Kenyan coffee, with the wild tension unique to African beans and the fullness and body of Central and South American coffee, has always been highly sought after by coffee enthusiasts. In China, Kenya AA is the most commonly seen grade designation, but above AA there are also AA+ and AA TOP, while below it there is AB. If the packaging only says AA without specific estate or cooperative information, it usually only means the beans are uniform in shape and meet appearance standards, and the flavor may not be outstanding; conversely, as long as a specific estate, cooperative, or even buyer is indicated, whether AA or AB, it is worth trying. This article focuses on PB—Peaberry round beans, which in Kenya are specially screened out and sold separately, with scarce production and a distinctive flavor. The following will explain the formation principles of peaberries, their grade positioning, and provide a complete cupping record of Kenyan PB.
Kenyan coffee is regarded by many as a representative of high-quality coffee. It has both the bold, unrestrained wildness of African beans and the mellow richness and strength of American beans, and it is precisely this dual character that has won Kenyan coffee a large number of loyal fans. The most familiar Kenya AA is actually a grade designation in Kenya's coffee grading system. One level below AA is AB, while above AA there are also AA+ and AA TOP (top grade). If a bag of beans is only marked AA, that usually only indicates it is a blended lot of AA grade, not linked to a specific estate or cooperative, and the flavor is not necessarily the best; it only proves the beans are uniform in shape and pass appearance standards. Conversely, if the label clearly states a specific estate, cooperative, or even buyer, then whether the beans are AA or AB, they are worth trying.
Next, let's talk about PB, short for Peaberry, commonly called round bean in Chinese. Normally, a coffee cherry contains two seeds, which are the coffee beans we see every day—curved on one side and flat on the other, somewhat like a peanut, and these are called flat beans. A peaberry, however, is when only one bean grows inside a cherry. It is oval in shape and accounts for a very small proportion of the fruit on the entire coffee tree. There is no unified conclusion in the industry about whether peaberry quality is actually good. Some believe peaberry flavor is inferior to flat beans, while others think peaberries concentrate the nutrients of two beans into one, giving them richer internal substances and therefore better flavor. I personally have not done systematic analysis or comparison, but it is conceivable that because peaberries are entirely hand-sorted one by one, overall quality is guaranteed, and it makes sense that they taste good.
Kenya is a country that specifically screens peaberries for separate sale, though Kenyan peaberries are not particularly common in the Chinese market. Kiaga Estate is located between the Rutene River and Rwarai, at an altitude of about 1,900 meters, an ideal site for growing and processing high-quality coffee. Kenyan PB beans are considerably smaller than Kenyan AA, and the bean body is round, a shape that helps ensure even heating during roasting. To retain the wild character unique to Kenyan beans, a medium roast is usually used, with the beans removed from the roaster about 40 seconds after the end of first crack. The bean surface shows obvious wrinkles and the color is not dark, making it relatively easy for consumers to accept.
Kenyan PB Cupping Record
The dry aroma has citrus notes similar to Yirgacheffe, and on the palate there is a clear orange flavor, which is striking. The signature wildness of Kenyan coffee is especially vivid in this bean. The acidity is clean and bright, with both orange flavor and a grapefruit tea impression, but the acidity is not sharp, and the overall cup is smooth and harmonious. After the acidity slowly unfolds, a honey-like sweetness can be detected, with a long finish.
Excerpted from: John's Private Coffee
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
