Sideyard Coffee: February 19 - Kenya 🇰🇪 Peaberry

Dear Sideyard Friends,

This week's coffee is another unique one; it's a peaberry from Nyeri Kenya. Rather than two seeds that develop flat sides while sharing space in a coffee cherry, a single unencumbered peaberry seed develops a round pea-like shape and is rumored to have a more intense flavor. I say rumored because, like any coffee, peaberries can be great and not-so-great, depending on all the typical influencing factors (cultivar, climate, cultivation, processing, storage, etc). Whether all peaberries are above average compared to their non-mutated kin seems to still be a matter of speculation. In either case, this particular one is delicious! Because peaberries are unique and labor intensive to sort out (only 5% of cherries might have the peaberry mutation), they often fetch a premium in Kenya's auction system or through direct trade like this one. 

Kenyan coffees are famous for being bright (acidic on the palate), complex, and sweet. I roasted it yesterday and tried to keep it 'light and bright' as is the recommendation for most Kenyan coffees. After just one night's rest I'm already excited about it. I'm tasting tart cranberry flavor and sweet citrus along with a subtle spiced note. As with many coffees, the flavors start to become more apparent as it cools. 

Cheers,

Ryan 

References
https://drinks.seriouseats.com/2011/01/wont-you-be-my-peaberry-what-are-peaberry-coffee-beans.html
https://perfectdailygrind.com/2020/03/what-are-peaberry-coffee-beans-the-myths-the-reality/