What Do Ethiopian Coffee Grades Actually Mean on a Bag?
Ethiopian coffee grades do not map cleanly onto quality. Washed lots run Grade-1 and Grade-2; natural lots cover Grade-3, Grade-4, Grade-5, and also Grade-1. Regardless of processing method, Grade-1 requires zero defects and a Premium Cup result, which makes it rare because the processing cost is high and few suppliers will absorb it.
Ethiopian beans are named after producing regions, much like French Bordeaux, so two bags labeled Yirgacheffe G2 can still differ in the cup. Exporters sometimes ship lower-grade natural Yirgacheffe under the Sidamo name to protect the Yirgacheffe brand name. The Parchment Coffee auction system and exporter blending also influence what coffee from other countries finally reaches the buyer.
As the birthplace of coffee, Ethiopia has the most well-established coffee bean grading system among African producing countries, yet it also leaves many enthusiasts puzzled. Take Yirgacheffe as an example—what exactly do Grade-1 and Grade-2 mean? Why can two batches of beans both labeled Yirgacheffe G2 differ so vastly in quality? This article will provide an in-depth analysis of Ethiopia's unique origin naming rules, the grade differences between washed and natural beans, the Parchment Coffee auction grading system, and how exporter blending affects the final quality. It specifically covers real cases such as Front Street Yirgacheffe Grade-2 to help you truly decipher the grade code of Ethiopian beans.
Ethiopian coffee beans are named after their producing regions, typically using province names, which is quite similar to the French Bordeaux wine region concept. The well-known regions need no elaboration. What deserves special mention is that Yirgacheffe was originally just a small producing area under the Sidamo province, and only became an independent brand because of its exceptionally outstanding flavor. This naming approach is completely different from other African producing countries, including the grading nomenclature discussed below. We often see labels like Front Street Yirgacheffe Grade-2 and Harar Grade-3, but these Grade-2 and Grade-3 do not fully equate to quality levels. So what do they actually represent? Please see the explanation below:
Washed processing: Grade-1, Grade-2
Natural processing: Grade-3, Grade-4, Grade-5, and Grade-1
[Notes]:
a) Whether washed or natural, Gr-1 exists, and its condition is "zero" defects and reaching Premium Cup. Regardless of processing method, Gr-1 represents the cream of the crop, or Cup of Excellence-level coffee.
b) The lowest grade for natural Yirgacheffe and Sidamo is Gr-4, unlike Jimma which has Gr-5. But if natural Yirgacheffe is only gr-4, Ethiopian exporters generally ship it under the name Sidamo gr-4, possibly out of concern for damaging Yirgacheffe's reputation.
c) Beans of the same grade, such as Limu gr-2, also have differences in quality.
d) The "zero" defect requirement makes gr-1 beans (both washed and natural) extremely rare, because processing costs are high and very few suppliers are willing to do so.
f) It is certain that there is no such thing as natural Yirgacheffe, natural Sidamo, or natural Limu Grade-2 (gr-2).
Parchment Coffee (shell-on beans) grading system: First, it must be clarified that the following system only applies to Parchment Coffee grading before auction, i.e., the grading conducted at step 6), and the certificates issued are only for the auction process and cannot be used as export certificates.
General requirements: The moisture content of natural coffee beans should not exceed 11.5% by weight, and at least 85% of the beans should remain above 14 mesh after screening. (This is why Ethiopian beans appear uneven in appearance: above 14 mesh means 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 mesh and so on are mixed together, so the bean sizes are naturally inconsistent.)
Parchment Coffee grades are divided into: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, UG (undergrade). The 1, 2, 3 here are completely different from Yirgacheffe Grade-2 or Harar Grade-3—this is a domestic grading designation used for auction, not an export grade name. There are two major factors in assessing the above grades: Raw Value (physical factors) accounts for 40 points, and Cup Quality Value (cup quality factors) accounts for 60 points, for a total of 100 points.
Physical factors include: defects 20 points, appearance 10 points, color 5 points, odor 5 points.
Cup quality factors include: clarity 15 points, acidity 15 points, body 15 points, flavor 15 points.
Finally, the grade is determined based on the total score.
To be rated as specialty, there is another final round, namely beans graded 1, 2, or 3 undergo another round of evaluation, assessed by cupping, with evaluation factors basically the same as SCAA standards.
[Note]: All the above cup tests are conducted after removing the parchment shell from the sample before roasting and testing.
After exporters buy the beans back from the auction, they enter step 9). At this step, blending occurs, and blending has two meanings:
a) Blending beans from different hills;
b) Blending beans of different Parchment coffee grades. The step that is most critical to quality is b).
We just introduced grades 1 to 9 and UG. Now let's use Yirgacheffe as an example to illustrate. Suppose exporter A receives an order for 20 tons of Yirgacheffe Grade-2. He buys back just over 20 tons of Parchment Yirgacheffe from the auction. In the vast majority of cases, these goods are obtained from several batches at auction, because a single hill cannot have exactly 20 tons of coffee. Buying in several batches means different small producing areas and different Parchment grades. For example, if obtained in 4 batches, these 4 batches might be:
Region A 5 tons (grade: 1); accounting for 25%
Region B 2 tons (grade: 2); accounting for 10%
Region C 10 tons (grade: 3); accounting for 50%
Region D 3 tons (grade: 4), accounting for 15%
Then these Parchment coffees are sent to the processing plant to be processed into 20 tons of green beans for export. Of course, before export, export grade certification is also required, and the official authorities will issue a Yirgacheffe Grade-2 certificate.
Exporter B also receives a 20-ton order, and he also buys back 4 batches of parchment coffee from the auction:
Region E 1 ton (grade: 1); accounting for 5%
Region F 1 ton (grade: 2); accounting for 5%
Region G 10 tons (grade: 3); accounting for 50%
Region H 8 tons (grade: 4), accounting for 40%
Similarly, B also obtains a Yirgacheffe Grade-2 certificate issued by an official body.
Therefore, although both are called Yirgacheffe-G2, A's goods are definitely better than B's, and much better. Of course, B cannot be called a dishonest merchant, because B's export quote is lower than A's. This is the principle of you get what you pay for.
The above operations also apply to other Ethiopian beans, such as Sidamo, Jimma, Lekempti, etc. Summary:
1) Besides cultivation, the key factors affecting quality are step 4) and step 9).
2) Step 9) is very important. If the processing plant is well managed, the resulting goods will be good. For example, measures such as regular rest breaks for workers can effectively improve the quality of bean sorting.
3) You get what you pay for. As an importer, you can negotiate the price down, but step 9) is not something the importer can control, and exporters will not tell you how they blend. It is enough for the importer to find an exporter who is serious about coffee.
4) Ethiopian grading is divided into Parchment grade and export grade—two different but related things.
5) Ethiopia's bean grading is the most systematic grading standard known among African countries.
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
