<\/p>\n
Some shops and restaurant menus use the term A5+ Wagyu<\/strong>. Visually, it suggests a category above A5, as though the plus sign represented an official sixth level. In fact, the official Japanese grading system does not include an A5+ grade<\/strong>: A5 is already the highest combination of yield grade A and quality grade 5.<\/p>\n Why, then, is A5+ used? Usually as commercial shorthand to distinguish A5 beef that a seller considers exceptionally marbled or that falls within certain high BMS values. The problem begins when the plus sign is presented as though it were a separate official Japanese grade.<\/p>\n Japanese beef carcass grading combines two elements. The yield grade<\/strong> is expressed as A, B or C. The quality grade<\/strong> runs from 1 to 5.<\/p>\n Combining them creates grades such as A3, A4 and A5. A5 therefore means yield grade A and quality grade 5. There is no official A6 or A5+ grade issued by the Japan Meat Grading Association.<\/p>\n For the full basics, see what A5 Wagyu means<\/a>.<\/p>\n BMS, or Beef Marbling Standard, is used to evaluate marbling. The scale runs from 1 to 12. Within the official system, the marbling range associated with quality grade 5 is BMS 8\u201312<\/strong>.<\/p>\n This means two carcasses can both be A5 while still having different marbling levels within the quality-5 range. One may be BMS 8 and another BMS 12.<\/p>\n This is where some sellers use expressions such as A5+, A5 BMS 10+ or A5 BMS 12 to communicate that a product sits toward the upper end of the marbling range.<\/p>\n Because A5+ is not an official standardised grade, there is no universal definition<\/strong>. One retailer may use it for BMS 10\u201312, another only for BMS 12, and another simply as shorthand for \u201cspecially selected A5.\u201d<\/p>\n The plus sign therefore tells you little unless the seller defines it. The useful question is: what exact criterion does this seller use to call the beef A5+?<\/strong><\/p>\n Both can share the A5 grade because both fall within quality grade 5 and meet the other criteria required for that quality level. BMS 12, however, indicates a higher marbling score than BMS 8.<\/p>\n That does not create a new official grade above A5. It simply adds more precise information about one evaluated factor.<\/p>\n Our BMS guide<\/a> explains why the number should not be treated as a total flavour score.<\/p>\n Maximum marbling can be spectacular, but it also creates a much richer and fattier eating experience. Some consumers prefer BMS 8 or 9 because they perceive a stronger balance between muscle and fat.<\/p>\n A BMS 12 cut can be ideal for a tasting built around a few bites and still feel excessive to someone expecting to eat a large steak.<\/p>\n For that reason, more does not always mean better for you<\/strong>. Cut, portion and occasion matter just as much.<\/p>\n The carcass is graded at a standard evaluation point. That does not mean every muscle from the animal has exactly the same marbling pattern.<\/p>\n Ribeye, striploin and tenderloin from the same animal can show different fat distribution and produce different eating experiences.<\/p>\nHow the Japanese grading system actually works<\/h2>\n
So what does BMS measure?<\/h2>\n
A5+ can mean different things to different sellers<\/h2>\n
Is A5 BMS 12 officially above A5 BMS 8?<\/h2>\n
Higher BMS does not automatically mean better for everyone<\/h2>\n
A5 does not mean every cut looks identical<\/h2>\n