How Coffee Beans Are Graded by Country and Method

When you buy specialty coffee, have you ever wondered how your beans were graded before they reached the roaster? Every country uses its own criteria to rank green coffee—from the elevation where it grew, to the size of the beans, down to how many defects slipped through processing. These systems directly impact roast profiles, cup qualities, and your final brew.

The short answer? Coffee is graded mainly by altitude (like SHB for high-altitude beans), sieve size (like Kenya’s AA at >17/64” beans), and defect count (like Brazil’s strict cupping tests). Each method tells you something different about the bean’s potential.

1. Altitude-Based Grading: Higher Isn’t Just Higher, It’s Better

Coffee grown at higher altitudes tends to develop more slowly due to cooler temperatures, allowing better flavor complexity and denser beans. Denser, harder beans also roast more evenly and predictably. This is why several Latin American countries grade coffee by growing elevation.

Take Guatemala, for example:

• SHB (Strictly Hard Bean): 1,350–1,700m — the highest grade
• HB (Hard Bean): 1,200–1,400m
• SH (Semi Hard Bean): 1,000–1,200m
• EPW–GW: From extra-prime (1,000–1,200m) down to 600m or below

Other countries like Honduras, El Salvador, and Mexico follow similar models, assigning premium grades to beans from higher altitudes due to their density and cup potential.

2. Screen Size (Sieve) Grading: Bigger Beans, Brighter Potential

This method sorts beans by physical diameter using numbered mesh sieves measured in 1/64-inch increments. A No. 17 sieve has holes 17/64” (~6.75mm) wide—so the larger the number, the bigger the bean. Bigger beans often mature more uniformly and have more complex flavors, though not always.

Notable examples include:

• Kenya: Uses AA++ (screen 18+), AA+, AA (screen 17–18), AB (screen 15–16), etc.
• Colombia:
  • Supremo: ≥17/64” (top grade)
  • Excelso: 14/16–17/64” (up to 11% 14/16 allowed)
• Ethiopia (peaberries): 8–12/64” sieve sizes

Flat beans and peaberries (small, round beans) may use different sieve charts, but size still signals uniformity and market value.

3. Defect Rate + Sieve Size: The Quality Control Formula

Many producing nations combine sieve grading with strict defect counts to determine grade. Defects—like insect damage, black beans, or underripes—drastically alter cup quality. Countries like Jamaica, Brazil, and Ethiopia weigh both the number of flaws and bean size.

Key examples:

• Jamaica Blue Mountain No.1: Screen 17–18, ≤2% defects, grown above 1,700m
• Brazil: Uses both defect counts (e.g., Type 2 allows 4–12 defects per 300g) and cupping tests with six flavor tiers from “Strictly Soft” (premium) to “Rioy” (iodine taint).
• Ethiopia: 300g samples graded from 1 (0–3 defects) to 8 (over 340 = substandard)

Other nations like Kenya and Colombia layer defect limits into their sieve-based hierarchies, ensuring only the cleanest, most uniform beans earn top marks.

Regional Grading Systems at a Glance

Different origins emphasize different traits. Here’s how some key regions break it down:

• Kenya: AA++, AA+, AA (17/18 screen), AB (15/16), C, E, PB (peaberry)
• Ethiopia: 1 (0–3 defects) to 8 (>340 defects = fail), based on 300g sample
• Colombia: Supremo (>17), Excelso (14–16.5), UGQ (12–14)
• Brazil: Six defect-based types (Type 2 to 6), plus cup quality grades like “Strictly Soft” to “Rioy”
• Guatemala: SHB (1,600–1,700m) down to GW (below 700m)
• El Salvador: SHG (>1,200m), HG (900–1,200m), CS (500–900m)
• Hawaii Kona: Extra Fancy (screen 19, ≤10 defects), Fancy (screen 18, ≤16), Prime (≤25 defects), Caracoli No.1 (screen 10, ≤20)
• Jamaica: Blue Mountain Grade I (screen 18), II (17), III (16); Peaberry also graded
• Indonesia: 1 (11 defects) to 6 (151–225 defects), 300g sample

Some origins, like Ethiopia and Costa Rica (not listed here), also factor in processing method—washed, natural, or honey—in final grading. And increasingly, competitions like COE (Cup of Excellence) introduce global scoring systems based on cup quality alone.

As the specialty coffee industry grows, so does the precision of these grading systems. More detailed grading helps ensure you—the drinker—get a better, more consistent cup. It starts at origin, but it matters in your brew.

FrontStreet Coffee Beans That Highlight Grading Standards

Explore FrontStreet Coffee’s Kenya Gakuyuni AB, a bright, complex lot sourced from screened beans (likely around screen 15–16) that exemplifies Africa’s stringent defect control. For high-altitude fans, try FrontStreet Guatemala Antigua SHB—grown over 1,500m, dense and sweet with chocolate and citrus notes. Or dive into our Colombia Huila Excelso, a balanced, medium-bodied coffee from well-graded 15–16.5 sieve beans. All showcase how origin grading shapes your cup. Freshly roasted within 5 days · Orders placed before 17:00 ship the same day · Next-day delivery across most of Guangdong Province.