There is much based on folklore and myth and less on facts As a botanist by training, I will try to take a stab at it from a plant physiology and a reproductive biology point of view. The Peaberry (PB) is Special Peaberry or Caracol or perla or perle all mean one and the same thing- a single, rounded bean from a coffee cherry which bears one bean instead of the usual flat sided pair of beans. The Arabica coffee-bush is primarily a self-pollinating plant. Every flower has a male and a female component and is capable of self-impregnating self-fertilizing. The normal development of the coffee cherry creates two seeds, which grow with their flat sides facing each other. However, like all other fruiting species, coffee bushes occasionally produce abnormal fruit formations such as single seeds (peaberries) as well as multi-carpellate, or many seeded fruits (elephant beans). Prevailing myth states that PB is a fusion of two beans and logical extension of this theory posits that the PB will produce a more intense bean as far as taste profile goes. That logic does not hold much water especially when we look at this issue from a reproductive-physiology point of view. PB is formed when one of the two ovules abort and hence only a single bean thrives in the ovary. In other lesser famous crop species like wheat rice, peas and beans, the PB would be called a small misshapen seed resulting from retarded ovular development. The incidence of peaberries, in general varies depending upon the species, percentage of hybrids, age of the plants and the nutritional and environmental factors. But the bottom line is that the presence of a high proportion of PB-greater than 5-7% indicates that the fertilization mechanism is not functioning correctly. Peaberry Problem of Malnutrition It is logical to suggest that a poorly or malnourished plant will have a higher percentage of peaberries. Like berry drop, which occurs usually when the plant does not have enough carbohydrate reserves to sustain the fertilized ovules, a higher percentage of peaberry is also observed in nutrient-deficient and neglected coffee plantations. Ever wondered why there is more of Tanzanian Peaberry versus other Tanzanian grade coffee on the open market? PeaberryProblem of the Young and the Old! It is often noticed that younger (5-10 years) and older bushes (50yrs) produce more PB. The reasoning behind it is postulated as follows: When younger bushes are transitioning from a vegetative stage to a reproductive stage, the incidence of PB is higher. This stage of the coffee-bush is analogous to adolescence in humans. At this stage the plant is not physiologically and reproductively ready to produce and hence the plants will abort ovules in higher numbers. Older bushes that are past their prime (50 years and up) also tend to produce high amounts of PB. At this stage, the plant is past its reproductive peak and has to make extra efforts to sustain even a normal berry-load. The stress levels on the bush are high to begin with and if nutrient, soil, environmental conditions are not adequate the plant will abort huge number of berries. Peaberry- Richer Taste? Some in the coffee trade suggest that peaberries have a richer, more concentrated flavor than normal beans, which is often supported by the legend that the PB is a fusion of the two-berries. Other coffee-experts claim that they cannot discern a difference in a blind coffee cupping. So the Peaberry taste-factor is still a debatable topic. The point remains though, that the actual nutrients in the bean are what will eventually determine the final aroma-profile and taste-profile of the brewed coffee. All our coffees that we export to the Unites States and use for our local consumption are subjected to detailed soil, leaf and green-bean analysis on a periodic basis. This enables us, to understand the nutrient-status of the crop which is critical in producing high qualitative and quantitative yields. If you look at the two sets of graphs which are representative of the nutritional status from two of our top-selling coffees, the nutrient status of the KimayaTM (Grade A) and the PB run almost parallel to each other; sometimes a tad more, sometimes a tad less. The coffee grades were picked at the same time and processed in an identical fashion. Linear logic will hence suggest that if the nutrient content of the beans is similar the taste profile should also be similar. Try Tariero Artisan Peaberry Coffees, which directly sourced from farms and select plantations from the coffee-country of India; Coorg, Chikmagalur and Waynad. Available as whole-bean, or ground as per your equipment needs in a Burr-Grinder- which is our grinder of choice. Quote from one of our International Roasters about our Peaberry: The cup is mild, balanced, low acid, but not at all dull. It has some very interesting nuances in it, starting with a sweetly nutty dry fragrance, and a wet aromatic I can only describe as miso! The cup has a strong dry-roasted almond. I was trying to ask myself whether this was a "sweet coffee" or not, and oddly it seems not to be in the aromatics, then it is in the cup, then in the long aftertaste it has a very unusual unsweet herbal quality. In fact, herbal flavors of sage and rosemary are all over this cup. Although the acidity is low, there is a spiciness in the cup that gives it some punctuation. This adds up to a mild cup, but one that is funky too, perhaps more Indonesian in cup character than other Indian coffees.
