Central American and Mexican altitude grades (SHB/HB, SHG/HG, Altura)

Most of Central America grades arabica by the altitude at which it grew, on the premise that cooler, higher farms give denser 'harder' beans. Guatemala, Costa Rica and Peru use the Hard Bean ladder (SHB, FHB or GHB, HB, MHB), while El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua use High Grown (SHG, HG, CS). The metre thresholds differ by country, as the table shows, and the designation says nothing about defects or cup, which are negotiated separately through preparations such as EP (European Preparation).

GuatemalaCosta RicaEl SalvadorHondurasNicaraguaMexicoPanamaPeru

Grades
8
Defect sample
500g
Screen sizes
2listed
Origins using it
8

The grades

In this atlas's own words
GradeWhat it requires
SHB (Strictly Hard Bean)Guatemala: 1,600-1,700 m and above; Costa Rica: above 1,350 m; Peru: 1,350 m and above.
FHB / GHB (Fancy or Good Hard Bean)Guatemala FHB 1,500-1,600 m; Costa Rica GHB 1,000-1,350 m.
HB (Hard Bean)Guatemala 1,350-1,500 m; Peru 1,200-1,350 m; Costa Rica below GHB.
MHB (Medium Hard Bean)Costa Rica, lower-altitude Pacific zones.
SHG (Strictly High Grown)El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua: 1,200 m and above.
HG (High Grown)El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua: 900-1,200 m.
CS (Central Standard)El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua: 500-900 m.
Altura / Prima Lavado (Mexico)Mexico uses 'Altura' for high-grown and preparations such as Strictly High, Extra Prima and Prima defined by screen percentage and defects.

How it is measured

Screen sizes

  • Mexico Strictly High: 75% at screen 15+
  • Mexico Extra Prima and Prima: 75% at screen 14+

Defects per 500 g

Mexican preparations cap defects per 500 g (Strictly High under 13 EP / 14-26 AP; Extra Prima and Prima under 21 EP / under 30 AP); the altitude grades themselves carry no defect count.

Altitude terms

SHBFHBGHBHBMHBSHGHGCSAltura

Other grading systems