Have you ever wondered why some coffees taste remarkably better than others, even when they're the same type and from the same country?
The secret lies in coffee beans grading.
Some coffee beans are simply better quality than others, and the coffee industry ensures that the best coffee beans are separated from the beans that are just “okay.”
Grading of coffee beans is a meticulous process that evaluates the quality of coffee beans, separating the exceptional from the merely acceptable (that’s where cheap budget coffee comes in).
Grading systems bring consistency to the coffee beans industry. They also ensure that farmers are paid fairly and that you, the coffee lover, know exactly what you're getting in your cup.
Many people don’t know that grading of coffee isn’t the same in every coffee-producing country, which can become a little confusing (the fact that many coffee sites pretend like there is a universal coffee grading system doesn’t help either!).
Let's explore how countries around the world grade and compare coffee beans, and why this matters.
Coffee Grading Fundamentals
Before we look at specific countries’ systems, let's cover the basics of coffee beans grading:
Defect Counting: Graders count the number of defects present in a sample of green (unroasted) coffee beans. Defects range from broken beans and insect damage to unripe or fermented beans.
Screen Size: Beans are passed through a series of screens with different sized holes. This helps categorize beans by (screen) size, a factor often correlated to quality.
Cupping: Essentially a professional coffee tasting, cupping evaluates the coffee's flavor, aroma, acidity, body, and overall profile.
SCA Grading System: The Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) has a grading system where 80 points or above designates "Specialty Coffee," a mark of quality, but not all countries use the SCA system in addition to their own system.
Country-Specific Grading Systems
Now, let's explore how different coffee-producing countries grade their beans.
Keep in mind that certain coffee brands have their own grading system in addition to the general grading system, but including all of these would make this unnecessarily complex.
Colombia
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Grading System: Based on the standards set by the Federación Nacional de Cafeteros de Colombia
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Grades:
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Supremo is the highest grade in the Colombian system. These beans are large and uniform in size, with minimal defects and superior cup quality. These are specialty grade coffee beans.
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Extra beans are also considered high quality, but they might be slightly smaller than Supremos. They have minimal defects and good cup quality.
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Excelso translates to "excellent" in Spanish, but in Colombian coffee beans grading, it refers specifically to bean size. These beans are smaller than Supremos and Extras. However, depending on the number of defects, Excelso beans can still be of good quality.
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Usual Good Quality (UGQ) is a term sometimes used to describe Colombian coffee beans that are generally of decent quality but might have more minor defects or minor variations in size compared to the top three grades. This is often used for supermarket brands.
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Pasilla are defective coffee beans that are broken or chipped, as well as smaller and less uniform beans that get sifted out during the grading process. Coffee beans graded as Pasilla can still be used for blends or cheap supermarket brands.
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Costa Rica
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Grading System: Based on altitude and bean hardness
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Grades:
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Strictly Hard Bean (SHB): Grown at altitudes above 1200 meters
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Good Hard Bean (GHB): Grown between 1000-1200 meters
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Medium Hard Bean (MHB): Grown below 1000 meters
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Brazil
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Grading System: Based on the standards set by the Brazilian Official Classification (COB)
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Grades:
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Estritamente Mole: The best grade, these beans produce a pleasant, balanced cup without any strange flavors, free of cup faults.
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Mole: A little less balanced than the best grade, but still free of strange flavors.
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Apenas Mole: There is a bit of imbalance and less sweetness. The coffee isn’t very complex, there’s a bit of an aftertaste, but still no strange flavors.
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Duro: It’s what the COB calls “tainted”, but it’s still coffee that doesn’t taste weird.
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Riado: This isn’t very good coffee, it is imbalanced and can have an unpleasant taste. At this grade, you notice some fermentation flavors coming through.
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Rio: This coffee almost tastes like bad medicine. The beans are degraded, and mold can be present (yuck). Cup faults and taints are numerous.
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Rio Zona: Coffee beans graded as Rio Zona are the worst of the worst.
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Worth mentioning: It's interesting to know that Brazil was the first country in the coffee belt to actually have a standardized coffee beans grading system (from 1836 onwards). As it has undergone so many changes, however, it’s a little vague even though the government guidelines are incredibly precise.
Guatemala
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Grading System: Based primarily on altitude
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Grades:
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Strictly Hard Bean (SHB): Grown above 1350 meters.
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Hard Bean (HB): Grown between 1200-1350 meters.
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Semi-Hard Bean (SHB): Grown between 1000-1200 meters.
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Extra Prime (EP): Grown between 800 -1000 meters.
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Prime (P): Grown below 800 meters.
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Kenya
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Grading System: Based on size and quality
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Grades:
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Kenya E (Elephant Bean): The largest sized Kenyan coffee beans.
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Kenya PB (Peaberry): Peaberries are unique. Instead of the usual two flat-sided beans, a single, round bean develops within a coffee cherry. They are often prized for their concentrated and sometimes sweeter flavors.
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Kenya AA: This grade indicates very large beans. Kenyan AA coffees are renowned for their bright acidity and complex flavors.
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Kenya AB: This grade combines beans of slightly smaller size than AA, but still representing high quality.
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Kenya C: Beans within this grade are smaller and may have some minor defects compared to the higher grades.
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Kenya TT: This grade is composed of relatively smaller beans.
Kenya T: This grade includes small beans and more fragments, indicating a lower overall quality than the previous grades.
Kenya MH/ML: This grade refers to 'Mbuni' - coffee processed using the natural (dry) method. MH stands for Mbuni Heavy (larger beans), and ML stands for Mbuni Light (smaller beans). These coffees are generally less sought after, because they sometimes have overripe or fermented flavors.
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Ethiopia
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Grading System: Number-based system (Grade 1 - Grade 5)
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Grades:
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Grade 1: The highest quality with minimal defects and exceptional cup characteristics. These are usually sold as specialty-grade coffee beans.
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Grade 2: High-quality coffee with a low defect count and a very good cup profile. Also considered specialty grade coffee beans by some.
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Grade 3: Good quality coffee with a moderate number of defects. The cup profile may be slightly less complex compared to the top grades. Everything from grade 3 and below is seen as commercial-grade coffee or standard grade coffee beans.
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Grade 4: Higher number of defects.
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Grade 5 and below: The lowest grades have significant defects that negatively affect the coffee's taste and aroma.
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Additional note: Coffees grown in Indonesia are graded similarly to Ethiopia's, and specialty coffee beans are usually grade coffee beans from grade 1 or 2.
Honduras
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Grading System: Based on the standards set by the Instituto Hondureño del Café (IHCAFE)
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Grades:
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Strictly High Grown (SHG): Grown at altitudes above 1350 meters
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High Grown (HG): Grown at altitudes between 1200-1350 meters
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Central Standard (CS): Grown below 1200 meters
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Why Coffee Beans Grading Systems Matter
Coffee beans grading is more than just putting a number or letter on a bag.
It has consequences for farmers, buyers (e.g. green beans traders and roasters), and end-consumers alike.
Farmers: Grading ensures farmers receive fair prices for their hard work based on the quality of their coffee beans. Farmers who produce specialty coffee beans usually also have higher expenses than farmers who produce premium-grade coffee beans, so it's only fair they get paid a bit more.
Buyers: Grading offers transparency. This allows the buyer of green coffee beans and the coffee roaster to make informed choices based on consistent quality expectations.
End-Consumers: Grading helps you understand what you're buying. Aim for higher grades when you want to indulge in specialty coffee!
Conclusion
It’s important to keep in mind that coffee beans grading systems vary from country to country.
However, they all have a similar goal:
To make sure people know what they are buying and that the bad beans don’t get mixed up with the good.
Next time you're out to buy coffee, try coffees from different origins and pay attention to their grading.
Of course, that's only possible if the place you get them from makes that information available.
If not, you could always ask, because no coffee beans seller should hide that info from you.
