Kenya Coffee Grading

20160606

According to Coffee Board of Kenya, the grades of Kenya green coffee beans are categorized into E, PB, AA, AB, C, TT, T and MH/ML.  Those grades differ in size, weight or shape.  Let’s check each of them as follows:

E (Elephant Grade): Above Screen Size 18

E Grade, also called Elephant Grade, is the largest in size out of all the grades.  Two seeds of the E Grade are joined together in a single cherry to form the seed.  It may be a genetic defect.  We can see a noticeable ear on each seed when the seed part during handling.  The very large PB beans are categorized into this grade.  Just like the PB Grade, very small percentage of coffee falls in this grade.

PB:

The PB beans, round in shape, are actually peaberry coffee beans.  The peaberry coffee grows as one single bean in a cherry rather than the usual two beans in a cherry.  Approximately 10% of Kenya coffee falls in this grade.

AA: Screen Sizes 17-18

This grade has good size formation of large beans reaching screen sizes 17-18.  Kenya AA is considered to be one of the world’s finest specialty coffees.

AB: Screen Sizes 15-16

This grade combines two grades, A and B.  The A grade reaches screen size 16 and the B grade reaches screen size 15.

C: Screen Sizes 12-14

The thin beans from the B grade and the beans smaller than the B grade are categorized into this grade.  The c grade reaches screen size 12-14.

TT

Using air extraction, the coffee beans with light density from the E, AA, AB beans are sorted out and categorized into this grade.

T: Below Screen Size 12

This grade consists of broken, faulty, thin and small coffee beans below screen size 12, most of which are in the form of chips.

MH/ML

This grade is composed of coffee beans which either fell from the coffee trees after ripening or were simply not picked.  The beans have usually sour tasting.  Approximately 7% of Kenya coffee crop falls into this grade.

(Source: Coffee Board of Kenya)