What is a Peaberry Coffee Bean?
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Many experts and coffee gurus debate on whether a Peaberry coffee bean provides a richer taste than other beans? It is my opinion, and many others, that fresh roasted/small batch(micro-roasted), gourmet coffee beans produce a richer, smoother tasting coffee. I also find buying coffee on-line to be a unique and delicious experience. Why don’t we check out the facts about Peaberry together, and see if even the peaberry bean vs a regular bean makes a difference in the taste?
My favorite thing managing our organization is our customers, and meeting new ones every week! Like many of you, when I have a passion for something, I go on a hunt to read & ask in order to learn everything possible. The education and history behind the origin of the gourmet coffee bean came from or why each bean taste different from the next truly enhances the coffee experience. Today I have such an appreciation for true gourmet micro-roasted coffees. And, now, nothing short of that will do for my daily pot of coffee. I would like to share some of what I’ve enjoyed learning, hoping that you find it as interesting. So let’s start with this strange little character called a Peaberry coffee bean.
Who out there is familiar with what a Peaberry is?
If you answered no, do not be concerned, please read on.
Peaberry is an unusual and somewhat rare type of bean. Normally the cherry of the coffee plant contains two seeds (“beans”) that develop with flattened facing sides (which is what most of us are used to seeing in our coffee beans). About 10% of the time only one of the two seeds is fertilized, and the single seed is free to develop alone which is a nicely shaped round coffee bean. This pea-shaped bean is known as a peaberry. Only around 5% of all coffee beans harvested are of this form. Peaberry beans most often occur toward the end of a branch of the coffee tree. So the bean itself is unique and in many cases, this drives a higher cost or price. The “beans” are stripped of the fruit and dried before they become the green beans we use for roasting. These beans are also smaller than other coffee beans (next time you purchase our coffee, check the peaberry bean compared to another coffee bean, have you noticed that before? More often than not peaberries produce a lighter-bodied, slightly more acidy, brighter cup than normal beans.
Every country produce a peaberry. American Serenade selected to sell the peaberry coffee beans from Tanzania, Africa because we feel it produces a great cup of coffee over many others.
The fragrance of this brewed coffee, brings sweet honey like notes to you senses and entices one to enjoy this cup. Many find that their 1st morning cup of our Majesty Tanzania Peaberry always disappears more quickly than they expected or previously experienced. We love these kinds of comments. The enhanced flavor of the peaberry makes the acidity and citrus notes amplified. With it’s bright flavor and creamy body, this coffee will delight a seasoned coffee connoisseur and intrigue our general coffee drinkers as well.
Now the Debate:
There are 2 thoughts as to why Peaberry coffee taste better than other coffees. Are you ready?
1st school of thought: Peaberry’s are said to roast & grind more evenly, because their rounder shape minimizes sharp edges and allows the berries to roll about the roasting chamber more easily, and later the coffee grinder more easily. Also the alleged higher bean density may improve heat transfer in the roasting process.
2nd school of thought: Some experts claim that these effects are minor, and that the major benefit of peaberry beans is that they have been carefully selected, which is essential for optimal quality, regardless of bean shape.
Does the bean produce the better flavor or is it because the beans have to be so carefully selected you get the best of the crop? You decide! My challenge to you, is to taste our Peaberry Coffee (Majesty) compared to one of our other medium roasts and see for yourself if it truly is richer taste and decide which school of thought you fall into?
Bean to Bean
Lisa Mitchell, Founder of American Serenade Coffee, Tea & Wine Society Club
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Desert Coffee Drinks
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Desert Coffee drinks are something I love to treat myself to quite often. With just a few key items from American Serenade and your home, you can build your own coffee-house in your house and treat yourself whenever the mood strikes.
Key items:
- Your favorite American Serenade Coffees
- Your favorite coffee mug
- Spices from your cabinets (cinnamon, nutmeg, whatever you like)
- American Serenade’s Whipped cream maker & Heavy Whipping Cream
#1. HARVEST SPICE DELIGHT!
I have a strong sweet tooth especially when it comes to my desert coffee drinks. I was very particular when selecting the flavored coffees to include in my coffee line. Amber Waves, which is our Harvest Spice, has just enough hints of nutmeg and cinnamon to tease your sweet palate. I love home-made whipped cream vs the store-bought packages, its healthier yet taste so rich and smooth and not overly sweet. It is so easy to make.
American Serenade Whipped Cream Maker (easy to use and delicious)
-Our Whipped Cream makers come in 1/2 pt or 1pt size in a few different colors
-Our whipped cream charges (come in packs of 25, 1 per use)
-Purchase Heavy Whipping cream, add powdered sugar or flavored syrup and shake.
The process takes about 1 min to make and it will stay fresh in your refrigerator for 12 days or until it’s empty! 
My kids love it on their hot chocolates or ice cream sundaes, and we use it on pies for family gatherings.
Winter is a great time to snuggle up with a hot cup of micro-roasted coffee. I could smell it while it was brewing and it smelled fantastic! Wow is this good!!
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#2. COOKIE IN A CUP!!
A crowd favorite is our Union Coffee, which is Snickerdoodle! Our customers state it really taste like a Snickerdoodle cookie. I then added a touch of cream, home-made whipped cream, & sprinkled with my home-made cinnamon and sugar mixture. I love having multiple options depending on what mood I am in for my coffee choices and even better I love to be able to do it so simply in my home and not have to pile up the kids or jump in the car and leave the house in the winter!
American Serenades 15oz logo Coffee Mug (below)
We have a few other favorites that make great adult beverages and we will post those at another time. Remember, you only need a few simple things to keep on hand to make your house an American Serenade Coffee House.
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The Cost to Buy Premium Micro-Roasted Gourmet Coffee
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The Cost to Buy Premium Micro-Roasted Gourmet Coffee
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The Power of Many
It seems as though whenever Americans with a common interest join together good things can happen. And this has never been truer than with our Coffee & Wine Society. The old saying that there is strength in numbers, or as we call it The Power of Many, can be pretty amazing.
Our organization was formed as a group-buying club for coffee lovers to be later followed by adding wine, tea and related accessories. All of course made right here in The United States of America.
Our vision was built around a dream: Imagine if you had unlimited resources to hire a personal concierge who’s only responsibility was to search the country to find the best-of-the-best coffees and have that coffee available for your enjoyment at your beck and call.
The pleasing reality of this dream is that it came true even though American Serenade & our Society Members do not have unlimited resources but are average Americans who enjoy drinking coffee. What made the difference was realizing that the “unlimited resources” part of that Dream would be realized by leveraging a traditional American concept, The Power of Many!
In our search for the best-of-the-best coffees we found that even though superior quality, premium gourmet coffee beans come in many shapes and sizes and from some pretty exotic places, something amazing happens when those premium coffee beans are roasted in small batches. Or as some call it Micro-Roasting.
The process of Micro-Roasting premium coffee beans in 5-pound to 25-pound individual batches is not as efficient as let’s say a Folgers or 8’Oclock or you name it. But why would they. The micro-roast process takes the patience and skill of a true artisan, An American artisan! If the combination of superior quality, premium coffee beans & American artisan micro-roasting sounds exotic, it is! If it sounds expensive? You be the judge. Following is a Serenade comparison of our Society Coffee Club cost and some other well-known coffees. American Serenade is the only micro-roasted coffee. All listed examples, with the exception of World Market, are confirmed single-origin beans – Gourmet Arabica beans, a single bean type from a designated growing region.
Oh, and by the way, have you noticed how everyone else packages premium gourmet coffee in 10oz-12oz-portion packaging?
Bean to Bean,
Lisa Mitchell, Founder of American Serenade Coffee, Tea & Wine Society Club
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How to make a great cup of coffee!!
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How to Make the Perfect Cup of Coffee
Have you ever struggled with the dilemma of how to make a good cup of coffee every time? One day you make the perfect cup of coffee, it taste wonderful and smooth. However, the next time you make coffee, you decide to drink it because you need the caffeine fix, but the taste leaves a lot to be desired? Well, here is a standard rule of thumb you can use every time you brew a pot of coffee.
I love coffee and the more educated I have become about coffee the more I love it. I could probably write several pages on this topic, but I will attempt to pare it down to the basics to get you started.
First, start with a really good coffee bean. Believe it or not, the type of coffee you use really does make a difference. When coffee beans come into the United States they are separated into 2 categories. The higher rated beans are sent to the small specialty roasters and the other beans are sent to the larger coffee companies that mass produce for multiple chains. Mass production mutates the taste of the bean and in many cases alters it to taste a very specific way, so you receive the same taste you have grown to know and appreciate in that coffee bag after bag and year after year. A specialty roaster, micro-roasts the coffee the coffee is small batches ( only 5-25lbs at a time) and the roaster LOVES coffee and uses hands on techniques to bring out the intended flavor of the bean vs altering or masking the flavor. Beans taste different from country to country based on a variety of factors(weather, altitude, rainfall etc)....For you wine lovers, think of it like wine…. I personally prefer American Serenade Coffees that are micro-roasted and bring out the intended flavor of the bean based upon how it was grown …but that’s just my opinion 
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oh and the shelf life for coffee shouldn’t be anymore then 45 days…this varies slightly by opinion….but if you have a bag that has been in your cabinet or pantry for 6 months or longer …you have lost all the flavor and much of the caffeine, feel free to buy new coffee. :)
Second, grinding your coffee right before brewing always taste freshest and there are a lot of good inexpensive grinders out there that do not require a lot of work.
Third, measure, measure, measure…you know the old saying…it is just as important with coffee too. You need to use the proper measuring tool…a good ol fashion measuring spoon (tablespoon size). The measuring scoops that come with your coffee are not very accurate. So what is the proper ratio of coffee to water?
All other brew methods Measure 2 TB coffee to 6-8 oz. water
Keurig- Fill re-usable filter from ¾ to full
(adjust both of the above to taste)
Next, the amount of water you use is critical (as you can see above) to create the desired cup of coffee. I have some bad news, are you sitting down? …..Your water reservoir, lies to you!!! It is true, I am so sorry to be the one to tell you this. Whew, now that we have gotten past that …here is a simple one time way to fix this problem. Using a measuring pitcher or measuring cup, measure out the amount of water that will fit into your water reservoir. A starting point…if you have a 10 cup coffee maker, try 40oz of water and see how that works. If you are using a single cup brew method, use the above measurement of coffee and the machine figures out the water to dispense based upon the cup size you select. Once you know this you can use it every day to brew your coffee.
My coffee ratio is 10TB of coffee : 40oz of water and it makes the perfect pot of coffee for me.
Oh, and the type of water you use for your coffee matters to, it is best to use filtered or spring water….
Fifth, the type of filter you use is also very important… Ok time for your next confession…how many of you use the white bleached filters? Ok…buzz again! The white filters have bleach in them and alter the taste of your coffee as the hot water hits the filter the taste can go into your delicious coffee. The best filters are gold or gold toned, but the brown unbleached are fine as well. (want to know more about the difference in gold vs brown filters, host a gathering to become more educated) .
Finally, brewing, this will be an entire post I will send out at a later date as there are so many brew methods that produce great tasting coffee depending on your preference. Water temperature and keeping your coffee hot are the most important and that is what I will highlight today. In order for your coffee to ‘pop’ and release the flavor in the grounds, your water temperature must be 195-205 degrees in temperature, just below boiling. Otherwise when the water hits the grounds you will not receive the full flavors in your brewed coffee. Only a few coffee brew methods reach this necessary temperature. Namely, the French Press, Chemex and some auto-drip makers are among the few.
Ok, let me ask you this question… How many of you microwave your coffee to warm it up? ………. If you said yes, then ‘BUZZ…wrong’. Imagine I just sounded a buzzer. Please do not do this anymore, in addition coffee makers that have heated bases also continue to cook your coffee and will alter the taste and even burn the coffee at the bottom of your pot. The best way to keep your coffee warm while you drink through the pot is in a stainless steel carafe or to drink it right away.
Lastly, pour your coffee and before you add your cream or sugar, take a sip, actually slurp it like soup and swirl it around in your mouth!! Yum!!! Hit those 10,000 taste buds on your tongue and see what flavors you can taste in the coffee. A good micro-roasted cup of coffee will taste differently from coffee to coffee and you should be able to taste different flavors.
Enjoy and please let us know once you have tried the above steps if you notice a difference in your cup of java!!
Bean to Bean,
Lisa Mitchell
Founder, American Serenade Coffee & Wine Society Club
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How much does the average coffee drinker spend on coffee?
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“Bean-to-Bean” Straight Talk
How much does the average coffee drinker spend on coffee?
Attractive Pricing and Product Integrity are two of our main ingredients.
That’s why we love our strength-in-numbers leverage that allows us to get great prices and the highest quality without cutting corners.
Case in point on packaging integrity can be viewed through the eyes of an average coffee drinker’s monthly investment:
When we hear the words gourmet or fresh roasted great tasting, the words expensive, out of reach and splurge also used to come to mind! Today we still enjoy hearing some of those words including the word “splurge” but don’t mind at all that we no longer hear, too expensive or out-of-reach.
If you drink two cups /day you may spend roughly $6/month on coffee. If you’re more of a full pot+ per day. You can spend on average $30/month. This doesn’t include occasionally indulging ourselves.
When consumers are comparing coffee prices, which many do when thinking about making a change, it helps to compare apples to apples – or bean to bean.
Or, a pound to a pound because often gourmet coffee packaging is not a pound. Your favorite coffee is normally sold in 11.3 or 12-ounce packaging. American Serenade coffee bags are a full 16oz or 1 lb.
Many of us also used to buy beans from a barrel or Big Box beans of familiar brands. Remember the first time you tasted American Serenade coffee and began to understand the difference between small batch roasting?
In our 16 oz bag of coffee, depending on your brew strength, you may get 100 cups of coffee out of 1 American Serenade 16 oz bag. That’s a lot of Gourmet java!!! and a lot of value benefit from the Society’s strength-in-numbers purchasing power.
The Group-Buying concept of your American Serenade Coffee & Wine Society continues to provide great prices and product integrity. But only thanks to your Membership and support. And that’s way your gourmet coffee can feel like a splurge without costing like one.
Our Members have again spoken loudly.
Bean-to-Bean,
Lisa Mitchell
Owner/Maestro, American Serenade
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Why American Serenade Coffee & Wine Society?
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About: The American Serenade Coffee & Wine Society
Why are we called a Society?
A Society is a group that shares a common interest. And in our case, as American Serenade Society Members, we share an appreciation for fine beverages. Specifically for American Blended Specialty Coffees and American Produced Wines.
Is there an advantage to belonging to a Society, and particularly The Coffee & Wine Society?
Yes! And our Members believe that the advantages are significant because we are unique in 2 important ways.
First, American Serenade is the only national society that is exclusively for both Coffee & Wine lovers. And Second, American Serenade is a Group Buying Club. By joining together, we are able to leverage our numbers. And as a group, we have earned unusual access & great prices for high quality coffees and wines. And in some cases, have gained product access that may not be affordable or even available to most individuals. Some refer to this concept as “The Power of Many”.
In other words, American Serenade is like other national group buying clubs, AAA or Costco. Only the Society concentrates specifically on something we know, understand and more importantly something that we all enjoy and appreciate – Great coffees and fine wines.
American Serenade acts as the Society Member’s conduit to find and qualify high quality American wine producers and specialty coffee blenders across the US. And, we negotiate pricing by leveraging our Society’s combined purchasing volume.
How do American Wine Producers and American Specialty Coffee Blenders view the Society?
In a word, they love us! And the feeling is mutual!! Both the coffee & wine supplier communities, from day one, are committed to our Society’s group buying concept. They are continually impressed by the opportunity we represent. And the Society gains unusual exclusive product access and low pricing that was not previously available to us as individuals. This exclusive concept is a win-win because Society purchases provide our supplier partners significant increased sales without the significant increase in servicing costs. Our suppliers gain important new efficiencies while adding hundreds to thousand of new individual customers but only having to service a single Buyer, American Serenade.
American Serenade has from Day One worked seamlessly with our supplier community, always exhibiting the utmost respect and honesty that our Society Member’s expect.
And most important to our strong mutual relationship, our supplier partners appreciate that we promote American artisans, reinforcing the high caliber and unsurpassed quality of Produced-in-America!
How do you promote The Coffee & Wine Society?
We exclusively use In-Home Gatherings attended by interested coffee and wine lovers where we taste-test current and potential new, Society Coffee’s, Wines and related Accessories.
We find that because our attendees are often like-minded in their coffee or wine appreciation, they are also highly engaged and motivated to begin the “Explore and Evaluate” task that lies ahead. We invite the Gathering to evaluate the products presented that day and also ask that they later individually complete & submit the Society’s Quality & Review Survey.
As our sincere “Thank You” we always offer each Gathering attendee the opportunity to purchase, on that day only, any Society product @ our ‘Traditions’ Member pricing level, with no further obligation of any kind. We additionally allow each attendee, at no cost and no further obligation, the right to become a Society Traditions Level Lifetime Member.
We have found this unique, no strings, no obligation, approach to be extremely efficient in supporting our current Members. Our Gatherings’ provide The Society a constant ongoing forum for continuing quality evaluation. This process has proven to be effective in providing valuable, unbiased feedback.
Our Gatherings endow The Society with product strength & improvement and a vibrant, committed Member base.
Stop by our site, www.americanserenade.com or purchase and sample our coffees and make your own decision.
Bean to Bean!
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About Us
To engage beverage lovers to discover the affordable pleasures of high quality, American products; micro-roasted specialty coffees , artisan teas & unique wines.
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