How Do Ethiopia G1 vs G2 Grades Change the Cup?

In Ethiopia, coffee is sorted by the share of defective beans, so G1 and G2 from the same Kochere washing station can differ noticeably. G1 shows fewer defects and more uniform beans, which generally means cleaner cups, brighter acidity, and clearer aroma layers in the high-altitude washed lots grown at 1,650 to 1,800 meters.

The comparison draws on two washed Yirgacheffe coffees and ECX standards, covering green bean appearance, roasting curves, cupping, and pour-over results alongside defect rate, bean uniformity, and cup cleanliness. Most local farmers work without modern chemicals, so Ethiopian coffee is often treated as organic by default under coffee classification and grading.

The Yirgacheffe region in Ethiopia is famous for its unique flavors, and among them, the high-altitude washed beans from Kochere are highly favored by coffee enthusiasts. But what exactly is the difference between G1 and G2 grades from the same region? This article starts with two washed Yirgacheffes from Front Street Coffee, and combines ECX grading standards, green bean appearance, roasting curves, cupping, and pour-over performance to compare in detail the differences between G1 and G2 in defect rate, bean uniformity, aroma layers, and cup cleanliness, helping readers understand the specific impact of grade classification on flavor, with complete brewing parameters and flavor descriptions included.

[Kochere Region]

Kochere, located in the highland area at an altitude of 1,650 to 1,800 meters.

Ethiopia's main harvest season is concentrated in November and December. The vast majority of local farmers do not use modern farming methods, but rely on manual care for coffee trees, without applying harmful insecticides or herbicides. For this reason, almost all coffee produced in Ethiopia can be regarded as organic coffee by default, whether or not it has certification. The combination of original planting methods and fine processing procedures has earned the region's coffee a global reputation. The owner of Neko Farm once said: this time it could not be prepared due to time constraints, but in the next harvest season they will apply for RFA organic certification.

Compared with natural processing, washed processing consumes more resources (especially water), so washed green coffee beans often have higher quality. The coffee beans are spread flat on drying tables to dry, ensuring good ventilation, and at the same time, to avoid excessive fermentation, the beans are turned regularly.

The washed method can present brighter acidity than the natural method, and this is also the source of the "clean" flavor of Yirgacheffe. We prefer washed Yirgacheffe precisely because of its clarity.

[Region Information]

Front Street Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Kochere

Grade: G1

Variety: Heirloom

Growing altitude: 1,650 meters—1,800 meters

Processing method: Washed

Flavor characteristics:

Fruity, Fresh Jasmine Aroma, Berries, Citric Acidic, Pineapple, Apple, Smooth, Clean, Long Aftertaste

As is well known, Ethiopian coffee is graded according to the proportion of defective beans. So what differences will different grades of beans show in appearance? And will there be significant differences in flavor?

FrontStreet Coffee is here today to compare Front Street Washed Yirgacheffe G1 and Front Street Washed Yirgacheffe G2, to see exactly how they differ.

| Grading

Let us first understand the Ethiopian coffee grading standards stipulated by ECX. ECX determines the grade by scoring a combination of physical attribute characteristics and cup quality flavor characteristics.

The specific ECX grading and scoring standards are as follows:

A. Scoring definition for the washed processing method

1. Physical characteristics account for 40%: number of defects (20%), appearance size (10%), color (5%), odor (5%)

2. Cup quality accounts for 60%: cleanliness (15%), acidity (15%), mouthfeel (15%), flavor characteristics (15%)

B. Scoring definition for the natural processing method

1. Physical characteristics account for 40%: number of defects (30%), odor (10%)

2. Cup quality accounts for 60%: cleanliness (15%), acidity (15%), mouthfeel (15%), flavor characteristics (15%)

C. Overall summary:

1. All coffee is first divided into two categories according to processing method: natural and washed;

2. Each is scored as G1 to G9, a total of 9 grades, according to physical characteristics and basic cup quality;

3. Among them, G1-G3 are cupped again according to SCAA standards to more carefully evaluate flavor attributes, and G1 and G2 scoring no less than 85 points are rated as Q1;

4. G1, G2, and G3 scoring between 80 and 85 points are rated as Q2, and all G1, G2, and G3 scoring below 80 points are rated as G3;

5. Q1 and Q2 are classified as Specialty Grade for export. G4 to G9 remain unchanged in their original grades and, together with G3, are classified as Commercial Grade for export.

Washed beans Grade1 means 0 to 3 defective beans per 300 grams of green beans; Grade2 means 4 to 12 defective beans per 300 grams.

| Green Beans & Roasting

The variety of these two Front Street washed Yirgacheffe coffees is both local heirloom, which is also the reason why the beans vary in appearance and size. But after careful observation and comparison, it was found that the green beans of Front Street Washed Yirgacheffe G1 are overall relatively uniform, with a lower defect rate; while the green beans of Front Street Washed Yirgacheffe G2 are clearly uneven in size and have a higher defect rate.

[Front Street Washed Yirgacheffe G1]

Bean charging temperature 200, turning point 5:20, first crack begins at 8:25, temperature 185.4, first crack development for 2 minutes and then discharged, temperature 193.5°C.

Agtron bean color value is 65.5 (upper image), Agtron ground color value is 76.3 (lower image), Roast Delta value is 10.8.

[Front Street Washed Yirgacheffe G2]

Bean charging temperature 200, turning point 5:35, first crack begins at 9:08, temperature 182.1, first crack development for 2 minutes and then discharged, temperature 195°C.

Agtron bean color value is 66.9 (upper image), Agtron ground color value is 77.5 (lower image), Roast Delta value is 10.6.

| Flavor Comparison

* Cupping

[Front Street Washed Yirgacheffe G1] Jasmine, ginger flower, lemon, pomelo, plum, Tieguanyin

[Front Street Washed Yirgacheffe G2] Jasmine, lemon, citrus, tea-like

* Pour-over

Parameters: water temperature 91°C, grind size BG 5R (58% passing through China standard No. 20 sieve), coffee-to-water ratio 1:15.

Method: staged extraction. Bloom with 35 grams of water for 30 seconds, then pour with a small stream quickly to 130 grams for the first stage, and when the water level drops and is about to expose the coffee bed, continue pouring to 225 grams and stop, then remove the dripper when the water level drops and is about to expose the coffee bed.

[Front Street Washed Yirgacheffe G1] It smells of jasmine, lemon freshness, and caramel sweetness; on entry there is soft citrus acidity and creamy aroma; in the middle a lemon acidity emerges, with sugarcane sweetness returning, and an oolong tea finish.

[Front Street Washed Yirgacheffe G2] It smells of jasmine floral notes and citrus acidity; on entry there are lemon and grapefruit acidity as well as black tea tea-like notes; in the finish there is a slight cocoa flavor, with caramel sweetness returning.

| Summary

Comparing the two Front Street washed Yirgacheffes, from both green beans and roasted beans it can be clearly seen that the bean size of [G1] is relatively uniform, while the beans of [G2] are obviously uneven, with more defective beans; during roasting, the aroma of [G1] can be clearly smelled, while [G2] is slightly inferior.

In terms of flavor, [G1] and [G2] are actually quite similar, mainly featuring flavors such as lemon, citrus, and jasmine, but by comparison, [G1] has rich and clear flavor layers, while [G2] has fewer and less clear flavor layers, with a slight hint of miscellaneous flavors.

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