A Tale of Two Ethiopias: G2 vs. G4 Comparison
This month we explore how different grades of coffee effect flavor and how we use them. If you have been in our Recon program for any length of time, then you already understand that coffee beans can present wildly different flavor profiles depending on roast level, varietal, processing method, origin, or even on which side of the hill they were grown! There is yet another factor that impacts the flavor experience: the grade or quality of the coffee.
So, what is specialty coffee? Specialty coffee is categorized by the Specialty Coffee Association through a “holistic approach to value, including sensory attributes, consistency, sustainability, and the impact on the people who produce and enjoy it.” That’s a lot of words…specialty coffee is generally grown on small farms, is of higher quality with few or no defects, “better” or more complex taste, and supports the entire coffee eco-system from the livelihood of growers to the enjoyment of consumers at the end. Okay, you got me, that was more words!
In contrast, commercial coffee is often produced on huge farms, mechanically harvested, with a higher defect rate and little or no traceability of the origin. Yes, commercial coffee is also less expensive per pound than specialty coffee since the process is more efficient for bulk harvesting and roasting than the quality focus of specialty methods. Commercial grade coffee is also associated with a “generic” coffee taste lacking the nuance and complexity that discerning specialty coffee drinkers enjoy.
For this experience, we are turning to our Ethiopia Sidama selection of which we normally carry 2 grades.
For the main bag, you will enjoy our Ethiopia Sidama G2 Natural Process sourced by Keffa Coffee. It is lightly roasted and offers a clean cup with light citrus, tea-like body, and balanced sweetness.
The sample bag is also from Keffa Coffee and is our Ethiopia Sidama G4 Natural Process. It is lightly roasted and tends to linger on the pallet longer than the G2 but with a nuttier flavor and slightly more body and bitterness.
Both coffees are from the same origin and region, but differ in their overall quality. “G2” is the second highest grade of coffee (out of 9) by Ethiopian processing standards. These beans have little to no defects, are more uniform and larger in size, and present a consistent, high quality of flavor in the cup. They perform well lightly roasted as this approach tends to highlight the more complex attributes of the coffee but can also reveal processing or harvesting defects more readily than darker roasts.
The “G4” is the fourth highest grade of coffee in Ethiopia and may be referred to as a “blender.” This coffee will have a higher defect rate than the first 3 grades, but is still selectively harvested, sorted, and processed to provide specialty coffee roasters with a cost-effective approach to blending while maintaining high quality and flavor in specialty blends. The G4 Sidama still offers the typical brightness expected from an Ethiopian, but is generally less nuanced or consistent enough to present as a single origin. That said, we’ve had some incredibly sweet and bright batches of G4 in the past!
We approached the roasts similarly by targeting bean color, development time, and drop temperature to be as close as possible despite roasting on two different roasters with different batch sizes. The main bag of G2 was done as a 15kg batch on “Roxy” (a Mill City MCR-15), while the G4 was done in micro batches of 800 grams on an Aillio Bullet R1.
Both roasts stayed in development for under 2 minutes and dropped around 405 degrees. We also started with a lower charge temperature to extend drying time which can help with balance and sweetness. The coffees are both tasty individually, but compared together, I am sure you will have a favorite!
Thank you for sharing this opportunity to learn more about coffee with us! The Recon program is not just a way for you to try new and exciting things in coffee. It also sharpens our skills as a specialty coffee roaster and keeps us moving forward to offer the best experience we can to our customers.
Happy cupping!
Adam