Introduction:The grading systems for green coffee beans vary widely—from defect counts and bean size to altitude. This article takes you deep into the grading rules of major global coffee-producing regions, including Ethiopia’s G1 to G9, Kenya’s AA and PB, Colombia’s Supremo, and Hawaii’s Extra Fancy, among other common labels. It helps you more accurately assess coffee quality and choose beans that suit your taste.

In the global coffee market, the grading of green beans differs by origin—some are based on defect counts, others on bean size, and still others on altitude. Understanding these grade labels is the first step in selecting high-quality coffee. This article will provide a detailed introduction to the common green coffee grading methods around the world, covering mainstream labels such as Ethiopia’s G1 to G9, Kenya’s AA and PB, Colombia’s Supremo, and Hawaii’s Extra Fancy, allowing you to understand the quality levels each grade represents from a professional perspective.

Take Ethiopia as an example: its coffee grading is primarily based on the number of defective beans, assessed by the CLU department under the country’s Ministry of Agriculture. The grades range from G1 to G9, with G1 to G3 further cupped and evaluated for attributes according to SCAA standards. If the cupping score reaches 85 or above, G1 and G2 are classified as Q1 grade, i.e., specialty grade, while G1 to G3 with scores between 80 and 85 fall under Q2 grade. All G1 to G3 beans scoring below 80, as well as lower grades such as G4 to G9, are exported as Commercial Grade.

In addition to defect counts, many regions also use bean size or altitude as grading criteria. For instance, Costa Rica, Panama, and Guatemala determine coffee grades based on altitude. Mexico uses ‘SHG (Strictly High Grown)’ to denote high-quality coffee grown at high elevations. In the Dominican Republic and Colombia, common grading criteria are the screen sizes of green beans, where Colombian grades range from NO.1 (17+ mesh) to NO.3 (15+ mesh), with PB grade being around 14+ mesh, representing small oval beans.

In Brazil, green bean grading considers both defect ratio and screen size, using a comprehensive evaluation system. As for Hawaii, its grading system is very clear: Extra Fancy is the highest grade, requiring flat beans to reach 19 mesh, peaberries 13 mesh, and allowing only 8 defects per 300 grams. The Fancy grade allows 18 mesh (flat beans) and 12 mesh (peaberries), with 12 defects, while No.1 allows 16 mesh and 18 defects. There are also further distinctions like Estate Select and Prime.

Kenya and Rwanda use both bean size and cupping results to determine grades. The largest E grade, also known as elephant beans, is followed by AA (passing 7.2mm screen), A (6.8mm), B (6.2mm), C (smaller sizes), and the oval-shaped PB grade. Grades A and B are often mixed for export and referred to as AB grade. Cupping results are further divided into Fine, Fair to Good, and other levels, with premium batches possibly labeled as AA TOP or AB TOP.

In Ethiopia, in addition to G1 to G9, altitude is also used to distinguish the quality of washed beans. SHB (Strictly Hard Bean) represents extremely hard beans, grown at altitudes of 1,400 meters or higher; HB (Hard Bean) at 1,200–1,400 meters; SH (Semi Hard Bean) at 1,100–1,200 meters. Lower-altitude beans such as EPW, PW, EGW, and GW correspond to 900–1,100 meters, 800–900 meters, 600–800 meters, and below 600 meters, respectively—most of which are commercial-grade washed beans.

Yemen’s coffee exports do not have a clear grading system and are usually sold under product names. Meanwhile, countries like Tanzania and Burundi each have grading systems based on bean size and screen selection. For example, in Tanzania, PB denotes oval beans, and AAA represents the largest size; in Burundi, the Ngoma brand signifies the highest washed grade, requiring passage through a 7.1mm screen.

On the Indonesian island of Sumatra, coffee grading combines bean size and defect count, with Gr.1 being the highest export grade, though actual quality is still determined via cupping. India is famous for its monsooned processing, such as Monsooned Malabar AA, which is the region’s most iconic flavor-profiled bean. Papua New Guinea grades beans based on screen size and defect rate, with its large-estate Premium A grade requiring beans larger than 17 mesh and fewer than 10 defects per kilogram.

In summary, although the green coffee grading systems around the world are diverse, they can generally be categorized into three main criteria: defect count, bean size, and altitude. Whether you’re a beginner coffee enthusiast or a professional looking to gain deeper insight, understanding these grading standards can help you make more accurate judgments when purchasing coffee beans, finding the ones that best match your taste and needs.

The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.