Coffee Bean Grading Systems (Part 1)

Why Grade Green Coffee Beans?

Grading coffee beans serves multiple purposes. It provides farmers with a clear benchmark for quality, and it gives buyers a general idea of what to expect. However, at the end of the day, coffee is an agricultural product—no grading system can guarantee specific flavors. Still, higher-grade coffee beans often offer a certain level of reassurance. Below, we’ve compiled an overview of grading systems used around the world, helping you understand them all at once.

Global Variations in Coffee Grading

When you visit a coffee shop and choose beans for hand-brewed coffee, you might notice abbreviations like AA, G1, or SHG. These often indicate factors such as bean size, defect count, or altitude. Each coffee-producing country has its own unique way of categorizing beans based on their defining characteristics.

Important Note:
There is no single, globally standardized system for grading coffee beans. Each producing country has its own requirements and grading criteria. Some countries even use the same terminology but apply different definitions, making it difficult to compare grades across borders. Below, we’ll explore some of the most common systems from various coffee-producing nations.

Understanding Bean Size (Screen Size)

A widespread method of grading coffee involves bean size. The term “screen size” (often referred to as “目” in Chinese) corresponds to the size of the openings in a series of metal sieves. The base unit is 1/64 of an inch, and coffee screens typically range from 8–20 (i.e., 8/64–20/64 of an inch, roughly 3–8 mm). The smaller the number, the larger the hole in the sieve. Most grading doesn’t go below size 14, and each producing country has its own naming conventions for these various screen sizes.

Common Grading Systems in South America

Aside from Brazil and Colombia, most coffee-producing nations in Central and South America classify beans primarily by altitude and hardness.

Brazil’s Complex Grading System

Brazil’s grading approach is relatively complicated due to the country’s massive output and potential inconsistencies in bean quality. In addition to defect counts, Brazil also uses a cupping system to assess overall flavor. This cupping differs from specialty coffee scoring; it’s more of a broad categorization based on taste characteristics.

Defect Count Grading (7 Levels)

• Type 2 is the highest grade.
• The full list includes: Type 2, Type 2/3, Type 3, Type 3/4, Type 4, Type 4/5, Type 8.

Flavor Profile Grading (7 Levels)

• Strictly Soft (SS) is the highest grade, indicating a very smooth cup.
• Rio Zona is the lowest grade, characterized by a strong “iodine-like” flavor.
• The full list includes: Strictly Soft, Soft, Softish, Hard, Hardish, Rio / Rioy, Rio Zona.

Cupping Grading (6 Levels)

• Fine Cup (FC) is the highest grade, while Good Cup (GC) is considered very good and commonly seen on the market.
• The full list includes: Fine Cup (FC), Fine, Good Cup (GC), Fair Cup, Poor Cup (PC), Bad Cup (BC).

Colombia’s Grading System

• Supremo: Screen size 17.
• Excelso: Screen size 14–16.5, a blend designed primarily for commercial coffee.
• Extra: Screen size 14–16, typically blended with Supremo to produce Excelso commercial coffee.

Common Grading Systems in Central America

In Central and South America, many countries classify coffee based on altitude. Coffee trees grown at higher elevations in cooler temperatures mature more slowly, allowing them to develop greater density and more complex flavors. Harder beans (grown at higher altitudes) often correlate with higher quality. However, because each country’s mountainous regions vary in height, the altitude thresholds for each grade differ.

Costa Rica

• Strictly Hard Beans (S.H.B.): Altitude 1,200–1,650 m
• Good Hard Beans (G.H.B.): Altitude 1,000–1,200 m
• Hard Beans (H.B.): Altitude 800–1,200 m
• Low Grown Atlantic (L.G.A.): Altitude 150–600 m

Guatemala

• Strictly Hard Bean (S.H.B.): Altitude 1,600–1,700 m
• Fancy Hard Bean: Altitude 1,500–1,600 m
• Hard Bean (H.B.): Altitude 1,200–1,400 m
• Semi Hard Bean (S.H.): Altitude 1,100–1,200 m
• Extra Prime (E.P.): High-quality washed beans, altitude 900–1,100 m
• Prime Washed: Quality washed beans, altitude 600–900 m
• Extra Good Washed: Very good washed beans, altitude 700–850 m
• Good Washed: Good washed beans, altitude around 700 m

Honduras

• Strictly High Grown (SHG): Above 1,200 m
• High Grown (HG): Above 1,000 m
• Central Standard (CS): Above 600 m

In summary, coffee grading systems vary widely across different regions and countries. Understanding these distinctions—whether they relate to screen size, altitude, bean hardness, or defect counts—can help you make more informed choices when purchasing and evaluating coffee.