What does Excelso mean in Colombian coffee grading?

Excelso is a Colombian green coffee grade based on bean size, designating beans retained by screen 15 but passing through screen 17 - the second-largest size category in the Colombian system, below Supremo (screen 17 and above). It's the most widely traded Colombian export grade by volume, forming the backbone of Colombia's commercial market.

Excelso is divided into quality tiers: UGQ (Usual Good Quality) is the standard commercial grade; EP (European Preparation) Excelso indicates additional sorting on top of machine processing.

Screen size is a useful quality proxy - larger, more uniform beans tend to roast more evenly. But grade tells you relatively little about cup quality on its own. A well-managed Excelso from Huila at 1,900 masl can easily outscore a generic Supremo from a lower-altitude commercial operation. The grade sets a floor; what happens above it depends on the people and practices behind the coffee.