What Do "SS" and "FC" Mean in Brazilian Coffee? How is Brazilian Coffee Graded?

Brazil is the world's largest coffee producer and holds an important position in the global coffee market: its coffee exports account for one-third of the global market. Its flavor is not especially outstanding, however, with low acidity, high sweetness and a mellow body, so it often appears in blended coffees. When buying Brazilian coffee, you will find a series of letters and numbers on the burlap bags, such as "CERRADO NY-2 SC-17/18 SS FC." What do these letters and numbers specifically mean?

Brazilian Green Coffee Classification

This brings us to the classification of Brazilian green coffee beans, established by the Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply (MAPA). It typically consists of the specific producing region, defect grading, bean screen size, cupping score and sensory grading.

First, Brazil is vast and rich in resources: among its 26 states, 17 produce coffee. These states are simultaneously coffee-producing regions, and each region is further divided into multiple sub-regions, so beans from a single producing region are specifically identified. "CERRADO," for example, refers to the Cerrado sub-region. Other common regions include Mogiana (MOGIANA) and South Minas (SUL DE MINAS). Some bags may instead indicate a port name, such as Santos, which refers to the Brazilian port of Santos.

Defect Classification

Brazil's green coffee defect classification originates from the Green Coffee Association of New York, hence it begins with "NY." The highest grade in Brazil is "NY2." Because Brazil treats coffee as an agricultural product, and because its flat geography suits purely mechanized harvesting — which saves labor but affects the coffee's specialty level to some extent — zero defects are impossible, so the highest grade starts at 2 rather than 1.

The following numbers are defect-proportion classifications, divided into 2, 2/3, 3, 3/4, 4 and so on. The larger the classification, the higher the defect proportion. A "deduction method" is usually used, grading by how many defective beans appear in 300 grams of green beans.

Screen Size and Cupping Scores

After defect classification, fixed-size screens are used to grade bean size. "SC" represents screen size, commonly 17/18 or 16/17. Brazil has both normal flat beans and round beans: flat beans typically range from 10 to 19 screens, and round beans from 8 to 13 screens. Although Brazil's maximum size is 19 screens, production is extremely limited, so 17 and 18 screens are already the top grades.

After grading, sample beans are roasted and cupped. The cupping method borrows from the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) scoring method and is divided into Strictly Soft (SS), Soft (S), Softish, Hard, Hardish, Rioy/Rioysh and Rio. "SS" is the highest level, with a basic score of 85 or above. Next is "S," with cupping scores between 80 and 84. Then comes "Softish," with cupping scores between 75 and 79.

Flavor Profile Classification

The final component is the flavor profile, usually divided into six grades: Fine Cup, Fine, Good Cup, Fair Cup, Poor Cup and Bad Cup. The most common are Fine Cup (FC) and Good Cup (GC).

In summary, BRAZIL NY-2 SC-17/18 SS FC CERRADO means: produced in the Cerrado region of Brazil, defect grade 2, green bean screen size 17–18, and excellent cup quality. This is also the Brazilian component bean that FrontStreet Coffee has long used in its blended coffee.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

Understanding the grading code makes it easier to choose a Brazilian bean with confidence, and FrontStreet carries several that show the country's range.

If you simply want a taste of the region, FrontStreet Brazil Cerrado Red Bourbon is a very classic single origin from Cerrado, a region known for high-quality beans. A common South American Red Bourbon, roasted medium, it shows rich creamy peanut, toasted bread, caramel and hazelnut aromas with a rounded body, no acidity and a light bitterness. It works as pour-over and also in moka pot, espresso SOE, siphon and French press.

FrontStreet Brazil Queen's Estate Yellow Bourbon comes from Mogiana, near South Minas, where fertile red volcanic soil lets the fruit absorb abundant nutrients and develop a full aroma. The estate grows a rare Yellow Bourbon, a natural mutation of Red Bourbon with a cleaner fruit character; through pour-over, moka pot or home espresso machine it delivers a sugarcane sweetness found in few other origins, along with fruit and chocolate notes.

Brazil's low-acid, balanced profile and friendly price also make it a first choice in many espresso recipes. The oil-rich FrontStreet Classic Blend, the nutty FrontStreet Signature Blend, the balanced FrontStreet Dark Cocoa Blend and the shop-focused FrontStreet Commercial Blend all contain Brazilian beans, whose chocolate and creamy aromas, soft sweet-tart-bitter balance and stable extraction make them reliable bases.