Tanzania Kilimanjaro Peaberry Coffee
Blackberry, citrus and black tea from the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro, grown by the Chagga.
Kilimanjaro peaberry comes from the high, green slopes of Africa's tallest mountain, where Chagga families grow coffee on small farms. The cup is blackberry and sweet citrus with black tea and a brown-sugar finish.
Sensory profile
You should taste
How it unfolds
Where it sits
That is 92 mg in one serving (8 oz cup (240ml)), a concentration of 38.3 mg per 100 ml. The scale above ranks whole servings, and servings differ in size, so a larger drink can sit further right while being weaker cup for cup.
Editorial estimate, not a laboratory measurement
| Brewing method | Kalita Wave |
|---|---|
| Coffee-to-water ratio | 1:17 |
| Dose & yield | 14.4g → 240g |
| Grind size | Medium-fine |
| Water temperature | 199°F / 93°C |
| Target brew time | 2:45-4:00 depending on method |
| Serving | 8 oz cup (240ml) |
What you need
- 14.4 g whole coffee beans, freshly roasted
- 240 g filtered water at 93°C
Required gear
- Cone or flat-bottom dripper
- Paper filters
- Gooseneck kettle
- Burr grinder
- Scale accurate to 1 g
- Timer
- Server or carafe
Step-by-step protocol
- 0:00Rinse the paper filter with hot water, discard the rinse, and add 14.4 g ground medium-fine. Level the bed.
- 0:00Start the timer and pour 29 g of water at 93°C, wetting every part of the bed. Let it bloom.
- 0:45Pour in slow spirals up to 144 g total, keeping the bed submerged and the level steady.
- 1:30Final pour up to 240 g total. Give the dripper one gentle swirl to settle the bed flat.
- 3:23Drawdown should finish around here. Swirl the server and serve.
What it may be good for
The caffeine count
We list about 92 mg for an 8 oz cup.
A farmer-owned supply chain
The Kilimanjaro Native Co-operative Union is owned by the farmers who grow the coffee, through dozens of village cooperative societies.
What to watch out for
- Caffeine affects everyone differently. If you are pregnant or nursing, sensitive to caffeine, or have been told to limit it, check with your doctor about how much is right for you.
- Bright, high-acid coffees can feel sharp on an empty stomach for some people, so a little food with it helps.
Kilimanjaro peaberry comes from the high, green slopes of Africa's tallest mountain, where Chagga families grow coffee on small farms. The cup is blackberry and sweet citrus with black tea and a brown-sugar finish.
Origin & Story
Mount Kilimanjaro is the highest mountain in Africa, and on its slopes the Chagga people grow arabica on small plots of volcanic soil. After the end of the slave trade in the region, the Chagga turned to coffee as their crop, and it has stayed at the center of life on the mountain ever since.
In 1930 the Kilimanjaro Native Co-operative Union was founded in Moshi. It is described as the oldest cooperative in Tanzania, and today it is owned by farmers through 90 primary societies and is the largest buyer of Kilimanjaro smallholder coffee.
The coffee is sold at a weekly auction at the Moshi Coffee Exchange during a season of about nine months, and it is graded under a British-style system with eleven grades, from AA to TEX. About nine in ten of Tanzania's coffee farms are smallholdings, which is why the crop is so spread out.
Harvest on the mountain runs from October to February, and the cherries are picked by hand from small family plots. Because so many farms are this small, the cooperative system matters: it pools the crop of thousands of households into lots big enough to sell.
Peaberry is a round single bean instead of the usual pair, sorted out as its own lot. This one tastes of blackberry and sweet citrus, black tea and brown sugar, and the recipe here uses a Kalita Wave at 93°C.
Reading the Flavor Profile
| Axis | Score |
|---|---|
| Sweetness | 87/100 |
| Acidity | 86/100 |
| Bitterness | 24/100 |
| Body | 58/100 |
| Aroma | 92/100 |
These values are comparative editorial positions within our own catalog, calibrated so entries can be ranked against each other. They are not laboratory measurements.
How much caffeine is in Tanzania Kilimanjaro Peaberry Coffee?
One serving, 8 oz cup (240ml), contains approximately 92 mg of caffeine.
What temperature should I use for Tanzania Kilimanjaro Peaberry Coffee?
Target 93°C (199°F).
How long should Tanzania Kilimanjaro Peaberry Coffee be extracted?
Timing: 2:45-4:00 depending on method. Method: Kalita Wave. Ratio: 60g coffee per Liter of water. Grind or leaf format: Medium-fine.
What is the Moshi Coffee Exchange?
It is the weekly auction in Moshi, Tanzania, where coffee is sold during a season of about nine months. Lots are graded before they are offered, and buyers bid on them.
What do the grades AA, A and PB mean on Tanzanian coffee?
Tanzanian coffee is graded by bean size and shape under a British-style system with eleven grades, running from AA down to TEX. PB stands for peaberry, the round single beans, which are sorted into their own grade.
Who should avoid Tanzania Kilimanjaro Peaberry Coffee?
Caffeine affects everyone differently. If you are pregnant or nursing, sensitive to caffeine, or have been told to limit it, check with your doctor about how much is right for you. Bright, high-acid coffees can feel sharp on an empty stomach for some people, so a little food with it helps. This information is educational and is not medical advice. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, managing a cardiac or gastrointestinal condition, or taking prescription medication, discuss caffeine and botanical intake with a qualified healthcare professional before making changes.
What people say
Hario V60 Size 02 Ceramic Dripper
In this recipe: Cone or flat-bottom dripper
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