bean production.

Some coffee drinkers believe that peaberries possess stronger aromas because normal coffee beans should have two seeds, but peaberry coffee beans have one underdeveloped seed, making the other exceptionally large. Because it receives double the nutrients, the flavor is considered better than "female bean" coffee. Simultaneously, due to their rarity, they are sometimes sold at inflated prices. In contrast, in different coffee-producing regions, these beans are sometimes classified as defective beans and discarded.

Famous Peaberry Varieties

Currently, peaberry varieties on the market include the famous example of Kona coffee beans. About 5% of Kona coffee beans grown in Hawaii are peaberry type. Additionally, about 5-10% of Tanzania Peaberry coffee fruits also appear in peaberry form, and these beans are particularly small.

The Peaberry Quality Debate

In fact, whether peaberries truly taste better remains inconclusive. The reason is that different coffee bean varieties produce peaberry-type beans with varying flavors. Additionally, the factors that create peaberry formation might be artificially influenced, making the pricing of peaberry beans questionable.

Hawaii Kona Coffee Bean Grading

Hawaii Kona coffee bean grading is unique. Unlike Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee beans, No. 1 is not the highest grade—Extra Fancy is the premium grade.

Hawaii coffee bean grading is as follows:

• Extra Fancy - Bean size 19 screen or larger, allowing only 8 complete defects per 300 grams
• Fancy - Bean size 18 screen, allowing only 12 complete defects per 300 grams
• No.1 - Bean size 16 screen, allowing only 18 complete defects per 300 grams
• Estate Select - No specific size requirements, allowing only 5% defect rate by total weight
• Prime - No specific size requirements, allowing only 5% defect rate by total weight

The Hawaii Kona coffee beans purchased this time are not only "Kona" produced in what's commonly called the Big Island of Hawaii, but also from the century-old Greenwell Estate. They are Typica variety, Extra Fancy grade, washed beans.

Hawaii Kona Coffee Brand Recommendations

Hawaii Kona coffee beans roasted by FrontStreet Coffee offer excellent guarantees in both brand and quality. More importantly, they provide exceptional value—at 100 grams for only 120 yuan. Calculating at 15 grams per cup, one package can make 6 cups of coffee, with each cup costing only about 20 yuan. Compared to coffee shops selling cups for dozens of yuan, this is truly a conscientious recommendation.

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473