Why Does Jamaican Coffee Still Matter Today?

Jamaican coffee, above all Blue Mountain, remains a scarce classic even in the Geisha era. Cultivation began in the 18th century under French colonial rule, and in 1932 production peaked at more than 15,000 tons. The government created the Coffee Industry Board in 1950 to set grading standards and control quality.

The Typica variety grows slowly in the cool hills, and washed processing keeps the cup balanced and mellow. Jamaica sits in the coffee belt, so the ideal climate for growing coffee here means high altitude, steady rainfall and cloud cover. Japanese promotion made Blue Mountain famous worldwide, and grading still sorts beans by size and origin.

At a time when Geisha is all the rage, Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee remains an irreplaceable classic in the hearts of countless coffee lovers. It is scarce in production and has a balanced, mellow flavor, and it became world-famous after being promoted in the Japanese market. This article will take you through the cultivation history and origin conditions of Blue Mountain coffee, the characteristics of the Typica variety, washed and natural processing methods, the grading system for Jamaican coffee, and Front Street Coffee’s recommended pour-over recipe for Clifton Estate Blue Mountain No. 1. Whether you are new to Blue Mountain or a seasoned connoisseur, you will find valuable information here.

In an era dominated by Geisha, it sits firmly and indisputably at the top of specialty coffee. Since making its name at Panama BOP in 2004, Geisha has remained synonymous with specialty coffee. But for practitioners like Front Street, there is one coffee that is always unforgettable: Jamaican Blue Mountain. In earlier years, Blue Mountain was regarded as a benchmark in the coffee world, with extremely low production yet a balanced, rich flavor, and the Japanese spread its good name around the globe. Even today, Blue Mountain still carries considerable weight in the minds of coffee fans, even if its competitiveness no longer matches that of Geisha. Now Front Street will chat with everyone about the story behind Blue Mountain coffee.

History of Blue Mountain Coffee

Coffee cultivation in Jamaica dates back to the 18th century. In 1717, during the French colonial period in Jamaica, King Louis XV ordered the development of coffee cultivation there. In the mid-20th century, Sir Nicholas Lawes, then Governor of Jamaica, introduced Arabica seeds from what was then called Martinique and first trialed planting in the St. Andrew area. After the seedlings survived, they were gradually promoted outward, and Jamaica’s coffee industry rapidly grew. In 1932, production peaked at more than 15,000 tons. To control quality, the Jamaican government established the Coffee Industry Board in 1950 to set grading standards, and this institution is the highest coffee management authority under state jurisdiction.

Blue Mountain Growing Conditions

The prerequisite is that Jamaica lies within the coffee-growing belt between the northern and southern latitudes. The name Blue Mountain comes from the Blue Mountain range being surrounded by the Caribbean island; the mountains are close to the sea, and after sunlight strikes the sea surface, the peaks reflect the color of the seawater, blooming with brilliant blue light, hence the name. In addition to being near the equator, the Blue Mountain range also has an excellent elevation advantage, with no industrial pollution, crisp air, and abundant annual rainfall of between 1,500 and 2,000 millimeters. The range sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, where volcanic activity has created fertile soil, while the lower coastal temperatures bring abundant moisture, and the mountains are shrouded in mist and clouds year-round, forming an ideal coffee-growing environment.

Blue Mountain Coffee Variety

Blue Mountain is planted with Typica, one of the oldest native varieties of Arabica. After being transplanted to the Blue Mountain range, it adapted to the local climate and developed a unique flavor. Typica trees have short internodes and relatively small wavy undulations in the leaves, and one identifying feature is the color of the top leaves. Its top leaves are copper-red, which is also a marker for distinguishing Typica, hence the nickname “copper-top coffee.” Typica inherits Arabica’s excellent genes, with a rich flavor, sweet and fresh character, distinct layers on the palate, and notes of fruit and floral fragrance. It is a variety commonly used in today’s specialty coffee and has extremely high commercial value. But it also carries Arabica’s delicate traits: it is not resistant to leaf rust, has poor disease resistance, and yields relatively little.

Blue Mountain Coffee Processing Methods

Currently, Blue Mountain coffee has two processing methods: natural and washed. Traditionally, Blue Mountain uses washed processing, and in 2020 a groundbreaking natural Blue Mountain appeared, but in extremely small batches. The washed method is as follows: first, sort the harvested ripe coffee cherries, select the high-quality fruit, and remove the skin with a depulper. Next, soak and ferment the separated coffee seeds for 12 to 18 hours. After fermentation, put the beans into a channel and push them manually, using the friction between the water flow and the beans to remove remaining pulp until the coffee beans are washed smooth and clean. Finally, dry the washed beans in the sun, reduce the moisture content to 12% to 14%, remove defective beans, and bag them for storage. Every step must be rigorous and meticulous; a slight mistake can affect coffee quality.

Blue Mountain Coffee Grading

Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee: only coffee grown at elevations of 666 to 1,524 meters can be called true Blue Mountain coffee

Jamaica High Mountain Coffee: coffee produced below 666 meters is called Jamaican coffee, also known as High Mountain coffee

Jamaica Mountain Coffee: coffee grown outside the Blue Mountain range is called Blue Mountain range coffee

Blue Mountain coffee and High Mountain coffee are each further divided into two grades, from highest to lowest quality: Blue Mountain No. 1, Blue Mountain No. 2, Blue Mountain No. 3, and PB beans. PB is a single seed inside a coffee cherry, also called a peaberry, and is listed as a separate grade. Blue Mountain No. 1 has the best quality, with bean size of 17 screen, a defect rate below 3%, and a moisture content of about 13%.

Blue Mountain Flavor and Mouthfeel

Blue Mountain coffee is known for its balance, with acidity, sweetness, and bitterness interwoven just right, as if each stays in its proper place without conflicting with the others. Basically, no bitterness can be tasted, a slight fruity acidity can be felt, the mouthfeel is close to fruit juice, the body is moderate, and the aroma is rich and alluring.

That is all for the story of Blue Mountain coffee for now. If you want to learn more about Blue Mountain, you can follow the Blue Mountain coffee articles published by Front Street. Front Street’s Blue Mountain coffee comes from Jamaica’s long-established Clifton Estate and is Blue Mountain No. 1. Just thinking about it makes one’s mouth water, so let’s start brewing!

FrontStreet Coffee Jamaican Clifton Estate Blue Mountain No. 1

Estate: Clifton

Location: Newcastle area

Altitude: 1,310 meters

Processing method: washed

Variety: Typica

Parameters: Kono dripper, water temperature 88°, grind bg-6s, coffee-to-water ratio 1:15, three-stage extraction

Brewing: bloom with one times the water amount for 30s, pour 90g of water in the second stage in a slow circular pour, and when the water level drops and is about to expose the coffee bed, begin the third pour; stop brewing at 225g. Once dripping is complete, remove the dripper, keeping the extraction time controlled at 2:00-2:05.

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