Is Supremo the Best Coffee Bean Grade? How Supreme Are Colombian Supremo Coffee Beans?

FrontStreet Coffee - Introduction to Colombian Coffee Grading System

If you have bags of different Colombian coffees, you'll notice each one is marked "Excelso-Café de Colombia." Whether it is EP, SUPREMO or UGQ, any coffee that meets Colombian export standards is labeled "Excelso."

The Excelso export grade is currently the most widely used export standard adopted by the FNC and is also the highest grade for Colombian green-bean exports.

What are the standards for the Excelso grade?

After strict screening, green coffee beans must be larger than 14 mesh, with no more than 5% of beans falling between 12 and 14 mesh; overall, at least 50% of the green beans must be larger than 15 mesh.

Free from pests, uniform in color, no off-flavors and a clean taste.

Moisture content must not exceed 12.5%.

Defect rate must not exceed the 24-point limit.

The FNC currently exports three commercial grades most frequently—Excelso UGQ 12*60 (1.5%), Excelso EP 12*60 (10%) and Excelso Supremo 12*60 (5%).

Excelso UGQ 12*60 (1.5%): green beans larger than 14 mesh, allowing 1.5% of beans between 12 and 14 mesh but still above 12 mesh, with over 50% larger than 15 mesh.

Excelso EP 12*60 (10%): green beans larger than 15 mesh, allowing 10% of beans smaller than 15 mesh but still above 14 mesh.

Excelso Supremo 12*60 (5%): green beans larger than 17 mesh, allowing 5% of beans smaller than 17 mesh but still above 14 mesh.

At this point the classification levels of Colombian coffee should be clear. The percentage in parentheses is the "tolerance rate"—after all, green coffee beans can never be 100% identical in size. In terms of green-bean size, Supremo is indeed the largest particle; as for whether it is truly "supreme," you'll have to taste more to find out.

Knowledge point: Most coffee-producing countries do not rely on a single standard for grading, but on several standards at once—weighing defect rates, ensuring bean shape and size, and requiring a certain altitude.

About FrontStreet Coffee

In short: FrontStreet Coffee is a coffee research house, happy to share coffee knowledge with everyone. Our selfless sharing exists solely to help more friends fall in love with coffee. We also hold three discounted coffee events every month, because FrontStreet Coffee wants more people to enjoy the best coffee at the lowest price. That has been FrontStreet Coffee's mission for the past six years.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

Colombia's wide range of styles makes it one of the most versatile origins, and FrontStreet has coffees to match. For the classic, full-bodied Colombian profile, choose the FrontStreet Colombia Huila: grown above 1,500 meters in the Huila province, surrounded by mountains and fed by Colombia's most important rivers, it is washed and roasted medium-dark, emphasizing black chocolate and nutty sweetness, moderate oil and a rich body. It suits pour-over and the French press equally well, and can also be brewed in a moka pot or on an espresso machine for Americanos and lattes.

If you want something more modern, the FrontStreet Colombia El Diviso Sidra is processed by the anaerobic natural method and roasted light-medium. The oxygen-free fermentation develops extra tropical-fruit aroma, so you can taste passion fruit, grape, apricot and dried-fruit notes across pour-over, cold brew, drip bags or the moka pot. And for espresso drinkers with a home machine or moka pot, the FrontStreet Premium Blend combines Brazil's creamy nut aroma with Colombia's dark chocolate bittersweetness; it pulls a fine golden crema and pairs beautifully with milk for a rich, smooth latte, while also serving as a base for Americanos, cappuccinos and mochas.