Black Pepper
Kerala Black Pepper — The Original Black Gold
Here’s the breakdown for Kerala black pepper — it’s called “black gold” for a reason. Kerala, especially Wayanad, Idukki, and the Malabar coast, is where the best Indian pepper comes from.
1. Main Kerala Pepper Grades by Size
Unlike cardamom, pepper grades are based on mm hole size of sieves. Bigger = bolder, more pungent, pricier.
TGSEB — Tellicherry Garbled Special Extra Bold
Size: 4.75mm+
Moisture: 11% max
World’s highest quality. Jumbo size, biting heat, fresh aroma. From Wayanad. Ideal for gourmet use, whole dishes, and gifting.
TGEB — Tellicherry Garbled Extra Bold
Size: 4.25mm
Moisture: 11% max
Large, bold flavor. Premium export grade suitable for steaks, premium retail, and grinders.
TG — Tellicherry Garbled
Size: 4.00mm
Moisture: 11% max
Standard Tellicherry grade with strong pungency and balanced flavor for general cooking and export.
MG-1 — Malabar Garbled 1
Size: ~4mm+
Moisture: 11%
High quality Malabar pepper with a slightly greenish hue. Excellent for curries and spice blends.
MG-2 — Malabar Garbled 2
Slightly smaller berries with good quality aroma and flavor. Commonly used in retail and food service.
BB1
Size: 4.5mm
Density: 550 g/L
Bold Malabar type suitable for export and grinding applications.
Pinhead
Sizes: 1mm, 1.5mm, 2mm
Under-developed berries with granular texture, mainly used for fine powders, sauces, and spice blends.
Garbled vs Ungarbled
Garbled: Cleaned pepper with stems, dust, and foreign matter removed. TGSEB, MG-1, and MG-2 are garbled grades.
Ungarbled: Less processed pepper containing husk and light berries. More economical commercial grades include MUG-1 to MUG-4L.
2. Light Berries Grades
Light berries are immature low-density berries that float on water. Lower percentages indicate denser and higher quality pepper.
MUG-1 — 2% Light Berries | 11% Moisture
MUG-2 — 10% Light Berries | 12% Moisture
MUG-3L — 15% Light Berries | 12% Moisture
MUG-4L — 20% Light Berries | 12% Moisture
GL-1 — 5% Light Berries | 5% Moisture
GL-2 — 10% Light Berries | 10% Moisture
GL-3 — 15% Light Berries | 15% Moisture
3. Kerala Black Pepper Quality Specs
Exporters and mills commonly evaluate the following quality parameters:
Moisture: ≤12% typical. TGSEB and TGEB maintained at 11% max.
Piperine Content: 3–6% depending on origin. Kerala pepper is naturally high in piperine.
Volatile Oil: 1–3%
Total Ash: ≤6–7%
Density: 450–550 g/L for whole pepper. BB1 reaches 550 g/L density.
Foreign Matter: Near zero in garbled grades.
Color: Dark brown to black with Malabar grades often showing a greenish hue.
Odour: Strong, characteristic pepper aroma.
Taste: Sharp, pungent, and spicy.
4. Tellicherry vs Malabar — What’s the Difference?
Tellicherry Pepper: Sourced around the Thalassery region. Left longer on the vine for maturity, producing larger berries (4.25mm–4.75mm+) with fruity and complex aroma.
Malabar Pepper: Broader Kerala origin harvested slightly earlier. Typically around 4mm with robust pungency and slight greenish coloration.
TGSEB is considered the king grade with jumbo 4.75mm+ berries from Wayanad.
5. Other Forms
Pinhead 1mm–2mm: Under-developed berries finely ground for blends and masalas.
Cracked / Ground: TGSEB and TGEB also available as cracked or powdered pepper.
Steam-Sterilized: Processed for microbial control for export to US and EU markets.
Organic: Available from certified pesticide-free farms in Kerala.
6. How to Judge Kerala Pepper When Buying
1. Size: Bigger berries indicate more oil and stronger flavor. 4.75mm TGSEB is considered premium.
2. Density: Good pepper sinks in water while poor-quality light berries float.
3. Color: Uniform dark brown-black berries indicate freshness. Greyish color often means old stock.
4. Wrinkles: Deep wrinkles indicate proper sun-drying. Smooth berries are often immature.
5. Aroma: Fresh pepper should smell sharp, floral, and slightly camphor-like when crushed.
Quick rule: For whole use and gifting, TGSEB 4.75mm+ is ideal. For daily cooking, TGEB or MG-1 works perfectly. For grinding into masalas, TG or MG-2 are excellent commercial choices.
Kerala Pepper Harvest
Harvest season runs from December to March, with fresh crop arrivals during January and February offering the highest oil content and aroma.
Here’s the breakdown for Kerala black pepper — it’s called “black gold” for a reason. Kerala, especially Wayanad, Idukki, and the Malabar coast, is where the best Indian pepper comes from.
1. Main Kerala Pepper Grades by Size
Unlike cardamom, pepper grades are based on mm hole size of sieves. Bigger = bolder, more pungent, pricier.
TGSEB — Tellicherry Garbled Special Extra Bold
Size: 4.75mm+
Moisture: 11% max
World’s highest quality. Jumbo size, biting heat, fresh aroma. From Wayanad. Ideal for gourmet use, whole dishes, and gifting.
TGEB — Tellicherry Garbled Extra Bold
Size: 4.25mm
Moisture: 11% max
Large, bold flavor. Premium export grade suitable for steaks, premium retail, and grinders.
TG — Tellicherry Garbled
Size: 4.00mm
Moisture: 11% max
Standard Tellicherry grade with strong pungency and balanced flavor for general cooking and export.
MG-1 — Malabar Garbled 1
Size: ~4mm+
Moisture: 11%
High quality Malabar pepper with a slightly greenish hue. Excellent for curries and spice blends.
MG-2 — Malabar Garbled 2
Slightly smaller berries with good quality aroma and flavor. Commonly used in retail and food service.
BB1
Size: 4.5mm
Density: 550 g/L
Bold Malabar type suitable for export and grinding applications.
Pinhead
Sizes: 1mm, 1.5mm, 2mm
Under-developed berries with granular texture, mainly used for fine powders, sauces, and spice blends.
Garbled vs Ungarbled
Garbled: Cleaned pepper with stems, dust, and foreign matter removed. TGSEB, MG-1, and MG-2 are garbled grades.
Ungarbled: Less processed pepper containing husk and light berries. More economical commercial grades include MUG-1 to MUG-4L.
2. Light Berries Grades
Light berries are immature low-density berries that float on water. Lower percentages indicate denser and higher quality pepper.
MUG-1 — 2% Light Berries | 11% Moisture
MUG-2 — 10% Light Berries | 12% Moisture
MUG-3L — 15% Light Berries | 12% Moisture
MUG-4L — 20% Light Berries | 12% Moisture
GL-1 — 5% Light Berries | 5% Moisture
GL-2 — 10% Light Berries | 10% Moisture
GL-3 — 15% Light Berries | 15% Moisture
3. Kerala Black Pepper Quality Specs
Exporters and mills commonly evaluate the following quality parameters:
Moisture: ≤12% typical. TGSEB and TGEB maintained at 11% max.
Piperine Content: 3–6% depending on origin. Kerala pepper is naturally high in piperine.
Volatile Oil: 1–3%
Total Ash: ≤6–7%
Density: 450–550 g/L for whole pepper. BB1 reaches 550 g/L density.
Foreign Matter: Near zero in garbled grades.
Color: Dark brown to black with Malabar grades often showing a greenish hue.
Odour: Strong, characteristic pepper aroma.
Taste: Sharp, pungent, and spicy.
4. Tellicherry vs Malabar — What’s the Difference?
Tellicherry Pepper: Sourced around the Thalassery region. Left longer on the vine for maturity, producing larger berries (4.25mm–4.75mm+) with fruity and complex aroma.
Malabar Pepper: Broader Kerala origin harvested slightly earlier. Typically around 4mm with robust pungency and slight greenish coloration.
TGSEB is considered the king grade with jumbo 4.75mm+ berries from Wayanad.
5. Other Forms
Pinhead 1mm–2mm: Under-developed berries finely ground for blends and masalas.
Cracked / Ground: TGSEB and TGEB also available as cracked or powdered pepper.
Steam-Sterilized: Processed for microbial control for export to US and EU markets.
Organic: Available from certified pesticide-free farms in Kerala.
6. How to Judge Kerala Pepper When Buying
1. Size: Bigger berries indicate more oil and stronger flavor. 4.75mm TGSEB is considered premium.
2. Density: Good pepper sinks in water while poor-quality light berries float.
3. Color: Uniform dark brown-black berries indicate freshness. Greyish color often means old stock.
4. Wrinkles: Deep wrinkles indicate proper sun-drying. Smooth berries are often immature.
5. Aroma: Fresh pepper should smell sharp, floral, and slightly camphor-like when crushed.
Quick rule: For whole use and gifting, TGSEB 4.75mm+ is ideal. For daily cooking, TGEB or MG-1 works perfectly. For grinding into masalas, TG or MG-2 are excellent commercial choices.
Kerala Pepper Harvest
Harvest season runs from December to March, with fresh crop arrivals during January and February offering the highest oil content and aroma.