What does G1 grade mean in Ethiopian coffee compared with G2?

In Ethiopian coffee, G1 and G2 are grades set by defect rate, not by altitude or bean size as in most other producing regions. G1 allows the fewest defective beans, so it usually looks cleaner as a green coffee and is the grade most often sold as a single-origin roasted bean.

A comparative test of Yirgacheffe G1 and G2 tracked green bean condition, roast color values, brewing, and cup flavor. Because coffee is an agricultural product, quality varies, and grading exists to keep different lots from being mixed. Grade labels on retail packaging usually follow the export stage. The Ethiopia G1 vs G2 gap shows up mostly in green bean appearance rather than a fixed flavor rule.

Ethiopia's coffee grading system is unique, using defect rate as its core criterion, which stands in sharp contrast to the practices of most producing regions that grade by altitude or bean size. As the two most common grades, just how big is the gap between G1 and G2 in terms of green bean appearance, roasting performance, and cup flavor? From Front Street's perspective, this article traces the origins of the Ethiopian grading system and, through a comparative test of Yirgacheffe G1 and G2, examines everything from green bean condition and roast color values to brewing and tasting, helping coffee lovers understand the practical meaning of grade labels and what role they actually play in the roasted bean consumer market.

Green coffee beans are essentially an agricultural product, and agricultural products can hardly achieve the absolute consistency of quality that industrial goods do, as the factors affecting their quality are quite numerous. To prevent beans of varying quality from being mixed together, grading systems came into being, using grades to make standardized distinctions in coffee bean quality. At the same time, grade information also provides green bean buyers with a basis for judgment when selecting raw materials.

When we buy roasted coffee beans, most packaging also indicates the grade, which is actually merchants following the practice from the export stage, with the aim of making consumers aware of the grade. However, those who observe carefully will notice that different producing regions label grades in different ways. The reason lies in the fact that coffee bean grading standards have not been unified globally.

Some producing regions classify grades by growing altitude, as is the case in most of Central America; some focus on bean size, with Kenya as a typical example; and still others use the proportion of defective beans as the grading basis, which is the category Ethiopia falls into. This variation arises because each country's geographical conditions and cultivation methods differ, so grading naturally has to be formulated according to local realities. At this point, Front Street believes it is necessary to specifically discuss Ethiopia's grading system.

Why does Ethiopia grade by defects?

Ethiopia is the birthplace of coffee, and within its borders there are tens of thousands of coffee varieties that have not yet been fully studied. To prevent relevant personnel from other countries from continually stealing these unknown varieties, the Ethiopian government collectively calls them "Heirloom," meaning heirloom varieties, as a way of protecting them. So when we buy a bag of Ethiopian heirloom coffee beans, we can open it and see that the beans vary in size, with a certain proportion of tall, short, fat, and thin ones.

Ethiopia's coffee trees are mostly in a wild or semi-wild state, scattered across various regions of the country. Every harvest season, nearby coffee farmers act collectively, picking the ripe fruit scattered in fields and mountain forests. In the same plot of land, dozens of different coffee varieties may be growing.

Although these coffee varieties differ from one another, the farmers are under no obligation to distinguish them one by one. They only need to pick the ripe red fruit, sell it to the processing station, and receive the corresponding payment.

The processing station purchases various bean varieties from different nearby farmers, and likewise does not distinguish them, but directly mixes them together for uniform processing. It is precisely this relatively rough approach to harvesting and production that causes the beans to vary in size. It is worth mentioning that some beans, although small, have quite outstanding flavor. For this reason, Ethiopia cannot use size to measure coffee bean grade.

In addition, Ethiopia as a whole has a relatively high altitude and fairly flat terrain, with coffee basically grown at similar heights, which also leaves no room for altitude-based grading. Ultimately, the Ethiopian government decided to use defective bean content to distinguish grades.

Of course, grading solely by defect rate inevitably penalizes many coffee beans with excellent flavor. Therefore, after 2009, the Ethiopian government adjusted its grading method, no longer judging purely by defect rate, but conducting a secondary evaluation based on defect-rate screening combined with cupping and bean appearance.

So what exactly is the difference between G1 and G2 beans?

The example used today is still the Yirgacheffe we are familiar with. The green beans shown in the image below are G1-grade and G2-grade Yirgacheffe, both washed processed. Let's first look at how they differ in appearance.

It can be seen that the G1-grade Kochere green beans are noticeably plumper than the G2 grade, and their color is more consistent. On closer inspection, it can also be found that G2 has more defective beans than G1—although this was expected. Next, we remove the defective beans, proceed with roasting, and see what difference emerges between the two after roasting.

Roasting is finished. Due to the difference in particle size, there is a slight difference in color value between the two. Front Street chose a light roast, as light roasting allows the beans to retain more floral and fruity notes, thereby better showcasing the flavor characteristics of Yirgacheffe.

Brewing parameters: 15g coffee grounds; coffee-to-water ratio 1:15; EK43 grind setting 10; water temperature 92°C; V60 dripper; three-pour brewing method.

Step one, bloom with twice the coffee grounds' weight in water for 30 seconds; after the bloom is complete, pour the second stage of 120ml hot water in a steady small stream while circling widely; when the water level is about to reach the bottom, pour the final stage of hot water (75ml) in a steady small stream while circling in a small radius; after that, simply wait for the dripping to finish.

Through Front Street's tasting, it can be concluded that the G2-grade Yirgacheffe presents very typical regional flavors: lemon, white florals, citrus acidity, and a green tea finish. The G1-grade Yirgacheffe, on this basis, has brighter acidity, a cleaner mouthfeel, and a slightly longer aftertaste. But without a direct comparison, the difference between the two is actually not very easy to detect.

Overall, G1 and G2 Yirgacheffe do not differ much in flavor; it is just that G1's mouthfeel is superior to G2's, and this is the main difference brought by grade. It should be understood that grade is mainly for green bean buyers to use as a reference when purchasing. Once it enters the roasted bean market, the influence of grade becomes very limited. After all, cafes by default purchase high-grade, high-quality coffee beans, and apart from the top two higher grades in the grading standards, excessively low grades are almost impossible to see on the market. So everyone need not agonize too much over the grade of the beans.

- END - Front Street Coffee

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