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What are the characteristics of Ethiopian Yirgacheffe coffee and how are the country's green beans graded?

Published: 2026-01-27 Author: FrontStreet Coffee

Last Updated: 2026/01/27, African coffee holds a significant position in the global coffee market, thanks to the African continent's abundant natural resources. Africa's vast territory is composed mainly of plateaus with an average elevation of 750 meters, featuring numerous volcanoes, rivers, and lakes. Additionally, Africa straddles the equator and has a predominantly tropical climate with consistent average annual temperatures.

African Coffee: The Birthplace of Excellence

African coffee holds a significant position in the global coffee market, thanks to the continent's abundant natural resources. Africa features vast territories primarily composed of plateaus with an average altitude of 750 meters, numerous volcanoes, rivers, and lakes. Additionally, Africa straddles the equator and maintains a primarily tropical climate with average annual temperatures above 20°C. The suitable climate and rich resources have enabled prosperous agriculture in Africa, with several countries renowned for coffee exports, including Ethiopia, which is Africa's largest Arabica coffee producer and widely recognized as the birthplace of coffee.

Ethiopia: Coffee's Paradise

Beyond being coffee's birthplace, Ethiopia boasts countless native coffee varieties. According to statistics, Ethiopia currently has between 10,000 to 15,000 coffee varieties, though most have not undergone formal genetic identification. The country also possesses an environment exceptionally suitable for coffee cultivation. Located in northeastern Africa, it consists mainly of mountains and plateaus, mostly forming the Ethiopian Highlands. Additionally, the Great Rift Valley runs through the entire territory, with numerous volcanoes aligned along both sides.

Although the country is situated in the tropics with primarily tropical savanna and subtropical forest climates, the high altitude results in moderate temperatures with an annual average of 16°C. There's a significant temperature difference between day and night, with the year generally divided into dry and rainy seasons. The volcanic ash provides fertile soil, while the high-altitude mountain regions and suitable climate are perfect for cultivating coffee and other agricultural crops.

Ethiopian Coffee Regions

Currently, Ethiopia is divided into 12 states and 2 autonomous administrative regions, with 10 coffee-producing regions. Many of these are globally renowned coffee regions, such as Sidamo, Jimma, Harrar, Guji, and Yirgacheffe. Notably, Guji and Yirgacheffe were originally part of the Sidamo region but became independent coffee-producing regions due to their unique flavor profiles.

Administratively, Yirgacheffe is a small town belonging to the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Regional State (which became an independent state through a referendum in 2019). The region is located in the Great Rift Valley with complex and diverse terrain featuring numerous mountains and volcanoes. It is situated near Lake Abaya, with abundant water resources. Coffee is cultivated on mountain slopes at altitudes between 1,750-2,200 meters, where the fertile land receives ample sunlight, making it exceptionally suitable for coffee growth.

However, the Yirgacheffe coffee-producing region encompasses not only the town of Yirgacheffe itself but also includes several sub-regions such as Wenago town (approximately 26 kilometers north of Yirgacheffe town), and Kochere and Gedeb towns to the south of Yirgacheffe.

Coffee Grading System in Ethiopia

Currently, due to the predominance of smallholder farming in Ethiopia and the vast number of coffee varieties with beans of varying sizes that are difficult to distinguish, Ethiopia classifies coffee grades based on defect rates. According to the Ethiopian Commodity Exchange (ECX) regulations, coffee is primarily classified into three categories: Specialty Grade (few defects, high cupping quality), Commercial Grade (slightly inferior to specialty grade), and Local/Domestic Coffee (many defects, out-of-season or poorly stored beans). Coffee exported to the international market consists of specialty and commercial grades.

Furthermore, all coffee is categorized into either natural (sun-dried) or washed processing methods. Grades are determined based on defect rates in 300-gram samples and basic cupping quality. Afterwards, G1-G3 grades undergo additional cupping according to SCAA (Specialty Coffee Association of America) standards. G1 and G2 grades scoring 85 points or above are classified as Q1 grade. Those scoring between 80-85 points are classified as Q2 grade, while all G1, G2, and G3 grades scoring below 80 points are classified as G3 grade.

Q1 and Q2 categories are classified as Specialty Grade for export. G4-G9 maintain their original grade classifications and are exported as Commercial Grade along with G3.

FrontStreet Coffee's Ethiopian Selection

Among FrontStreet Coffee's selection of daily brew beans, we also feature Yirgacheffe coffee beans from this renowned Ethiopian region. We use heirloom varieties processed with the washed method, which yield floral notes with citrus and berry flavors, lemon-like acidity, and a refreshing mouthfeel. FrontStreet Coffee believes that Ethiopia, as the birthplace of coffee and Africa's largest coffee exporter, produces coffee beans characterized by distinct lemon acidity that differentiates them from traditional bold coffee flavors. This makes them an excellent choice for many people transitioning to specialty coffee and perfectly showcases the regional characteristics of African coffee-growing areas.