Yirgacheffe is one of Ethiopia's most representative specialty coffee regions, but what exactly is the difference between the commonly available Front Street Yirgacheffe G1 and G2 coffee beans? Which grade is higher? Behind this lies Ethiopia's complex coffee grading system. Starting from Front Street Coffee's reviews, this article systematically sorts out Ethiopia's coffee grading standards, compares the differences between G1 and G2 in defect rate, cupping score, and flavor performance, and helps coffee enthusiasts gain a deeper understanding of the grading mysteries of Yirgacheffe.

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Yirgacheffe occupies a pivotal position in Ethiopia's coffee landscape. Currently, the most commonly seen on the market are Front Street Yirgacheffe G1 coffee beans and Front Street Yirgacheffe G2 coffee beans. What exactly do these two numbers mean? Which is better or worse? To answer these questions, we must trace back to Ethiopia's coffee grading system. FrontStreet Coffee will compare the specific flavor differences between Front Street Yirgacheffe G1 and G2 through practical reviews.

Grading of Ethiopian Coffee Beans

Under the Ethiopian Ministry of Agriculture is an institution called CLU (Cupping and Liquoring Unit), one of whose core functions is to audit the quality of exported coffee, including grade determination. CLU has a longer history than ECX. Before ECX came into being, the export grades for washed coffee were divided into only two levels, G1 and G2; while the export grades for natural coffee were set as G3, G4, and G5. In other words, the highest grade for natural processing was only G3.

After ECX was established, the grading standards were comprehensively revised. The grade names for washed processing remained unchanged, but for the first time G1 appeared for natural processing. This is exactly why natural G1 and G2 coffees can now be seen on the market, while G3 has gradually decreased. Ethiopia's previous old grading method determined grades solely by the number of defective beans, with washed beans reaching a maximum of Grade 1 (G1) and natural beans reaching a maximum of Grade 3 (G3). The current system is formulated by ECX and assigns grades by scoring both physical characteristics and cup flavor.

All coffee is divided into three major categories according to processing method (natural or washed):

a. Speciality (washed & unwashed): few defects, high cup flavor quality;

b. Commerical (washed & unwashed): does not reach specialty level, but quality is higher than the domestic consumption grade;

c. Local / Domestic (washed & unwashed): coffee with many defects (including immature beans), or poorer flavor due to being out of season or improper storage.

Among these, Specialty and Commerical are for export to the international market, while Local is sold in Ethiopia's domestic market.

ECX's specific grading and scoring standards are as follows:

A. Scoring definitions for washed processing

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

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

B. Scoring definitions for natural processing

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

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

C. Overall summary:

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

2. Each is rated from G1 to G9, 9 grades in total, based on physical characteristics and basic cup quality;

3. Among them, G1-G3 are cupped again according to SCAA standards to assess flavor attributes in greater detail. 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 Grade 1 means that every 300 grams of green beans contains only 0 to 3 defective beans; Grade 2 corresponds to 4 to 12 defective beans per 300 grams. Of course, in actual transactions, buyer and seller standards for determining defective beans inevitably differ to some extent (otherwise how could we pick out so many defective beans?), but the comparison of defect rates is still clear at a glance. The number of defective beans in G1 is noticeably lower than in G2, which means that, excluding the influence of specific flavor and roast level, Ethiopian G1 coffee beans are superior to G2 in both quality and score, at least with a significant difference in defective flavors.

It can thus be seen that the main difference between G1 and G2 currently lies in defect rate and cupping score. G1 has a lower defect rate than G2, and its cupping score is naturally higher. But there is also a situation today: if the defect rate has reached the G1 standard but the cupping score has not reached the G1 level (below 91 points), it will be downgraded to G2.

Appearance Comparison

Now that we understand Yirgacheffe's grading system, let us compare the specific differences between Yirgacheffe G1 and G2. First, observe the appearance of the green beans. In fact, whether in size or shape, G1 and G2 are very similar, but G2 is more likely to contain defective beans such as insect-damaged ones.

Next, observe the appearance of the roasted beans of Front Street Yirgacheffe Coffee G1 and G2. Almost no difference can be seen between the two, because Front Street manually screens out defective beans both before and after roasting. Therefore, for Front Street Yirgacheffe coffee, which is graded by defect rate, there is little difference in appearance characteristics after roasting.

Flavor Comparison

Cupping comparison was then conducted. By cupping these two washed Front Street Yirgacheffe G1 and G2 coffees, we obtained the following results: the common flavor profile of Front Street Yirgacheffe Coffee G1 and G2 is citrus, fruit tea, honey, and berries. The difference is that G1 has higher cleanliness and clearer flavor recognition, while G2 tastes slightly thinner. However, since both lots belong to washed Front Street Yirgacheffe and have been screened at both the green bean and roasted bean stages, the coffee's flavor spectrum difference is not very large, and both present bright acidity and floral aroma. But through direct comparison, G1's mouthfeel is clearly cleaner than G2's, and its aroma is also more refined and richer.

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