How Does Washed Processing Shape Blue Mountain Coffee?

Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee earns its reputation through strict origin certification and meticulous wet processing. Only beans grown within the Blue Mountain range at 3,000 to 5,000 feet, processed at certified facilities, and approved by the Coffee Industry Board may carry the name, which is why the finished green coffee bean shows such consistent quality.

Coffee reached Jamaica in the 18th century, first seedlings from Martinique, and by 1790 refugees from Haiti brought cultivation skills to the Blue Mountain area. After slavery was abolished in 1838, freed growers expanded the crop. Washed processing separates flat beans from round beans and supports the size grading, altitude classification, and cup assessment that define authentic Blue Mountain.

The worldwide fame of Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee is inseparable from its unique cultivation history, strict origin certification system, and meticulous wet-processing techniques. This article will trace the journey of coffee from its introduction to Jamaica in the 18th century to its establishment and development in the Blue Mountain region, explain the production area boundaries and quality inspection system set by the Coffee Industry Board of Jamaica for Blue Mountain coffee, and systematically introduce the differences between washed and unwashed processing methods, the distinction between flat beans and round beans, coffee bean size grading standards, altitude classification, quality assessment criteria, and the complete processing flow from harvested cherries to finished green beans. It will also explain the impact of wet processing on coffee flavor and appearance, helping coffee enthusiasts gain a more comprehensive understanding of the quality foundation of authentic Front Street Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee.

Jamaica's ability to grow coffee was initially thanks to the island's governor, Sir Nicolas Lawes, who introduced the first batch of coffee seedlings from Martinique to Jamaica. By 1790, a group of refugees fleeing Haiti included experienced coffee growers who chose to settle in the Blue Mountain area, bringing coffee cultivation techniques to this mountainous region. In 1838, Jamaica formally abolished slavery, and freed slaves were allowed to own and cultivate their own land. Many of them moved to the mountains to focus on coffee cultivation and sold their harvest to Britain. It was these coffees that crossed the ocean and gradually won the favor of the British upper class, and the reputation of Blue Mountain coffee spread from there.

The Jamaican government has established extremely strict criteria for what qualifies as Blue Mountain coffee. Only coffee grown within the Blue Mountain range at altitudes between 3,000 and 5,000 feet as demarcated by The Coffee Industry Board, processed by government-certified and authorized processing facilities, and passing inspection and certification by the Coffee Industry Board, is eligible to be called genuine "Blue Mountain coffee." In 1950, the Jamaican government established the Jamaica Coffee Industry Board (CIB), whose core responsibilities are to regulate and guide the direction of the national coffee industry and to control coffee quality. Its specific work includes setting industry standards for Blue Mountain coffee, defining the cultivation areas for Blue Mountain coffee, and conducting quality inspections on exported Blue Mountain coffee products. Every batch of Blue Mountain coffee exported from Jamaica must first pass inspection by the Coffee Industry Board and obtain a certificate of origin issued by the International Coffee Organization before it is permitted for export. Only then does it truly deserve the title of Front Street Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee.

Coffee Beans - Specifications

A. Washed / Unwashed

Washed: Coffee cherries are placed in water tanks, and through the friction of water flow and equipment, the pulp and mucilage are removed before drying. The coffee beans obtained this way are called washed coffee beans, and their quality is relatively uniform and consistent.

Unwashed: The cherries are left to dry naturally in the sun, and then the pulp and skin are removed with a hulling machine. Coffee beans processed this way have greater quality variation.

B. Flat Beans / Round Beans

Inside a coffee cherry, there are usually two oval-shaped seeds facing each other. The side where the two seeds meet is flat, hence they are called flat beans. However, there are also cases where only a single round seed develops inside the fruit, which is called a round bean. There is no difference in flavor between the two. The ripe red coffee cherry has a multi-layered structure. At the very center lies the predecessor of the coffee bean — a pale green seed.

Generally speaking, a coffee cherry consists of two oval seeds paired opposite each other. The side where they meet is flat, so they are called flat beans. Of course, there are also those composed of a single round seed, and the taste is equally no different.

C. Coffee Bean Size

Mesh No.

Flat Beans: 20~19 Extra Large, 18 Large, 17 Fairly Large, 16 Ordinary, 15 Medium, 14 Small, 13~12 Extra Small

Round Beans: 13~12 Large, 11 Fairly Large, 10 Ordinary, 9 Medium, 8 Small

D. Altitude

According to the altitude of the cultivation site, beans can be classified into three, four, or seven grades. Generally speaking, highland beans are of better quality than lowland beans, and due to increased shipping costs, their prices are also higher.

Grade / Name / Altitude (meters): 1 Premium Bean 1,500+, 2 Superior Bean 1,200~1,500, 3 Medium Bean 1,000~1,200, 4 Premium Washed Bean 900~1,000, 5 Superior Washed Bean 760~900, 6 Extra Premium Washed Bean 610~760, 7 Fine Washed Bean ~610

E. Quality

Using statistical methods, the types and quantities of defects contained in a given amount of sample are converted into a percentage called the "defect count," which serves as the basis for determining the quality grade. The lower the defect count, the higher the quality.

F. Taste

Countries such as Brazil, Haiti, Kenya, and Ivory Coast each have their own unique taste-testing methods, and coffee may only be exported after passing taste tests.

G. From Harvest to Shipment

After harvesting the cherries and before shipping to market, the outer skin, pulp, parchment, and silver skin must first be removed. There are two methods: the dry method (also known as the natural method or unwashed method) and the washed method. The dry method is relatively simple.

First, the freshly picked cherries are spread out widely on a drying yard for one to two weeks until the cherries make a crackling sound, allowing them to dry naturally.

Afterward, a hulling machine is used to remove the dried pulp, parchment, and silver skin.

Coffee beans refined in this way have a slightly sour taste with a hint of bitterness. Almost all coffee beans from Brazil, as well as those from Ethiopia, Yemen, and other places, are obtained through this method. The disadvantage of this method is that it is easily affected by weather and prone to mixing in defective beans and other impurities. Therefore, careful screening is essential.

The other method is the washed method, in which harvested cherries are placed into flowing water tanks, and after removing the cherries floating on the surface, the outer skin and pulp are stripped off with a pulping machine. They are then placed into water tanks again to remove any floating pulp. After that, they are transferred to fermentation tanks and soaked for half a day to a full day to dissolve the mucilage on the surface of the fermented coffee beans. After washing again, they are sun-dried for several days, then machine-dried, and finally the parchment is removed with a hulling machine, yielding green coffee beans ready for commercial sale.

Washed coffee beans have a more attractive color and fewer impurities. About 70% of the production from Colombia, Mexico, Guatemala, and other countries uses this method. Sometimes, if the fermentation process is not handled properly, it may produce a fermented odor and a distinctive sour taste; but if handled properly, each type of bean can emit its own unique coffee aroma.

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