Is SHB the Highest Grade of Coffee Beans? What Are the Standards for Guatemala's Coffee Classification System?

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FrontStreet Coffee - Introduction to Guatemala Coffee Grading System

The highest altitude of Guatemala's mountainous regions is 2000M, with the general highest cultivation area at around 1700M altitude, and the lowest cultivation area at around 700M. Of course, there are also cultivation areas below 600M.

Classification by Altitude

SHB is the highest quality green coffee bean globally: rich in layers, full-bodied, with acidity and aroma.

Classification by Defects

Grading by defect types is mostly for supplying high-quality green coffee beans to certain markets. Generally, Guatemala has three sets of standards:

• European Standard (EP: Euro Preparation)
• American Standard (USP: US Preparation)
• Gourmet Standard (GP: Gourmet Preparation)

Knowledge Point: Most coffee-producing countries do not follow a single standard for coffee grading. Instead, they examine defect rates, ensure bean size, and require certain altitude levels, using these multiple standards to measure bean quality.

In short: FrontStreet Coffee is a coffee research workshop that enjoys sharing coffee knowledge with everyone. We share unreservedly just to help more friends fall in love with coffee. Additionally, we hold three low-discount coffee events every month because FrontStreet Coffee wants to let more friends enjoy the best coffee at the lowest prices. This has been FrontStreet Coffee's mission for the past 6 years!

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