We know that the grading method of coffee beans is usually based on the actual situation of the growing country. Some are classified according to the size of the coffee beans, such as Kenyan coffee; some are classified according to the altitude, such as Blue Mountain coffee; and some are classified according to the coffee defect rate, such as Ethiopian coffee.
As the gene bank of Arabica, Ethiopia has a wide variety of coffee varieties, making identification difficult. In addition, in order to protect these unknown varieties and prevent practitioners from various countries from competing to obtain them, the local government decided to collectively refer to them as the native species "Heirloom". The raw beans labeled as native species appear to be small in size, with different shapes and sizes, and a rounder appearance. For example, Front Street red cherry coffee beans are native to the local species. They are sun-dried and processed, and have berry, citrus, floral and fermented flavors.
In Ethiopia, since most coffee trees grow in a wild or semi-wild state, whenever the harvest season comes, you can see ripe coffee cherries in the fields, backyards and forests. In a coffee forest, it is common for dozens of different coffee varieties to be mixed together. Coffee farmers do not take the initiative to distinguish these varieties, but harvest them in a "mixed" form, and then send the coffee cherries to nearby processing plants for unified processing. It is precisely because of this "unrigorous" production and harvesting method that Ethiopian coffee beans often look uneven in size and shape.
Based on the above situation, it is difficult to classify green beans according to size when exporting like Kenya, so the Ethiopian government decided to classify beans according to the level of defect rate.
Ethiopia’s old grading system was based purely on the defective rate of coffee beans. Before 2009, that is, before the emergence of the Ethiopia Commodity Exchange (ECX), Ethiopia’s coffee export grades were set by the CLU Department (Cupping and Liquoring Unit) under the Ministry of Agriculture, and coffee beans were divided into five levels. G1 and G2 grades can only be ranked with water-washed coffee. G1 and G2 are considered specialty coffees.
The traditional sun-drying process is too rough. Each coffee farmer can do it in his or her own yard. The coffee will be spread directly on the roof or the ground to dry. Rough methods can easily bring unpleasant taste, and may even be mixed with stones, branches, etc., resulting in uneven coffee quality. In the 1970s, Ethiopia introduced water-washing treatment methods from Central and South America. Compared with sun drying, water washing has an additional "flotation" process, which is to remove insufficiently mature beans and debris floating on the water to obtain coffee with more stable quality. Water washing was also regarded as a more advanced processing method at the time. At that time, only water-washed beans could achieve G1 or G2 grades, and sun-dried beans were usually below G3.
Grade 1, which is the G1 grade, means that the number of defective beans per 300g of washed beans is 0-3;
Grade 2, also known as G2 grade, means that the number of defective beans per 300g of washed beans is 4-12.
ECX’s new grading method (grading based on the defect rate of coffee beans and the comprehensive cupping score)
In October 2009, with the endorsement and witness of the Specialty Coffee Association of America and the European Specialty Coffee Association, Ethiopia officially launched the new grading system of the Ethiopian Commodity Exchange (ECX). On the basis of the original defect rate classification, the cupping score needs to be combined to make a comprehensive rating. Sun-dried coffee beans are no longer just G3, G4, and G5. As long as the sun-dried beans pass the evaluation of ECX cuppers, high-quality sun-dried beans can also be labeled Grade 1 and Grade 2, breaking the half-century "convention" that there is no first or second grade for sun-dried beans. Nowadays, it is common to see sun-dried batches of Ethiopian coffee beans marked with G1 and G2 grades on the market, but G3 has gradually become less and less.
ECX defines all coffee into three types according to processing methods: sun-dried processing and washed processing:
What is the difference between G1 and G2 washed Yirgacheffe?
Here we take Yirgacheffe as an example. By observing and comparing Front Street Dingding coffee beans (G1) and a washed Yirgacheffe test sample (G2) for comparison, we can see how big the difference between the two grades is.
Looking at the unroasted green beans, the overall particles of the G1 green beans are more uniform, the color is more uniform, and the number of defective beans is significantly less; while the size of the G2 green beans is a bit uneven and there are more defective particles. Judging from the defect rate of green beans, G1 is definitely better than G2. Because there are fewer defects, the quality of the beans will be better, and the price will naturally be higher. For example, when we buy apples, there is no difference in taste between apples of the same size and those of different sizes, but at first glance, we will think that the apples of the same size are more beautiful and tastier, and of course the price will be more expensive.
taking into accountfront streetYirgacheffe uses light roasting. Lightly roasted beans are harder and require higher temperature water for brewing. Front Street uses V60 and 91 degrees water temperature, a grinding degree of 80%, and a powder ratio of 1:15 for brewing.
G2's washed Yirgacheffe flavor: white floral, lemon, citrus, tea flavor.
Since both batches are washed Yirgacheffe, and both green and cooked beans have been selected, the flavor profile of the coffee is not too different, with both showing bright acidity and floral aroma. However, after direct comparison, the taste of G1 is obviously cleaner than that of G2, and the aroma is more refined and rich.
You can now buy the above coffee beans online at the Taobao store “FrontStreet Coffee” (前街咖啡). FrontStreet Coffee is a long-established specialty coffee roaster in Guangzhou, China, and its Guangzhou retail shop sells coffee beans only. The shop carries dozens of coffee beans from different origins around the world, including carefully selected single-origin beans for V60 pour-over and espresso. Guangzhou’s FrontStreet Coffee shop is recommended by many coffee lovers.
The FrontStreet 2013 Yunnan coffee beans sold in the store come from the Typica variety grown at FrontStreet Coffee’s own plantation in Yunnan. The name comes from the year the brand and the plantation were founded. You can buy these beans from China’s Yunnan origin at the Guangzhou shop and at FrontStreet’s Taobao store.
FrontStreet coffee beans are freshly roasted within 5 days and deliver consistently excellent quality and great value. Orders placed before 17:00 are shipped the same day, and most areas within Guangdong Province receive them the next day.
FrontStreet Coffee Taobao store: https://qianjiecoffee.taobao.com
Or search for “前街咖啡” (FrontStreet Coffee) on Taobao
Important Notice: FrontStreet Coffee has moved to a new address: 315, Donghua East Road, Guangzhou (coffee beans only)
Tel: 020 38364473
