What is the Peaberry coffee varietal?
Peaberries aren’t a varietal or a processing method – they’re a natural quirk. Most coffee cherries grow two seeds inside, which flatten against each other to form the classic oval shape. But every so often, one seed doesn’t develop. The other grows solo, forming a small, round bean known as a peaberry.
They’re relatively rare – around 5–10% of a harvest – and often go unsorted in most origins. In places like Tanzania and Kenya, though, peaberries are separated by hand and sold as their own distinct lots.
Peaberries have gained a bit of a reputation over the years. Some say they taste sweeter, more complex, or more intense than standard beans. One theory is that, with no second seed to share space or nutrients, the single bean grows denser and develops more flavour. Others reckon the differences are small, and that origin, variety, and processing play a bigger role in flavour than shape alone.
What’s more certain is that peaberries behave differently in the roaster. Their rounder shape and higher density can mean quicker heat transfer, a subtler first crack, and shorter overall roast times. It doesn’t mean they’re better – but they do require a slightly different approach.
So while the hype might be up for debate, peaberries are still a unique feature of coffee – one worth understanding, especially if you’re roasting them.
Most coffee beans grow in pairs, but a peaberry grows solo – which makes it round instead of flat. They’re a bit unusual, and some say they taste better or roast more evenly. Whether or not that’s true, they do behave a little differently in the roaster, so it’s good to know what they are.