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Sidamo Coffee Grading System Characteristics: Understanding Ethiopian Coffee Bean Grades G1 and G2

Published: 2026-01-27 Author: FrontStreet Coffee

Last Updated: 2026/01/27, Question 1: Why are Ethiopian coffee beans always different sizes? If you're particularly fond of African coffee beans, you might easily notice that compared to Kenyan coffee, Ethiopian beans are generally inconsistent in size, with significantly lower uniformity. Whether it's Yirgacheffe or Sidamo, whether washed or natural, when observing coffee beans from the same batch, you can sometimes see their roasted colors

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Those who frequently purchase Ethiopian beans have probably noticed packaging with designations like G1, G2, and G3. What do these represent, and what are the differences between them? FrontStreet Coffee is here to explain what Ethiopian G1 and G2 actually mean.

Ethiopian Coffee Grades

First, under Ethiopia's Ministry of Agriculture, there is a department called CLU (Cupping and Liquoring Unit) specifically responsible for quality approval of exported coffee, which includes the very important responsibility of grade definitions. The CLU existed before the emergence of ECX.

Before ECX appeared, for washed coffee, export grades were divided into G1 and G2. For natural coffee, export grades were G3, G4, and G5, meaning the highest grade for natural coffee was G3.

After ECX emerged, grading was redefined. The grading names for washed coffee remained unchanged, but for natural coffee, G1 appeared for the first time. This is why the market now sees Ethiopian natural coffee as G1 and G2, while G3 is gradually becoming less common.

Ethiopia's old grading system was based solely on defect counts, with the highest grade for washed coffee being Grade 1 (G1) and the highest grade for natural coffee being Grade 3 (G3). The current grading system, established by ECX, combines physical attribute characteristics with cupping flavor characteristics to determine grade levels.

All coffee is categorized into three types based on processing method (natural or washed):

a. Specialty (washed & unwashed): Few defects, high cupping quality;

b. Commercial (washed & unwashed): Doesn't reach specialty grade but is higher than domestic consumption grade;

c. Local/Domestic (washed & unwashed): Coffee with many defects (unripe beans), off-season, and poor storage conditions resulting in relatively poor flavor.

Among these, Specialty and Commercial are for export to international markets, while Local is for domestic market sales.

ECX Specific Grading and Scoring Standards

A. Scoring Definition for Washed Processing Method

1. Physical characteristics account for 40%: defect count (20%), appearance size (10%), color (5%), aroma (5%)

2. Cupping quality accounts for 60%: cleanliness (15%), acidity (15%), mouthfeel (15%), flavor characteristics (15%)

B. Scoring Definition for Natural Processing Method

1. Physical characteristics account for 40%: defect count (30%), aroma (10%)

2. Cupping quality accounts for 60%: cleanliness (15%), acidity (15%), mouthfeel (15%), flavor characteristics (15%)

C. Overall Summary:

1. All coffee is first classified by processing method: natural, washed;

2. Each is then scored on physical characteristics and basic cupping quality into 9 grades: G1-G9;

3. G1-G3 undergo additional cupping according to SCAA standards for more detailed flavor attribute evaluation. G1 and G2 scoring 85 points or above are rated as Q1 grade;

4. G1, G2, and G3 scoring between 80-85 points are rated as Q2 grade. All G1, G2, and G3 scoring below 80 points are rated as G3 grade;

5. Q1 and Q2 are classified as Specialty Grade for export. G4-G9 maintain their original grading and, along with G3, are classified as Commercial Grade for export.

Washed Grade 1 represents 0-3 defective beans per 300 grams of green coffee; Grade 2 represents 4-12 defective beans per 300 grams. Of course, in reality, sellers' and buyers' defect standards are somewhat different (otherwise, how could we pick out so many defective beans?), but the comparison of defect rates is still easily distinguishable. G1 has significantly fewer defective beans than G2, which means that excluding the influence of specific flavors and roast levels, Ethiopian G1 coffee beans are of higher quality and scoring than G2 coffee beans, at least in terms of defect flavors, they can be clearly distinguished.

Now that we know G1 and G2 are Ethiopian coffee grades, what differences exist in flavor? Our editor selected natural G1 and G3 from Sidamo to compare!

From the beans themselves, we can see that G1's overall appearance is much better than G3's, looking more uniform with relatively fewer defective beans.

After cupping comparisons, we found that both natural Sidamo G1 and G3 perform well in sweetness and acidity, but G1 has clearer and brighter flavors.

In fact, if not tasted side by side, the difference between the two wouldn't be too significant. The main difference between G1 and G3 is in defect rates, which is more obvious from the bean appearance, and G1 beans have fewer defect flavors in their flavor profile.

What G1 Grade Coffee Beans Does Sidamo Have?

FrontStreet Coffee Ethiopia Flower Queen 4.0

Region: Guji Hambella

Processing Station: Buku Able

Altitude: 2350 meters

Variety: Dega

Processing Method: Natural

Grade: G1

Batch: 2020 new batch

Flavor: Rose, cream strawberry, citrus, passion fruit, oolong tea

Coffee Growing Region

The Guji region was formerly part of the Sidamo region but was established as an independent new region by the Ethiopia Commodity Exchange (ECX) in 2010. The Guji region is located southeast of Yirgacheffe and is an area with complex terrain changes including towering mountains, valleys, and plains. The region's geology consists of fertile black soil (Vertisol) with soil depth reaching nearly two meters and an average altitude above 1800 meters. The significant day-night temperature differences created by geographical characteristics provide all the terroir conditions for producing high-quality specialty coffee.

Hambella is located in Ethiopia's largest coffee region, Guji (GUJI), and administratively belongs to the Oromia Regional State. Hambella's west faces Yirgacheffe's Kochore across mountains, with the two regions separated by highlands reaching 3200 meters altitude and about 30 kilometers wide. To the southeast, east, and north, it borders Guji's Shakiso, Uraga, and Kercha sub-regions respectively, making it Ethiopia's highest altitude coffee sub-region (Harrar is Ethiopia's highest altitude main region).

Among all these estates and processing stations, strictly speaking, only natural coffee beans from the "Buku Abel" processing station can be called "Flower Queen coffee beans." This is why Flower Queen 2.0 and Flower Queen 3.0 appeared in 2018 and 2019 respectively, followed by Flower Queen 3.1.

The original Flower Queen was included in Flower Queen 2.0 and Flower Queen 3.0. FrontStreet Coffee found that in the batches from these two years, the flavors were very close to the original Flower Queen, but the body and aftertaste were not as good as the original 2017 Flower Queen. Surprisingly, however, we could sometimes identify green beans identical to the original Flower Queen batch from these two batches. As for Flower Queen 3.1, FrontStreet Coffee found during cupping that the flavor was far from the original Flower Queen, instead closer to Gesha flavor (not referring to Panamanian Gesha, but similar to Gesha Village's Gesha flavor - these are actually completely different style beans), and we confirmed this change with the green bean supplier.

It's rare to see multiple flavor profiles in beans from the same year and same variety. Understanding Flower Queen's origin and its development changes after winning championships helps explain the inconsistencies in flavors before and after. Similarly, according to the old Flower Queen's flavor profile, Flower Queen 4.0 is not the same style, but 4.0's sweetness and aroma are better than 3.0's.

This batch of Flower Queen 4.0 purchased by FrontStreet Coffee has smaller bean size than Flower Queen 3.0 due to different varieties. Flower Queen 3.0 uses Ethiopian heirloom variety coffee beans, while Flower Queen 4.0 uses the Dega variety.

Flower Queen Coffee Beans Natural Processing Method

During the annual coffee harvesting and processing season (December-January), coffee cherries must have a sugar content above 30 before natural processing can begin. During the first two days of natural processing, the moisture of coffee cherries must be maintained to allow full fermentation of fruit sugars. Meanwhile, the high-altitude location allows the processing station's nighttime temperature to drop to around 12°C, preventing over-fermentation due to high temperatures. During hot midday hours, timely shading prevents coffee cherries from getting sunburned. At night, thick plastic sheets are used for wrapping to prevent sudden rainfall.

This allows coffee cherries to ferment and dehydrate at relatively low temperatures. After 18 days of natural processing, when the moisture content of green coffee beans drops to about 13%, natural processing is stopped. The beans are bagged in jute bags and stored in warehouses at 12-22°C with 45-55% humidity for about 50 days of green bean resting and further dehydration. When the green bean moisture content reaches about 11%, they are transported to the processing station for hulling, screening, and sale.

FrontStreet Coffee Roasting Analysis

First, FrontStreet Coffee reviews the flavor descriptions provided by the green bean supplier, then checks the bean moisture content. The freshly received green beans have a fermented wine aroma of coffee flowers, completely different from the grassy aroma of typical green beans. Moreover, Flower Queen green beans vary in size with many pointed ends (Ethiopia Heirloom), with good moisture content around 11%, but they're not the very hard SHB type beans. Due to the beans' high density and hardness, the initial dehydration time is extended, with temperature increases before first crack to enter first crack, minimizing the loss of aromatic substances like floral notes.

FrontStreet Coffee Brewing Recommendations

FrontStreet Coffee uses higher water temperature and finer grind size to fully extract Flower Queen's rich layering, but to avoid over-extraction from high temperatures, faster flow rate drippers are used, such as the V60 dripper. The V60 dripper has a 60° conical shape that concentrates coffee powder distribution, and the conical angle allows water flow to automatically converge toward the dripper center during pouring, ensuring sufficient contact time between water and coffee powder to extract suitable coffee liquid. Additionally, the V60 dripper's internal ribs spiral clockwise from bottom to top, creating enough space between filter paper and dripper for good water flow. Combined with the large bottom hole, water flow rate is relatively faster than many drippers.

FrontStreet Coffee's specific brewing parameters are: V60 dripper, water temperature 90°C, water-to-coffee ratio 1:15, coffee amount 15g, grind size (80% pass-through rate with China No. 20 standard sieve)

FrontStreet Coffee uses segmented extraction, with bloom water amount being twice the coffee powder amount - that is, 30g water for 30-second bloom. Small circular pouring to 125g, then segmenting. When water level drops and is about to expose the coffee bed, continue pouring to 225g and stop. Total extraction time (including bloom time) is 2 minutes.

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