Introduction to Ninety Plus 90+ Coffee Bean Grading System - How Much Does a 90+ Coffee Cost at Coffee Shops

The 90+ Coffee Bean LEVEL Grading System

General coffee grading varies from country to country. Terms you often hear, such as Kenya AA, AB, SHB, 18 mesh and G2, each represent a different grading method.

The purpose of grading is to separate premium lots from secondary ones. However, many grading criteria are not necessarily correlated with flavor, so a high-grade bean does not always taste better. At the very least, though, it serves as reference data. For beginners, it is worth considering the grade while thinking critically, rather than being superstitious about it.

Beyond its own flavor symbols, each 90+ bean also carries its own grading method, completely different from other countries' systems. It is divided into the following seven levels:

L4, L7, L12, L21, L39, L95, L195

L stands for Level. The classification is based on production quantity, processing refinement, difficulty and screening strictness.

Higher numbers represent smaller production quantities, more refined processing, greater complexity and difficulty, and stricter screening. 90+ has not published detailed grading content, however, so it works much like the flavor symbols: reference data. Still, it helps to understand the underlying meaning, which can be divided simply into four grade ranges.

The L4 Range

This grade no longer appears in 90+ products today. In the past it referred to mixed-harvest lots: when a single origin's flavor was not rich enough or its production too small, several excellent producing regions were blended and processed together. It was somewhat like the earlier Aricha and Beloya. As 90+ has matured its experimental control of coffee production in recent years, this grading method is no longer used.

The L7, L12 Range

Most Ethiopian beans fall in this range, and their flavors are already excellent, impeccable in both aroma and texture. This grade of 90+ can be considered entry-level, yet offers outstanding value.

For example: Tchembe and Kemgin are L7, while Nekisse and Hachira are L12.

The L21, L39 Range

This range is almost entirely dominated by Geisha coffee from the NPGE estate. As you might imagine, for 90+ the Geisha variety itself signals high grade, so the lowest grade in this range is L21. This also suggests that Geisha cultivation may be more challenging and its processing rigor higher than for Ethiopian beans.

Specially processed Ethiopian beans can also be upgraded into this range, becoming comparable to Geisha.

For example: Lycello is L21, while Juliette and Perci are L39, all three being Geisha from the NPGE estate. Nekisse Red (Red-processed Ethiopian Nekisse) is upgraded to L39.

The L95, L195 Range

These two grades require 90+ special processing methods to reach their pinnacle, such as Red processing, Ruby processing and SK (Solkiln processing), which serve as endorsements of 90+'s exclusive methods. To reach the highest grade, L195, however, the bean must be Geisha.

For example: Lotus (SK processing), Sillvia (SK processing), Semeon Abay (from the Master Series) and Nekisse Ruby (Ruby-processed Ethiopian beans) are all L95, while Perci Ruby is currently the only L195 (Ruby processing plus the Geisha variety).

In short: a good bloodline means a high initial score, and a poor bloodline a low one, but after 90+'s skillful processing, they can also be upgraded and transformed into superior products.

Higher grades do mean higher prices, but does that necessarily mean better taste? Not necessarily.

After all, no matter how good or rare a green bean is, it cannot be eaten raw; it still needs a roaster's interpretation to become good coffee. So treat grading as reference only, and trust your own palate above all.

90+ Coffee Bean Brand Recommendation

FrontStreet Coffee's roasted 90+ coffee bean "Zhu Mang" offers full guarantees in both brand and quality. More importantly, it is excellent value: a half-pound (227 grams) package costs only about 90 yuan. At 15 grams per cup, one package makes 15 cups, or about 6 yuan each. Compared with coffee shops selling a cup for over 100 yuan, this is a truly conscientious recommendation.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

If you are just starting out with specialty coffee, FrontStreet Coffee's beginner-friendly lineup is a great place to build your palate. FrontStreet Washed Yirgacheffe is the quintessential African single origin, with fresh, bright lemon acidity, delicate white florals and a clean green-tea finish. For the Asian profile, FrontStreet Indonesia Mandheling is roasted medium-dark, with a thick, low-acid, bittersweet cup and the herbal, spice and caramel notes that Indonesia is known for.

On the American side, FrontStreet Brazil Cerrado Red Bourbon is a medium-roasted classic from the Cerrado region, with creamy, peanut, chocolate and toffee flavors and a balanced body that works for pour-over, a moka pot, a home espresso machine, a French press, a siphon or a clever dripper. If you would rather start with a pour-over, FrontStreet Sun-Dried Huakui from Guji Hambella, grown at nearly 2,300 meters, delivers tropical fruit, strawberry and dried mango with a black-tea finish. And if you have a moka pot or home espresso machine, FrontStreet Black Cocoa Blend, made from a mix of Yunnan small-bean and Brazil Red Bourbon, is a nutty, plum-accented everyday espresso with golden crema.