Everything a specialty roaster needs to know about green coffee — grading, scoring, processing and sourcing direct from origin.
Green coffee beans are raw, unroasted coffee seeds — the foundational product of every specialty roastery. The quality of your finished cup is determined almost entirely by the quality of the green coffee you purchase before roasting begins.
Unlike roasted coffee, green coffee has a shelf life of 12–18 months when stored correctly. Specialty green coffee kept in grain-pro or vacuum-sealed packaging at stable temperatures can remain vibrant even longer — making bulk purchasing genuinely feasible for roasters who plan ahead.
Tanzania uses a size-based grading system supplemented by defect counting:
| Grade | Screen Size | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| AA | 18+ | Premium grade, most sought-after for specialty |
| A | 17–18 | Excellent quality, common in specialty trade |
| B | 15–16 | Good quality, used in specialty blends |
| PB | Round | Peaberry — single bean, prized for concentrated flavour |
Important: Grade refers to physical size and defect count — it does not guarantee cup quality. Always evaluate a lot by cupping, not grade alone. This is why Q-Grader assessment is essential before purchasing.
The Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) cupping protocol is the global standard for evaluating green coffee — scored across 10 attributes on a 100-point scale:
| Score | Classification | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 90–100 | Outstanding | Rare micro-lots, highly prized |
| 85–89.99 | Excellent | Premium specialty, highly sought after |
| 80–84.99 | Very Good | Entry-level specialty coffee |
| Below 80 | Commercial | Not considered specialty |
All lots sold by Kilimanjaro Beans score 84 or above, evaluated by our resident Q-Grader in Tanzania.
Cherry skin and mucilage removed before drying. Produces the cleanest, brightest cup profiles — terroir-expressive. Dominant method for Kilimanjaro specialty lots.
Whole cherries dried with fruit intact. Bean absorbs fermentation flavours — fruity, wine-like, full-bodied. Tanzania natural lots from Mbeya and Kigoma are particularly impressive.
Skin removed, mucilage retained during drying. Cup profiles between washed and natural — balanced sweetness, medium body, mild fruit complexity.
Working directly with origin suppliers like Kilimanjaro Beans eliminates multiple layers of markup while improving traceability. When evaluating a supplier, look for: