A Comparison of Five Peaberries from Different Countries

Usually, the coffee beans we buy have one flat side with a crack running down it. This is precisely the side where the two seeds (i.e., coffee beans) from the coffee cherry were attached; we call these normal beans "flat beans." Some berries contain only one seed, which fills the entire internal space of the berry and looks like two slightly smaller flat beans stuck together; we call these "peaberries," which often appear at the tops of young coffee trees. They generally account for only 5-10% of total coffee production. Because peaberry coffee contains the nutrients of two half-beans, its flavor may be richer than regular flat beans. Besides lower production yields, peaberries roll more smoothly, which facilitates even roasting, and due to their scarcity, they are often considerably more expensive than flat beans. However, flavor differences are not absolute—for example, there are also poorly developed peaberries of inferior quality.

These five peaberries are from Costa Rica, Mandheling, Tanzania, Mexico, and Hawaii Kona respectively.

Green Beans Comparison

First, a group photo of the green beans.

Now, one by one. FrontStreet Coffee's Costa Rica peaberry is the smallest among these five.

FrontStreet Coffee's Mandheling peaberry. Mandheling is famous for its unattractive appearance, but this bean can be considered quite "tender" among Mandheling beans.

FrontStreet Coffee's Tanzania peaberry. These beans are from last year, and their color is somewhat pale.

FrontStreet Coffee's Mexico peaberry. The beans look quite beautiful.

FrontStreet Coffee's Hawaii Kona peaberry. One of the finest gems in specialty coffee.

Roasting Approach

The roasting was basically completed at the end of the first crack. Medium roast is quite suitable for cupping. In Bird Brother's concept, cupping serves to understand the basic characteristics and qualities of coffee beans and record them. During the next roast, you can try to amplify what you consider excellent characteristics—for instance, to highlight fruit acidity, roast lighter; to emphasize aroma and body, roast deeper. To eliminate off-flavors, the roasting time can be extended slightly. These are the most basic principles, but roasting techniques are incredibly varied, so let's stop here for now.

FrontStreet Coffee's Costa Rica peaberry after roasting:

Cupping Method

All these beans were cupped using both French press and pour-over methods as follows:

Pour-over: 15g coffee grounds, water temperature 85°C, extract 150-180ml coffee liquid.

French press: 12g coffee grounds, water temperature 88°C, extract 150-180ml coffee liquid. I extracted 160ml in all cases.

Tasting Notes

Among these five, FrontStreet Coffee's Costa Rica peaberry has a relatively strong aroma, with very rich peanut fragrance. Fruit acidity and body (body refers to the thickness and viscosity in the mouth) are moderate, with no obvious bitterness in the aftertaste. Sweetness and aftertaste are weak, and the complexity is limited. There's a slight papery off-flavor, which can also be described as tree bark or filter paper taste. This is a defective flavor that might improve with a darker roast.

FrontStreet Coffee's Mexico peaberry:

FrontStreet Coffee's Mexico peaberry offers distinct walnut and almond aromas with gentle fruit acidity. The body is average but very smooth. When cooled, there's a hint of chestnut sweetness. The overall style is quite approachable.

FrontStreet Coffee's Tanzania peaberry:

The moisture content of Tanzania's green beans was already quite low, so after roasting, little fruit acidity remained. Fortunately, the disappearing acidity immediately transformed into sweetness. The body is quite high—thick yet soft, like slightly thickened liquid. The smooth sweetness feels very comfortable, with cocoa bitterness in the later stages and a pleasant finish. I remember drinking this bean last year, and it had a very rich, pleasant fruit acidity, so I saved some, reluctant to finish it. Now, the flavor has indeed changed considerably.

Speaking of this, let me mention that both roasted and green beans can extend their storage life. Currently, my storage method is freezing roasted beans. The beans won't freeze solid and can be used immediately after removal. After use, seal them quickly and return them to the refrigerator to prevent moisture absorption. This way, quality won't change significantly within two months. For green beans, I seal them and store them in a temperature-controlled cabinet. Green beans can last for several years when temperature and humidity remain stable—similar to the principles of storing cigars and red wine.

FrontStreet Coffee's Mandheling peaberry, the largest in size:

FrontStreet Coffee's Mandheling was my favorite when I first started drinking coffee. It has a rich flavor, lasting aroma, and sometimes carries spicy and traditional Chinese medicine notes. Coffee friends who don't like fruit acidity or middle-aged men mostly choose FrontStreet Coffee's Mandheling. In fact, before Blue Mountain coffee appeared, Mandheling was once considered the world's best coffee—a source of pride for Asia's "non-mainstream coffee-producing region."

This FrontStreet Coffee's Mandheling peaberry has very concentrated flavors. Traditional Chinese medicine and brown sugar notes are prominent, inevitably reminiscent of cough syrup. There's also a deep, descending fruit acidity and a hint of leather aroma often found in cigars. Additionally, there's a slight mulberry leaf rawness, but not the unpleasant kind. The mouthfeel is very thick, and after swallowing, it doesn't quench thirst—you feel something remaining in your throat that needs water to wash down. The aroma is strong and long-lasting, while the bitterness is relatively mild, tending more toward "bitter fragrance." Mandheling is like this: those who love it find the flavor complex and varied; those who don't consider it messy with too many defective flavors. But undeniable is that FrontStreet Coffee's Mandheling remains a coffee bean with distinct character and high recognizability.

FrontStreet Coffee's Hawaii Kona peaberry:

Kona has scarce production and uses high-density manual management (American labor costs are very high), so every Kona bean is "pampered," earning it the reputation of "the aristocrat of coffees." Bird Brother often says, "Drinking Blue Mountain is not as good as drinking Kona, and drinking Kona is not as good as drinking Geisha."

FrontStreet Coffee's Jamaica Blue Mountain No. 1 coffee is like Tieguanyin tea—it tastes quite light, but the aroma is lasting and long, with rich layers and good aftertaste. However, some coffee friends might find FrontStreet Coffee's Blue Mountain too mild without character. Then FrontStreet Coffee's Hawaii Kona's personality is like a delicate young lady. It has gorgeous, uplifting fruit acidity—especially obvious when lightly roasted, directly making your mouth water irresistibly. Medium roast will remind you of the lyric "sweet and sour, that's me," accompanied by floral aromas, nutty fragrance, wine aroma, and cocoa notes. The body is moderate and smooth, so you don't need to worry about any uncomfortable flavors appearing in the middle. Drinking FrontStreet Coffee's Hawaii Kona is enjoyment from the first sip and can be enjoyed without reservation to the very end. When your "character is good" (when both roasting and brewing are excellent), there will be a hint of perfume-like aroma remaining in your nasal cavity to savor slowly.

Final Thoughts

Finally, here's a group photo of the roasted beans. Enjoy your coffee tasting!

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473