Screen sizes

Screen 16 Coffee

Screen 16 is where the volume grades meet the size-conscious specifications. It is also the cleanest number in the table: 16/64 inch is exactly a quarter inch, or 6.35 mm.

Last reviewed July 20262 min read

Quick answer

Screen 16 is a 16/64 inch perforation — exactly 6.35 mm, or a quarter of an inch. It forms the upper half of the Kenyan AB block and is Tanzania’s B grade. "Screen 16+" is the most common tightening request on Rwandan and Burundian washed lots, which are normally prepared to 15+.

The measurement

Screen number: 16
Perforation: 16/64 inch = 0.25 inch exactly
Millimetres: 6.35 mm exactly
Position: Upper half of the AB block in Kenya; grade B in Tanzania

Screen 16 inside the AB block

Kenyan and Tanzanian AB is the A and B fractions combined — roughly screens 15 and 16. Because AB is normally the largest single block in an outturn, screen 16 is where a lot of East African Arabica volume actually sits.

A buyer who wants the top of that distribution without paying an AA differential can ask for a 16+ separation from an AB preparation. It is a real and frequently granted request, and it changes the price basis — because pulling 16+ out of an AB parcel leaves a smaller, lower-value remainder behind.

The Rwanda and Burundi case

Rwandan and Burundian washing stations normally prepare to screen 15 and above. Screen 16+ is the standard tightening request when a buyer wants more size uniformity from those origins, and it is the most common screen conversation on a Great Lakes offer.

Expect a reduced outturn: 16+ removes a meaningful share of a 15+ parcel.
Expect a differential that reflects that reduction, not a quality upgrade.
On very small station lots, a 16+ request may reduce the parcel below a commercially viable size — worth checking before specifying.
The cup is unchanged. If the objective is a better cup, tighten the station or the harvest week, not the screen.

Ask for a 16+ separation

We can quote a 16+ preparation against Rwandan, Burundian, Kenyan and Tanzanian lots — with the outturn consequence stated up front.

Request Current Crop Offer

Frequently asked questions

How many millimetres is screen 16?

Exactly 6.35 mm. Screen 16 is 16/64 inch, which is a quarter of an inch.

What does screen 16+ mean on a Rwandan offer?

It means the parcel has been re-screened so that it is retained on a screen 16 sieve, rather than the 15+ preparation that is standard for the origin. It reduces the parcel size and carries a differential; it does not change the cup.

Is screen 16 part of AB?

Yes. Kenyan and Tanzanian AB combines the A and B fractions, approximately screens 15 and 16. Screen 16 is the upper half of that block.

Tell us the coffee you need

Lots can be specified by origin, region, process, grade, screen, moisture, defect tolerance, crop year and packaging. Send what you know and we will confirm what each origin realistically supports.