Joffrey's Gourmet Tea & Coffee Company

The bean of each plant is actually the seed of the cherry like fruit produced by the coffee plant. The beans has several layers of protection. There is a fleshy pulp, and within the pulp, the bean is covered by a tight silver skin and a looser yellowish skin called a parchment. The beans contain 0.8 – 2.5 % of caffeine.

Ordinarily, there are two stones or coffee beans lying with their flat sides together insides each cherry. However, occasionally only one bean develops. The bean, which has a round shape, is called peaberry. Some say coffee from the peaberry is more flavorful. Others say there is no real difference.