What Makes Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee Authentic?

Blue Mountain coffee takes its name from Jamaica's Blue Mountain range, and genuine Jamaican Blue Mountain is far removed from the flavored drinks sold on supermarket shelves and in vending machines. Real grading is set by the CIB, the Coffee Industry Board. The long-famous estates in the range, including Blue Baron Estate and Clifton Estate, supply the beans that carry the protected name.

Blue Mountain coffee has both washed and natural processing, but historically it used only the washed method, which preserves the producing region's inherent flavor and keeps the cup cleaner and more transparent. A typical washed Blue Mountain No. 1 from the Clifton Estate is Typica variety grown at 1,310 meters, with brown sugar sweetness, berry acidity, nutty and cocoa notes mid-cup, a creamy mouthfeel, and a walnut aftertaste.

The name Blue Mountain coffee is almost universally known in coffee circles, and drinks bearing the "Blue Mountain flavor" label can be seen everywhere on supermarket shelves and in vending machines, but these are far removed from the real Jamaican Blue Mountain. What exactly gives authentic Blue Mountain coffee its name? How are its grades classified? And what is the background of those long-famous estates in the Blue Mountain range? This article, from the perspective of Front Street Coffee, will sort out the naming origins, historical context, authenticity identification methods, and the grading system established by the CIB, while also introducing the background of core producing areas such as Blue Baron Estate. At the end, it will also share the brewing parameters and flavor performance of Front Street Jamaican Blue Mountain No. 1, helping coffee lovers gain a more comprehensive understanding of this legendary coffee.

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Front Street believes every coffee lover has heard the name Blue Mountain coffee countless times; it is so famous that it is almost everywhere—on supermarket shelves, and even in automatic beverage vending machines. However, these products are clearly not real Blue Mountain coffee; at best, they can only be considered caffeinated drinks with a Blue Mountain flavor. So what exactly is Blue Mountain coffee in the true sense? This article from Front Street will take a good look at that.

Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee): Jamaican washed Blue Mountain No. 1 coffee beans

Country: Jamaica Region: Blue Mountain (Clifton Estate) Altitude: 1310m Variety: Typica Processing method: Washed processing Flavor: The entry has the sweetness of brown sugar and the acidity of berries; the middle and finish carry nutty and cocoa flavors, and the mouthfeel is creamy, with rich and obvious layers, while the aftertaste has the aroma of walnuts.

As Front Street mentioned above, Blue Mountain coffee has both washed and natural processing methods, but tracing back to its roots, Blue Mountain coffee originally used only washed processing. The reason is that the washed method better preserves the inherent flavor characteristics of the producing region, making the coffee taste cleaner and more transparent. Therefore, Blue Mountain coffee has long continued to use washed processing to present the purest flavor expression.

When introducing coffee beans from any producing region to coffee fans, Front Street usually gives priority to recommending washed batches. The reason is simple—washed processing most faithfully reflects the flavor profile of that producing region, and the same is true of Front Street's Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee.

Clifton Estate

The two Front Street Blue Mountain coffees mentioned above both come from the oldest estate in the Blue Mountain range—Clifton Estate. This estate has another special feature: it is the only estate in Jamaica to obtain Rainforest certification. The threshold for obtaining this certification is quite high; the applicant's farm must meet the various standards set by the Rainforest Alliance. The alliance systematically evaluates the protection of the farm and its surrounding ecosystem, restrictions on pesticide use, waste management, and other aspects. Only coffee that successfully passes the assessment and obtains certification is eligible to be called Rainforest Alliance Certified coffee.

The symbol of Rainforest certification is a green frog, so any Blue Mountain coffee with this green frog printed on the barrel must come from Clifton Estate. This has also become a practical way to identify the authenticity of Blue Mountain coffee.

The history of Blue Mountain coffee

Blue Mountain coffee comes from Jamaica. According to Front Street, its history can be traced back to the 18th century, when the British introduced Typica coffee trees to the Jamaican Blue Mountains. The Blue Mountain range has uniquely favorable soil conditions and climate, especially the high-altitude mountainous areas that are shrouded in clouds and mist all year round, providing ideal conditions for the growth of coffee trees. Therefore, the coffee beans produced here are exceptionally outstanding in quality and were highly favored by the royal family.

For this reason, by 1800, the number of plantations in Jamaica's Blue Mountain area had reached about 686; by 1814, Jamaica's coffee export volume had climbed to 15,199 tons, making Jamaica one of the important coffee-producing countries in the Western Hemisphere at that time.

However, after the slave trade was abolished in 1807, Jamaica's main labor force became the black population, and the source of labor for coffee plantations was completely cut off, after which coffee production began to decline. In 1838, black slaves in Jamaica gained full emancipation. A large number of black slaves who had originally worked on coffee estates left and instead reclaimed wasteland on other plots in the Blue Mountains, further reducing Blue Mountain coffee production.

In 1850, Jamaica's coffee plantations sharply decreased from the original 686 to 186, and coffee export volume plummeted to 1,486 tons. Over the following hundred years, the operating model of Jamaica's Blue Mountains also underwent a fundamental change, evolving from the former large-plantation model to a small-scale coffee farmer cultivation model. Small-scale cultivation naturally lacked professionalism, and the quality of Jamaican coffee therefore began to decline. By 1943, Canada, one of the largest importers of Jamaican coffee, was the first to announce that it would no longer accept the quality of Jamaican coffee, and neighboring United States followed suit and stopped imports.

In 1944, Jamaica finally established a central washing processing plant. This measure was actively promoted by A.J. Wakefield, then Agricultural Inspector for the British West Indies, and was approved and established by the Jamaican government. The government also stipulated that all exported coffee must be uniformly purchased, processed, and graded by this institution before export. This meant that Jamaica began to formally attach importance to coffee quality, and with strong government support, the quality of Blue Mountain coffee was gradually improved.

In 1950, the Jamaican government established the Jamaica Coffee Industry Board, which was responsible for formulating quality standards for Jamaican coffee and supervising the implementation of those standards to ensure the stability of Jamaican coffee quality. The board issues special official seals for Jamaica's exported green coffee and roasted coffee.

In 1969, Jamaica was severely hit by a hurricane. At that time, Japan's UCC Ueshima Coffee introduced ecological technology into coffee cultivation, helping Jamaica's coffee industry recover its vitality. To express gratitude, the Jamaican government signed a contract with Japan in 1971, agreeing to ship 90% of each year's production to Japan. Most of the remaining 10% had already entered the hands of wealthy individuals or the royal family before flowing into the market. That is why Front Street said above that authentic Blue Mountain coffee is definitely extremely difficult to drink.

By 1981, about 1,500 hectares of land in Jamaica had been reclaimed for coffee cultivation, and then additional investment developed another 6,000 hectares of coffee land. In fact, today's Blue Mountain area is only a small place with a cultivation area of 6,000 hectares, and it is impossible for all coffee marked "Blue Mountain" to come from there. Moreover, 12,000 hectares of that land are used to grow two other types of coffee: High Mountain Supreme and Jamaica Coffee.

According to Front Street, Jamaica is the only country in the world with a government-level coffee management agency, namely the Jamaica Coffee Industry Board (CIB for short). CIB's functions cover cultivation technical guidance, processing training, fair trade, quality supervision, and a series of matters related to the quality and brand of Jamaican Blue Mountain. CIB's board members are all estate owners in Jamaica with plantations above a certain scale (due to industrial transfer, newly certified Jamaican Blue Mountain estates now need an area of more than 50 hectares). CIB stipulates that only coffee beans produced in Jamaican Blue Mountain producing areas above 2,200 feet can be named Jamaican Blue Mountain. This is also why authentic Blue Mountain coffee is expensive—things are precious when they are rare, and even with money, one may not necessarily be able to drink 100% pure Blue Mountain coffee.

Real and fake Blue Mountain coffee

As Front Street said above, it is not easy to drink authentic Blue Mountain coffee. Many unscrupulous merchants, seeing the fame of Blue Mountain coffee, mix and blend coffee beans from other producing regions with similar flavors to pass them off as Blue Mountain coffee, and this so-called Blue Mountain coffee made from blended beans actually does not contain even a single Blue Mountain coffee bean. So how can coffee fans identify authentic Blue Mountain coffee beans? Next, Front Street will explain them one by one.

How to identify authentic Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee beans

According to Front Street, CIB stipulates that only coffee beans produced in Jamaican Blue Mountain producing areas above 2,200 feet can be called Jamaican Blue Mountain, and their grades are divided by bean size into NO.1, NO.2, NO.3, and hand-selected PB. Among them, the basic standards for NO.1 Blue Mountain green beans are: beans of 17 screen size or above, a defect rate below 3%, a moisture content of about 13%, etc. At present, on the market, the Jamaica Coffee Board can issue certificates for all exported Blue Mountain coffee.

Front Street has learned that the earliest "Jamaican Blue Mountain" referred to coffee produced by Wallenford Estate and Silver Hill Estate, among which the Blue Mountain coffee produced by Wallenford Estate was of the best quality; today's Jamaican Blue Mountain refers to coffee beans grown in the Blue Mountain area east of Jamaica's capital Kingston (at an altitude above 1,000 meters). At present, Mavis Bank is the largest estate, and its barrels are marked M.B.C.F. Jamaican Blue Mountain has very strict quality control, with certification work carried out by the government's Coffee Industry Board.

At present, there are six marks that can represent the origin of Blue Mountain coffee, such as Mavis Bank Central Factory (M.B.C.E), Blue Mountain Coffee Cooperative Factory (M.H.C.C.T.), Portland Blue Mountain Coffee Cooperative Factory (P.X.X.S.H.), Coffee Industry Association (Wallenford), Coffee Industry Association (St. John's Peak), and Blue Ridge (J.A.S), etc. In addition, some estate levels will be separately noted on the barrels.

Blue Mountain coffee is so far the only coffee-producing region among all coffees that uses wooden barrels to pack green beans; all other coffee exports use burlap sacks.

Based on what Front Street said above, the authenticity of Blue Mountain coffee can be identified through the following three standards:

(1) A quality certificate issued by the Jamaica Coffee Board

(2) An authorized sales certificate issued by the Blue Mountain coffee producer. (Blue Mountain coffee is distributed by 4 processing producers licensed by the Jamaican government and exported by 16 licensed exporters.)

(3) Certificate of origin for Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee

Secondly, as Front Street said above, in Jamaica only coffee beans grown above 910 meters can be called Blue Mountain coffee, and the grading of Blue Mountain coffee beans is based on bean size and quality. Of course, different grades also correspond to different prices. Next, Front Street will introduce the grading standards for Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee beans to coffee fans.

Grading of Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee

Blue Mountain coffee is divided into four grades by quality, from high to low: NO.1, NO.2, NO.3, and PB, with PB being peaberry. Front Street Coffee's Blue Mountain coffee beans are Blue Mountain No. 1, which is also praised as the finest among Blue Mountain coffees and therefore the highest-priced among all Blue Mountain coffee categories. Blue Mountain No. 1 is produced in the mountainous area of Jamaica's Blue Mountains at an altitude of about 910–1,700 meters. Because the coffee trees grow on steep mountainside terrain, the yield is scarce, but the beans are large, of excellent quality, and well balanced in flavor, with appropriate acidity, bitterness, aroma, body, and sweetness. It is recognized by coffee fans worldwide as the finest, and the price of Blue Mountain No. 1 naturally becomes the highest among all Blue Mountain coffees.

Blue Mountain coffee bean grades

Blue Mountain No. 1 beans: 96% of the coffee beans must be screen size 17/18, with no more than 2% defective beans.

Blue Mountain No. 2 beans: 96% of the coffee beans must be screen size 16, with no more than 2% defective beans.

Blue Mountain No. 3 beans: 96% of the coffee beans must be screen size 15, with no more than 2% defective beans. Blue Mountain peaberry: 96% of the coffee beans must be single round peaberries of screen size 10, with no more than 2% defective beans. Blue Mountain mixed beans: a mixture of Blue Mountain No. 1, No. 2, and No. 3 beans, with a small number of slight defects, but not affecting the cup quality of the coffee.

Blue Mountain fine beans: coffee beans below screen size 15, with no more than 2% defective beans. This portion of beans is sold only in sample mode, and the price is determined by demand conditions.

Blue Mountain mixed peaberry: mixed Blue Mountain peaberry, with a small number of slight defects, but very good cup quality, with no more than 4% defective beans.

The above is the relevant information about Blue Mountain coffee compiled by Front Street. Before offering each new bean to coffee fans for tasting, Front Street conducts extensive roasting cupping and brewing data testing in order to derive the most delicious roasting and brewing plan, so that coffee fans can taste the best flavor of the coffee. Next, Front Street will share the brewing data for Front Street Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee.

Front Street brewing data sharing

Front Street uses a KONO dripper when brewing Blue Mountain coffee. The KONO dripper can bring out a rounder and fuller body, and the flavor expression is more direct. However, the KONO dripper's exhaust effect is relatively poor because its ribs are straight and only one quarter of the dripper's depth; apart from the area above that quarter, the filter paper clings tightly to the wall of the dripper and forms a sealed state. The reason for choosing the KONO dripper is that the only exhaust area of this dripper is that quarter rib area. When the water level passes over the rib area, the amount of water in the dripper keeps rising, increasing pressure through the weight of the water. Because the outlet is relatively small, it can extend the contact time between coffee particles and water. As the water flow drives it, soluble substances can be more effectively extracted, generally achieving the high-body effect expected by guests.

Coffee powder amount: 15g Powder-to-water ratio: 1:15 Water temperature: 88-89°C Grind size: medium-coarse grind (75% passing rate on No. 20 standard sieve)

Front Street's segmented brewing method: bloom with 30 grams of water for 30 seconds, then pour 100 grams of water in a small stream in a slow circular motion from the center outward, that is, the electronic scale shows 130 grams. Then wait for the coffee bed to drop to the halfway point and pour 65 grams of water in a large stream, reaching a total water amount of 195 grams. After all the coffee liquid in the dripper has flowed into the server, remove the dripper and end extraction. Total brewing time is 1 minute 50 seconds.

Brewing flavor description

[Washed Blue Mountain] The entry has flavors of dark chocolate and nuts, with high cleanliness, very bright, good body, and a balance of acidity, sweetness, and bitterness.

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