New Bean Alert: Lineage - Tanzania Peaberry

Grown along Central Africa’s eastern coast, south of Kenya and north of Mozambique, in Mount Kilimanjaro’s old growth forests, at elevations between 4,000 and 6,000 feet above sea level, Tanzania Peaberry is a remarkably clean, round, complex coffee with the citric brightness of a Kenyan and the smooth, gentle sweetness of an Ethiopian. Tanzania’s climate, rich volcanic soil, and consistent ocean mist make Tanzania ideal for coffee growing. Most Tanzanian coffee is grown on small, family farms using traditional, natural growing methods. While Tanzania produces a range of wonderful arabica coffees, including excellent bourbons and kents, it is best known for the elusive peaberry.

Peaberries, also known as caracoli, are a rare (delicious) bean mutation, composing a mere 5% of all beans. Peaberries are distinguished by being a single, rather than a double-bean coffee cherry. Most coffee cherries contain two seeds, known as beans, each with a distinctive flat and curved side. The peaberry cherry, by contrast, only contains one round, oval shaped bean. This solo growing existence allows the peaberry to develop a softer texture, lighter body, more intense flavor (think the flavor of two beans condensed into one!), and higher acidity than most Africans. The oval shape also allows for an exceptionally even roast.

Our Tanzania Peaberry is wet-processed and medium roasted to encourage the beans’ gentle, sweet richness to dominate. The cup starts with a butterscotch sweetness and gives way to a mild cedar center before finishing with a soft, vibrant melon-like close. This is a treat for African coffees lovers looking for something sweeter and milder than a Kenyan or Ethiopian. Head over to our products page and pick up a bag of Lineage today!