You may have heard about Kona peaberry coffee before, but what exactly is it? What makes in so special? Peaberry coffee is rare and complex, so it probably won't surprise you to find out that it also happens to be more expensive. Before you order your very own Kona peaberry coffee to try, find out why its heralded and what makes it different than any other coffee bean.

What is Kona Peaberry Coffee

Peaberry coffee is one of the rarest coffees in the WORLD. That means that Kona Peaberry coffee is even more rare. The peaberry coffee bean looks different than the more common coffee beans you’re used to. These beans are smaller and rounder than the oblong coffee beans you’ll find in most bags of coffee. The beans are smaller because one seed (instead of the usual two) have grown inside the coffee cherry. This makes the bean more dense and acidic. These elements can add more complex and aromatic flavors into your brewed coffee. Only about 5% of coffee beans are usable as Kona peaberry coffee. This explains why peaberry coffee is pricier and harder to find.

Some people refer to Kona peaberry coffee as the “champagne of coffee”. This is both because it has a higher price tag, and because of its rarity. Not only are the beans themselves rare, making this coffee difficult to mass-produce, but even once the beans are grown they require a special level of care including hand-sorting, separate and specialty roasting, and specialized handling.

How to Make Peaberry Coffee

The extra density contained in Kona peaberry coffee means that it requires a different, more careful roasting. Lighter roasts of peaberry coffee can encourage the natural flavors to be released in a fuller capacity. We also suggest grinding your peaberry coffee beans coarser than you would normal coffee. A coarser grind also helps release the complex flavor notes and brings out the nuances of the rich aromas and flavors.

How does Kona Peaberry Coffee Taste

Peaberry coffee, as mentioned above, has a more complex flavor profile than regular coffee beans. How peaberry coffee is roasted can also release different hints of flavors, as does how it is brewed. Peaberry coffee beans often carry tasting notes of milk chocolate, honey, hazelnuts and/or sweet spices. Medium roasted Kona peaberry coffees may contain slightly different notes including almond, clove, citrus and/or caramel.

Shop Kona Peaberry Coffee

Local coffee shops are scattered throughout the island and all serve delicious local Kona coffee, most with a peaberry option. Stop by and spend as much (or as little) time going through the many different brews and flavor profiles. Hala Tree farm has a gift shop that offers a huge array of samples so you can find your favorite and stock up (might as well join the coffee subscription service while you’re at it). The Hala Tree family loves talking about coffee and is always happy to answer any questions about the coffee growing process or the differences between coffee varieties including provide more information on peaberry coffee!