What Do G1 and G2 Mean in Coffee and How to Differentiate Them - Ethiopian Coffee Bean Grade Classification

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As the concept of specialty coffee becomes increasingly popular, many people have started learning to buy coffee beans, grind them, and brew pour-over coffee themselves. Have you ever noticed many mysterious letters like AA, G1 on coffee bags? What do they all mean? In this article, FrontStreet Coffee will introduce you to the meaning of letters on coffee packaging bags.

Ethiopia (Graded by Defective Bean Ratio)

Before the establishment of the Ethiopia Commodity Exchange (ECX), Ethiopia's coffee export grades were set by the CLU (Cupping and Liquoring Unit) under the Ministry of Agriculture, primarily grading green coffee beans based on the number of defective beans in 300g. The grading standards are as shown in the table below.

Generally, washed processed beans are G1-G2. Due to technical issues with natural processing at that time, natural processed green beans had more defects, usually G3-G5. With improvements in natural processing technology, current natural beans can also reach G1-G2 grades.

After the establishment of ECX (Ethiopia Commodity Exchange) in 2008, a combination of physical attribute characteristics of green coffee beans and cupping flavor characteristics was used for grading.

ECX classifies all coffee into three types based on processing methods (non-washed and washed):

a. Specialty: Few defects, high cupping flavor quality

b. Commercial: Does not meet specialty grade but is higher than local/domestic consumption grade

c. Local/Domestic: Coffee with many defective beans (unripe), off-season, and relatively poor flavor due to poor storage

Among these, Specialty and Commercial are for international export markets. ECX divides green coffee beans into nine grades based on the total score of physical attributes and cupping flavor characteristics, with physical characteristics accounting for 40% and cupping quality accounting for 60%.

Physical Characteristics (40%):

Washed processing: Defect count (20%), appearance size (10%), color (5%), odor (5%)

Non-washed processing: Defect count (30%), odor (10%)

Cupping Quality (60%)

Then G1-G3 are cupped again according to SCAA standards to more carefully evaluate their flavor attributes. G1 and G2 with scores not lower than 85 are graded as Q1; G1, G2, G3 with scores between 80 and 85 are graded as Q2; all G1, G2, G3 below 80 are graded as G3.

Q1 and Q2 are classified as specialty grades for export. G4-G9 maintain their original grading and are classified as commercial grades for export along with G3.

Kenya (Graded by Bean Size)

Kenyan coffee grading is mainly based on coffee bean size, usually divided into eight grades.

E (Elephant Bean): Here "E" represents Elephant, but it's not the Elephant Bean (Maragogype) variety. It's a defect caused by abnormal development where two seeds intertwine, forming what appears to be a single bean. Generally, one fruit contains two seeds that face each other, resulting in one flat side, called flat beans or female beans. Grade E beans are two seeds that fused together during growth, becoming oversized beans. E-grade beans are about 18 screen (one screen is 1/64 inch) or larger and are rare.

AA: This grade size falls between 17-18 screen (approximately 6.7-7.1mm), which is the most commonly heard Kenyan coffee grade. In specialty coffee, this grade is usually called AA TOP and is a bean that many coffee shops will promote, but AA doesn't necessarily mean the best - this is just bean size and should not be confused with flavor.

AB: Most coffee beans fall into this grade. It's called AB mainly because A size is 6.80mm and B is 6.20mm, and these two sizes of coffee beans (Grade A and Grade B) are mixed and sold together, hence called AB. Size is about 15-16 screen (approximately 6.0-6.4mm).

C: Beans with size falling between 14-15 screen (approximately 5.6-6.0mm), smaller than Grade B.

PB: Full name is Peaberry, also called small round beans or male beans. Compared to ordinary flat beans, these are also rare, accounting for about 10% of all coffee beans, mainly because only one seed developed inside the fruit, resulting in small, round beans. Some people particularly love PB's flavor, so PB beans are selected and sold separately.

TT: These coffee beans are light beans screened from AA and AB beans through air separators. They are usually light in weight, don't meet hardness standards, and include broken and defective beans.

T: Lighter beans screened from Grade C beans, mixed with broken beans, and even fragments of cracked beans.

MH/ML: This category of coffee beans is not exported. They are usually overripe coffee beans that have fallen to the ground, with poor quality, accounting for about 7% of all coffee beans, only for the Kenyan domestic market.

Many other countries also grade by green bean size, such as Tanzania, Rwanda, Colombia, Jamaica, etc.

Colombia

Jamaica

Costa Rica, Panama, Guatemala (Graded by Green Bean Hardness)

At the same latitude and same plot, when altitude is higher, the temperature difference between day and night is greater, the coffee growing period is longer, the beans are harder, the beans absorb more nutrients, and flavor substances will be more obvious.

El Salvador, Honduras (Graded by Altitude)

Brazil (Graded by Bean Size, Defect Rate, Cupping Score)

Brazil believes that only completely defect-free beans can become NY.1, but completely defect-free beans do not exist. Therefore, among Brazil's green beans, the best is NY.2.

By Coffee Bean Size (NY Grading Method)

By Defective Bean Count

Divided by cupping level:

Fine Cup (FC), Fine, Good Cup (GC), Fair Cup, Poor Cup, Bad Cup

For example: Brazil Cerrado NY-2 SC-17/18 FC

This means Brazil Cerrado region, NY grading method is 2, coffee bean size is 17-18 screen, flavor quality is Fine Cup (excellent flavor).

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