What's the Difference Between G1 and G2 Grade Yirgacheffe? Ethiopian Coffee Bean Grading System

We know that coffee bean grading methods are typically based on the actual conditions of the growing countries. Some are classified by coffee bean size, such as Kenyan coffee; some by altitude, such as Blue Mountain coffee; and some by defect rate, such as Ethiopian coffee.

As the genetic reservoir of Arabica, Ethiopia has numerous coffee varieties that are difficult to identify. Additionally, the local government decided to collectively refer to these unknown varieties as "Heirloom" to protect them from being sought after by coffee professionals worldwide. Raw beans labeled as heirloom varieties appear small, vary in shape and size, and have a relatively round appearance.

In Ethiopia, coffee trees mostly grow in wild or semi-wild states. During harvest season, you can see successively ripening coffee cherries in fields, backyards, and forests. It's common to see dozens of different coffee varieties mixed together in a single coffee forest. Farmers don't actively distinguish between these varieties but harvest them in a "mixed" form, then send the coffee cherries to nearby processing plants for unified processing. It is precisely because of this "non-rigorous" production and harvesting method that Ethiopian coffee beans often appear uneven in size and varied in shape.

Based on the above situation, it's difficult to grade them by raw bean size like Kenya does during export, so the Ethiopian government decided to classify them according to defect rates.

Ethiopia's Old Grading System (Simply graded by coffee bean defect rate)

Ethiopia's old grading system was simply based on the number of defects in coffee beans. Before 2009, 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, with coffee beans divided into five grades. Only G1 and G2 grades could be achieved by washed processing methods, and only G1 and G2 were considered specialty coffee. Before 2009, all exported washed beans from Ethiopia were G2 grade. G1 washed beans were extremely rare and generally difficult to purchase.

Traditional natural processing was too crude, with each coffee farmer able to process it in their small courtyard, directly drying it on roofs or ground surfaces. Such crude methods could easily bring unpleasant flavors, and even mix in stones, branches, etc., resulting in inconsistent coffee quality. In the 1970s, Ethiopia introduced the washed processing method from Central and South America. Compared to natural processing, washing added a "floating selection" step, which removes immature beans and impurities floating on the water surface to obtain more stable quality coffee. At that time, washing was considered a more advanced processing method. Only washed beans could achieve G1 or G2 grades, while naturally processed beans were usually below G3 grade.

Grade 1, or G1, represents washed beans containing 0-3 defective beans per 300g;

Grade 2, or G2, represents washed beans containing 4-12 defective beans per 300g.

ECX's New Grading Method (Graded by coffee bean defect rate combined with cupping scores)

In October 2009, with the endorsement and witness of the Specialty Coffee Association of America and the Specialty Coffee Association of Europe, Ethiopia officially launched the new grading system of the Ethiopia Commodity Exchange (ECX). Based on the original defect rate grading, cupping scores must also be combined for comprehensive rating. Naturally processed coffee beans would no longer be limited to G3, G4, and G5 grades. As long as naturally processed beans are evaluated by ECX cuppers, high-quality natural beans can also be awarded Grade 1 and Grade 2, breaking the half-century "convention" that natural beans had no first or second grades. Today, it's common to see natural batches of Ethiopian coffee beans labeled G1 and G2 grades, while G3 has gradually become less common.

ECX defines all coffees according to processing methods - natural and washed - into three types:

1. Specialty coffee: Few defective beans, high cupping flavor quality;

2. Commercial coffee: Not reaching specialty grade but higher than domestic coffee consumption grade;

3. Domestic coffee: Many defective beans (unripe), off-season, and poorly stored resulting in relatively poor flavor coffee.

Overall Summary:

1. All coffees are first classified by processing method: natural, washed;

2. Each is rated into 9 grades G1-G9 according to physical characteristics and basic cupping quality scores;

3. G1-G3 among them are cupped again according to SCAA standards to more carefully assess their flavor attributes. G1 and G2 scoring not less than 85 points are rated as Q1 grade;

4. G1, G2, G3 scoring between 80 and 85 are rated as Q2 grade, while all G1, G2, G3 scoring below 80 are rated as G3 grade;

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

What's the difference between G1 and G2 grade washed Yirgacheffe?

Here, FrontStreet Coffee uses Yirgacheffe as an example, observing and comparing Kochere coffee beans (G1) and washed Yirgacheffe daily beans (G2) to see how big the difference between the two grades actually is.

Looking at the unroasted raw beans, G1 beans are generally more uniform in size, have more consistent color, and obviously fewer defective beans; while G2 raw beans are somewhat uneven in size with more defective particles. From the perspective of raw bean defect rate, G1 is definitely better than G2 because with fewer defects, the bean quality is better, and the price naturally will be higher. For example, when we buy apples, between uniformly sized ones and unevenly sized ones, although there may be no difference in taste, we would still first think that the uniformly sized ones look more beautiful, tastier, and of course, more expensive.

FrontStreet Coffee considers that Yirgacheffe uses light roasting, and light-roasted beans are relatively hard, requiring higher temperature water for brewing. FrontStreet Coffee uses V60 with 91°C water temperature, 80% grind size, and 1:15 ratio for brewing.

G1 washed Kochere flavor: Jasmine, bright lemon acidity, clear entry, smooth black tea feel, low bitterness, long aftertaste.

G2 washed Yirgacheffe flavor: White floral notes, lemon, citrus, tea-like sensation.

Since both batches belong to washed Yirgacheffe and have undergone selection in both raw and roasted bean stages, the flavor profiles of the coffees are not too far apart, both presenting bright acidity and floral notes. However, after direct comparison, the mouthfeel of G1 is obviously cleaner than G2, and the aroma is more refined and rich.

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