Grading Coffee Beans

Grade 1: Specialty Grade Coffee Beans: no primary defects, 0-3 full defects, sorted with a maximum of 5% above and 5% below specified screen size or range of screen size, and exhibiting a distinct attribute in one or more of the following areas: taste, acidity, body, or aroma. Also must be free of cup faults and taints. Zero quakers allowed. Moisture content between 9-13%.

Grade 2: Premium Grade Coffee Beans: Same as Grade 1 except maximum of 3 quakers. 0-8 full defects.

Grade 3: Exchange Grade Coffee Beans: 50% above screen 15 and less than 5% below screen 15. Max of 5 quakers. Must be free from faults. 9-23 full defects.

Grade 4: Standard Grade Coffee Beans: 24-86 full defects.

Grade 5: Off Grade Coffee Beans: More than 86 full defects.

Source: Green Coffee Classification System Poster from the Specialty Coffee Association of America.

Please see the Coffee Classification section for more details.

Order this poster from SCAA or the newly revised SCAA Arabica Coffee Classification System poster.