How does Rainforest Alliance certified coffee shape Blue Mountain beans?

Front Street Blue Mountain No. 1 coffee beans come from Jamaica's Clifton Mount Estate, described as the only estate in the Blue Mountain region holding Rainforest Alliance certification. The green frog logo marks beans that pass the audit, which limits pesticide use and checks waste disposal. For brewing, the medium-dark roast carries nutty, dark chocolate and caramel notes, and a KONO dripper with staged pouring brings them out.

According to the article, Jamaican export rules require Blue Mountain coffee beans to ship in wooden barrels, and the Jamaica Coffee Board issues a certificate per batch so buyers can verify authenticity. The brewing guide covers coffee-to-water ratio, water temperature and grind size, since each changes the final cup. The same certification standards apply to Rainforest Alliance coffee beans sold elsewhere.

Blue Mountain coffee is a legendary coffee nurtured by the Blue Mountains of Jamaica. Among these, Front Street Blue Mountain No. 1 coffee beans come from the historic Clifton Mount Estate, which is also the only estate in the region to obtain Rainforest Alliance certification. This article will guide you through the origin background, certification system, and roasting approach of Front Street Blue Mountain No. 1 coffee beans, as well as how to fully release the nutty, dark chocolate, and caramel sweetness of this medium-dark roasted coffee through the KONO dripper and staged pouring technique. From the coffee-to-water ratio, water temperature, to grind size, every detail affects the final flavor expression. If you want to know how to brew authentic Blue Mountain No. 1 as pour-over so it tastes great, this article will provide a complete answer.

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Front Street Blue Mountain No. 1 coffee is so well-known that even people who normally don't touch coffee have mostly heard of it. Blue Mountain coffee has always been famous for its high price, but over the past decade or so, the market situation has changed somewhat.

Front Street Blue Mountain No. 1 coffee beans are produced at the Clifton Mount Estate, which has the longest coffee-growing history in the Jamaica Blue Mountains. This estate is also the only coffee estate in the Blue Mountain region to obtain Rainforest Alliance (RA) certification. The Rainforest Alliance protects farms that meet its standards and their surrounding ecosystems, restricts pesticide use, and evaluates indicators such as waste disposal. Only coffee that passes the audit and obtains certification is eligible to be called "Rainforest Alliance Certified Coffee."

Coffee estates that obtain this certification will print the green frog logo on the packaging of their export beans. According to Jamaican government regulations, all Blue Mountain coffee beans for export must be packed in wooden barrels. To enable consumers to identify whether the Blue Mountain coffee they purchase is authentic, the Jamaica Coffee Board issues a certificate for each batch of exported Blue Mountain coffee.

There are three types of certificates:

(1) Quality certificate issued by the Jamaica Coffee Board

(2) Authorized sales certificate issued by Blue Mountain coffee producers. (Blue Mountain coffee is distributed by 4 Jamaican government-licensed processors and exporters, and exported by 16 licensed exporters)

(3) Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee Certificate of Origin

The quality certificate will indicate the time and quantity. The Jamaica Coffee Board randomly selects one package from the submitted Blue Mountain coffee for inspection. If it meets Blue Mountain coffee standards, a certificate is issued. At the offline store of Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee), you can see the certification certificate issued by Clifton Mount Estate, as well as the Blue Mountain coffee wooden barrel printed with the green frog logo.

How are Front Street Blue Mountain No. 1 coffee beans roasted?

The variety of Front Street Blue Mountain No. 1 coffee belongs to the oldest and cleanest-flavored branch of the Arabica family — Typica, possessing a clean mouthfeel and a delicate, balanced flavor.

The reason generation after generation of coffee professionals are fascinated by Front Street Blue Mountain coffee is more because this bean, after deep roasting, presents an extremely balanced and full-bodied coffee taste, drinking steady and stable, making one feel grounded.

We hope that in the Front Street Blue Mountain No. 1 coffee beans we sell, we can both retain the balanced and full-bodied coffee taste and make the mouthfeel layers a bit richer. Therefore, Front Street does not roast too dark, but rather discharges the beans before they enter second crack, retaining a small amount of the coffee beans' superior acidity. To let every customer taste the most complete coffee flavor, Front Street always ships within 5 days after the coffee beans are roasted, ensuring all sold beans are 100% freshly roasted.

Through Front Street Coffee's cupping comparison, the medium-dark roasted Front Street Blue Mountain No. 1 coffee beans can display a balanced character of acidity, sweetness, and bitterness, with soft fruit acidity, dark chocolate-like full body, and caramel-like sweetness.

How to brew Front Street Blue Mountain No. 1 coffee beans so it tastes great?

Medium-dark roasted beans usually have a higher dehydration rate, and thus are lighter in weight. During brewing, the coffee grounds will not completely sink to the bottom, and will be quickly absorbed as soon as water is poured. Due to vigorous degassing, the coffee bed is surrounded by bubbles, which easily forms channels. The fresher the beans, the longer these channels last, causing the water level to drop faster. Therefore, I generally use a coarse stream and slow circular pouring.

Dripper: KONO

Water temperature: 88°C

Grind size: medium-coarse grind (70% passing rate on China No. 20 standard sieve)

Coffee dose: 15g

Coffee-to-water ratio: 1:15

Staged pouring: First, wet the coffee bed with water weighing twice the coffee grounds to form a dome, and bloom for 30 seconds. Then, pour in a circular motion from inside to outside with a small stream, and pause the stage at 125g. When the coffee bed drops to half the height of the dripper, pour the third stage with the same fine stream to 225g. After all the coffee liquid has filtered through, remove the dripper. Total time is about 2 minutes. Finally, swirl the coffee liquid in the server to mix it evenly, and it's ready to enjoy.

When brewing Front Street Blue Mountain No. 1 coffee beans, you can smell the caramel aroma during the blooming stage. On the palate, you can taste rich nutty and dark chocolate flavors. The overall mouthfeel is full, with a sweet and clear finish.

The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.