Coffee Grading: Yes that's right! Inanimate objects get report cards too

At the most basic level there are two types of coffee.  Arabica coffee is of a higher quality and is grown at higher elevations than it's close brother Robusta Coffee.  Robusta is a cheaper, hardier variety that can survive at a wider range of climates and lower elevations.  Robusta coffee also has higher caffeine concentrations.  Under these bean classifications coffee is graded into a number of categories.  The highest classification is Specialty.  Under this highest grade all of the coffee beans are graded for size and defects.  There are a variety of ways to separate coffee beans for grading and sometimes it is done by hand.  Each individual bean is handled, graded and separated before packaging.  Specialty grade is still a large classification itself.  It includes the top 3% of coffee beans, which still leaves a large scale for differentiation.  One of the main ways to guarantee the best beans from the Specialty grade is to have an importer that makes relationships with farms and co-operatives.  If an importer tastes at origin and purchases straight from the farmers you are guaranteed to get amazing coffees.