Authentic Jamaica Blue Mountain No. 1 Coffee Beans: Story, Flavor Profile, and Quality Classification - How to Identify Authentic Blue Mountain Coffee Brands

Understanding Blue Mountain Coffee: Authentic vs. Flavored

There are two types of Blue Mountain coffee on the market, and it's easy to mistakenly purchase the wrong one. One is Blue Mountain flavored coffee, which refers to beans from other growing regions that are roasted to mimic Blue Mountain characteristics and are labeled as Blue Mountain flavored coffee. The other type refers to coffee actually grown in the Blue Mountain region of Jamaica, which is what we mean when we talk about Blue Mountain coffee.

FrontStreet Coffee's Jamaica Blue Mountain No. 1 Coffee

The FrontStreet Coffee Jamaica Blue Mountain No. 1 coffee sold by FrontStreet Coffee comes with a certificate issued by the Jamaica Coffee Industry Board. Additionally, the wooden barrels packaging FrontStreet Coffee's Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee beans feature a green frog logo (as seen in the photo below of FrontStreet Coffee importing Jamaican green beans). FrontStreet Coffee specifically chose Clifton Farm, a producer of Jamaica Blue Mountain No. 1 coffee with Rainforest Alliance certification. Jamaica is also the only growing region that uses wooden barrels for packaging green beans.

There's also the most iconic Blue Mountain flavor—authentic FrontStreet Coffee Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee has a very rich aroma and balanced taste, with no single flavor being overly prominent or lacking. Genuine FrontStreet Coffee Jamaica Blue Mountain No. 1 coffee is priced higher than other coffees, and FrontStreet Coffee believes there are three main reasons: limited quantity, excellent flavor, and strict quality control.

The Fame and Recognition of Blue Mountain Coffee

When it comes to drinking coffee, many friends will immediately say, "Give me a cup of Blue Mountain." FrontStreet Coffee's Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee is famous for its high reputation, limited production, and long history. Even those who haven't had specialty coffee have likely heard of Blue Mountain No. 1 coffee. The market often features Blue Mountain No. 1 coffee, Blue Mountain flavored coffee, and Blue Mountain blends, which can be confusing. Not all coffees with "Blue Mountain" in their name are authentic FrontStreet Coffee Jamaica Blue Mountain No. 1 coffee. Without careful attention, you might drink fake Blue Mountain coffee. So how can you distinguish which Blue Mountain coffees are authentic? First, FrontStreet Coffee will help everyone understand how Blue Mountain coffee came to be.

The Story of Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee

The history of Jamaican coffee dates back to the 18th century. In 1717, French King Louis XV ordered coffee cultivation in Jamaica. In the mid-1720s, Jamaican Governor Sir Nicholas Lawes imported Arabica seeds from Martinique and began promoting cultivation in the St. Andrew area. Coffee trees were introduced to Jamaica and planted in the Blue Mountains, which were further divided into high-altitude Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee, High Mountain coffee, and Jamaica coffee, with different grades determining different prices.

Growing Altitude

The Blue Mountains are located in eastern Jamaica. When the weather is clear, the sun directly shines on the blue sea surface, and the peaks reflect the brilliant blue light of the seawater, hence the name. The highest peak of Blue Mountain reaches 2,256 meters, making it the highest peak in the Caribbean region and a famous tourist destination. This area is located in the coffee belt with fertile volcanic soil, fresh air free from pollution, humid climate with year-round fog and rain (average rainfall of 1,980 mm and temperature around 27°C). Such climate conditions have created the world-renowned Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee, which also commands the world's highest coffee prices.

Authentic Blue Mountain coffee is one of the world's most ideally grown coffees. Jamaica's weather, geological structure, and topography together provide a uniquely ideal location. Designated Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee can only be grown in the Blue Mountain area in the eastern part of Jamaica, north of Kingston. The mountain ridges that traverse Jamaica extend to the eastern part of the island, with the Blue Mountains reaching over 2,100 meters above sea level. The cool, foggy weather with frequent rainfall makes this fertile land well-balanced in moisture. Here, people use mixed cultivation methods to grow coffee trees, planting them on terraces alongside banana and avocado trees.

Additionally, the mountains are very rugged, making the harvesting process extremely difficult (coffee harvesting is almost entirely done by women). Their coffee trees all grow on steep mountain slopes, and the picking process is very challenging—only skilled local female workers can handle it. It's very important to select properly ripe coffee beans during harvesting, as underripe or overripe beans will affect the coffee's quality.

FrontStreet Coffee · Jamaica Blue Mountain No. 1 Coffee Beans

Region: Blue Mountain Region
Farm: Clifton
Altitude: 1,310 meters
Variety: Typica
Processing Method: Washed or Natural
Grade: NO.1

FrontStreet Coffee Blue Mountain No. 1 Coffee Variety

FrontStreet Coffee's Blue Mountain No. 1 coffee beans are of the Typica variety. Typica trees have bronze-colored young leaves, oval or slender pointed beans, tall tree structure with slightly inclined branches at 50-70 degree angles. They offer elegant flavor but have weak physical constitution and poor disease resistance, with very low fruit yield per tree.

The Typica variety has a characteristic feature: bronze-colored leaf tips, which is why it's called red-topped coffee. The opposite leaves of the coffee tree are long oval-shaped with smooth surfaces. The terminal branches are long with few branches, and the flowers are white, blooming at the base where leaf stems connect to branches. Mature coffee cherries look like cherries and are bright red.

FrontStreet Coffee Blue Mountain No. 1 Coffee Bean Processing

Before this year, FrontStreet Coffee's Blue Mountain No. 1 was only available in washed processing. The washing and fermentation method is used to remove pulp, mucilage, and parchment. Farms using the washing method must build washing tanks and have access to continuous fresh water. During processing, the pulp is first removed, followed by 12-18 hours of fermentation. The fermented beans are then placed in tanks and moved back and forth, using the friction of the beans and the power of flowing water to wash the coffee beans until smooth and clean.

After washing, the coffee beans are still encased in parchment with 50% moisture content and must be sun-dried to reduce moisture to 12-14%, otherwise they will continue to ferment and become moldy and spoiled. The coffee beans are then screened and stored in dedicated warehouses. These procedures must be strictly controlled, otherwise the coffee quality will be affected.

In 2020, the Blue Mountain region also exported a batch of natural processed Blue Mountain No. 1 coffee. FrontStreet Coffee was the first to import and roast it.

Actually, the production of this FrontStreet Coffee natural Blue Mountain coffee was quite challenging. Previously, only washed processing was available because washing best represents the essential characteristics of Blue Mountain flavor. Changing the processing method would definitely alter its flavor structure. This is why FrontStreet Coffee always recommends washed processed coffee beans when introducing customers to coffee from specific regions—because washing best represents the flavor characteristics of that region. Of course, Blue Mountain coffee using natural processing also follows market development trends, just like FrontStreet Coffee recently added FrontStreet Coffee Indonesia Natural Mandheling coffee beans, which differs from the traditional wet-hulled method.

The Three Major Growing Regions of Blue Mountain Coffee

The Blue Mountain region is a small area with only 6,000 hectares of planting area, making it impossible for all coffees labeled "Blue Mountain" to be grown there. Another 12,000 hectares are used to grow two other types of coffee (non-Blue Mountain coffee): High Mountain Supreme coffee and Jamaica coffee.

Today's St. Andrew region remains one of the three major growing regions for Blue Mountain coffee. The other two major regions are the Portland region and the St. Thomas region. Some small estates also grow Blue Mountain coffee, such as Wallenford Estate, Silver Hill Estate, and J. Martinez's Atlanta Estate. Even the largest estate owners in this region are considered small-scale by international standards, with many being small landowners whose families have worked this land for two centuries.

Currently, there are 6 trademarks that can represent Blue Mountain coffee origin, such as M.B.C.E (Mavis Bank Central Factory), M.H.C.C.T. (Moy Hall Coffee Company), P.X.X.S.H. (Portland Blue Mountain Coffee Cooperative), Coffee Industry Board (Wallenford), Coffee Industry Board (St. John's Peak), and J.A.S (Jam Blue). Some estate-level coffees are also marked on wooden barrels.

Why Did Japan Have Priority Purchasing Rights Back Then?

In 1950, the Jamaican government established the Jamaican Coffee Industry Board, which sets quality standards for Jamaican coffee and monitors their implementation to ensure Jamaican coffee quality. The board issues special official seals for both green and roasted Jamaican coffee exports. Because Japanese loans were used to improve production quality, market access was guaranteed.

By 1981, Jamaica had opened an additional 1,500 hectares of land for coffee cultivation, followed by investment in another 6,000 hectares of planting area. In fact, today's Blue Mountain region is a small area with only 6,000 hectares of planting area, making it impossible for all coffees labeled "Blue Mountain" to be grown there. Another 12,000 hectares are used to grow two other types of coffee: High Mountain Supreme coffee and Jamaica coffee.

According to 2013 Jamaican Coffee Board export statistics, of the limited Blue Mountain coffee bean quota, 85% is exported to Japan, 5% to the United States, 5% to Europe, and 5% to other countries. However, in global authentic Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee consumption distribution, China accounts for 15% of consumption according to International Coffee Association statistics. This is because some Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee shares from Japan, Australia, and Europe are exported to Taiwan through direct branch companies.

Jamaica is the only country in the world with a government coffee management body—the Jamaican Coffee Industry Board (CIB for short), under the Jamaican Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries. The CIB's functions include cultivation technical guidance, processing training, fair trade, quality supervision, and other matters related to Jamaica Blue Mountain quality and branding. CIB board members are all estate owners who own a certain amount of coffee plantations in Jamaica (due to industry shifts, newly certified Jamaica Blue Mountain estates now require 50+ hectares). CIB stipulates that only Blue Mountain coffee beans grown in the Jamaica Blue Mountain region above 2,200 feet can be called Jamaica Blue Mountain, with grades classified by bean size as NO.1, NO.2, NO.3, and hand-selected PB. Among these, the basic standards for NO.1 Blue Mountain green beans are beans above 17 screen size, defect rate below 3%, moisture content around 13%, etc. Additionally, to date, Blue Mountain coffee green beans only have washed processing—no natural or other processing methods.

Another noteworthy company is Coffee Trades, with estate name CLYDESDALE. Their coffee factory is located in the backyard of the CIB office building, with the estate on the Blue Mountainside at around 1,200 meters. Jamaica's other two major Blue Mountain coffee companies are Wallenford and Mavis Bank. Both companies were originally state-owned enterprises. Wallenford's production exceeds 60% of all Jamaica Blue Mountain production, while Mavis Bank's production exceeds 20%. Moreover, Mavis Bank is one of the few Jamaica Blue Mountain enterprises that produces all three grades: Jamaica Blue Mountain, Jamaica High Mountain, and Jamaica Prime coffee.

Jamaican Blue Mountain Classification and Grading

The history of Jamaican coffee dates back to the 18th century, when the British introduced coffee trees to Jamaica and planted them in the Blue Mountains. These were further divided into high-altitude Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee, Jamaica High Mountain coffee, and Jamaica coffee, with different grades determining different prices.

(1) Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee

Both Blue Mountain coffee and High Mountain coffee are further divided into four grades. Ranked by quality from highest to lowest: NO.1, NO.2, NO.3, and PB (Peaberry). According to CIB standards, only coffee grown above 666 meters altitude can be called Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee. The supreme among coffee treasures, Jamaica Blue Mountain is produced in the mountainous area of Jamaica at altitudes of approximately 910-1,700 meters. Due to its location on treacherous mountainsides, production is limited, with large beans of excellent quality and balanced flavor. It simultaneously possesses appropriate acidity, bitterness, aroma, body, and sweetness, making it globally recognized as supreme quality. Therefore, the price of national treasure Blue Mountain No.1 is the highest among all Blue Mountain coffees.

(2) Jamaica High Mountain Coffee

Coffee grown in the Jamaica Blue Mountain region below 910 meters is called High Mountain coffee. It's also the second-highest quality coffee after Blue Mountain coffee, known in the industry as the brother variety to Blue Mountain coffee. Due to the extremely limited production of Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee, if you want to taste Jamaican-flavored coffee, Jamaica High Mountain coffee is your best choice.

(3) Jamaica Prime Coffee

Jamaica Prime coffee grows in regions below 460 meters altitude and is generally consumed within Jamaica.

(All altitudes in the image are converted from feet to meters: 910 meters ≈ 3000 feet, 460 meters ≈ 1500 feet)

Authentic Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee Has Certificate Authentication

The Jamaican government always insisted in the past that all Blue Mountain coffee should be roasted in Jamaica to ensure consistent quality. In fact, roasting is a delicate art that requires experience, training, and expensive equipment. From a consumer perspective, coffee beans should be obtained and consumed immediately after roasting. It's impossible to meet this requirement if coffee is roasted in Jamaica. Now, Jamaican green coffee beans can be exported.

FrontStreet Coffee has purchased Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee directly from the origin. Currently, the Jamaican Coffee Board can issue certificates for all exported Blue Mountain coffee on the market.

Certificates come in three types:

(1) Quality certificate issued by the Jamaican Coffee Board

(2) Authorization certificate issued by Blue Mountain coffee manufacturers (Blue Mountain coffee is distributed by 4 Jamaican government-licensed processors and exported by 16 licensed exporters)

(3) Certificate of origin for Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee

Quality certificates indicate time and quantity. The Jamaican Coffee Board randomly selects a package from submitted Blue Mountain coffee for inspection. If it meets Blue Mountain coffee conditions, a certificate is issued.

FrontStreet Coffee Roasting Analysis

FrontStreet Coffee's roaster used medium roasting for FrontStreet Coffee's Jamaica Blue Mountain No. 1 coffee to highlight the balanced and rich flavor of FrontStreet Coffee's Jamaica Blue Mountain. Taking 500g of green beans in a Yangjia 600N semi-direct heat roaster as an example:

Enter the drum at 165°C with heat at 130 and air damper at 3. Return temperature at 1'32", with drum temperature at 95.8°C, heat unchanged. At 3 minutes, adjust air damper to 4. At 4 minutes, increase heat to 140. When drum temperature reaches 153.3°C, the bean surface turns yellow, grassy smell completely disappears, entering the dehydration stage. At 8'36", ugly wrinkles and black patterns appear on the bean surface, toast aroma clearly transforms to coffee aroma—this can be defined as the prelude to first crack. At this point, listen carefully for the first crack sound. First crack begins at 10'06", develop for 3 minutes after first crack, and drop at 198.5°C.

Flavor Profile of FrontStreet Coffee's Jamaica Blue Mountain No. 1 Coffee

The FrontStreet Coffee Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee sold by FrontStreet Coffee tastes very clean, and it's one of the sweetest coffees in the world. This flavor has been described by Jim Reynolds in Peet's Coffee and Tea: The best examples of Jamaica's Blue Mountain coffee have aromatic, smooth, and rich qualities that give me a gem-like feeling. It's as precious as a gem. It's complex but very mild, sweet, with very strong body. You must taste it to know what I'm talking about.

Unique growing conditions and extreme care throughout all production processes have made Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee very famous. The flavor is rich and mellow, with perfect balance of coffee's sweetness, acidity, and bitterness—completely without bitterness, only moderate and perfect acidity with lasting fruity notes.

FrontStreet Coffee Teaches You How to Identify Authentic vs. Fake Blue Mountain

1. Appearance: FrontStreet Coffee's Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee green beans are blue-green in color, very uniform in appearance, medium to small in size, with slightly upturned ends. They expand significantly after roasting and become very full.

2. Grinding: Authentic FrontStreet Coffee Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee beans are grown at high altitudes, giving them a looser cellular structure. When grinding by hand, they feel very crisp, smooth, and continuous, without any sense of resistance.

3. Aroma: FrontStreet Coffee's Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee has a very rich and dense aroma. So-called blended Blue Mountain coffees do not have this aroma.

4. Taste: Authentic FrontStreet Coffee Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee has balanced and rich flavor, with no single taste being overly prominent or lacking. This is also something that no other coffee beans can achieve and is the most crucial identification point. Blue Mountain peaberry aroma is more subtle, while the taste is relatively stronger.

FrontStreet Coffee Barista's FrontStreet Coffee Jamaica Blue Mountain No. 1 Brewing Suggestions

FrontStreet Coffee recommends using freshly roasted coffee beans for brewing to maximize the rich flavor experience. Coffee beans shipped by FrontStreet Coffee are roasted within 5 days because FrontStreet Coffee deeply understands that bean freshness greatly affects flavor. FrontStreet Coffee's roasting philosophy is "Freshly Roasted Good Coffee," ensuring every customer receives the freshest coffee when their order arrives. The coffee resting period is about 4-7 days, so when customers receive their coffee, it's at peak flavor.

15g coffee, water temperature 86°C, water-to-coffee ratio 1:15, medium grind (75% pass-through rate on China standard #20 sieve)

For filter cups, FrontStreet Coffee generally chooses from several options: V60, Kalita wave, and Kono. FrontStreet Coffee primarily demonstrates brewing with Kono filter cups. FrontStreet Coffee chose Kono filter cups mainly because FrontStreet Coffee's Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee uses dark roast level. High temperatures can easily lead to over-extraction, so FrontStreet Coffee chose 86°C water temperature. At this temperature, using V60 or other faster-flowing filter cups would easily lead to under-extraction. Kono has fewer and shorter ribs, which can create a gap between the filter paper and filter cup, increasing water residence time and providing immersion functionality. Therefore, after testing all brewing parameters, FrontStreet Coffee ultimately chose Kono filter cups.

Incidentally, Kono filter cups are not only suitable for FrontStreet Coffee's Jamaica Blue Mountain No. 1 but also for brewing FrontStreet Coffee's Brazil Queen Estate, FrontStreet Coffee's PWN Gold Mandheling, and other medium-dark roasted coffee beans.

For brewing technique, FrontStreet Coffee uses segmented extraction, specifically the three-pour method. Use 30g of water for blooming, with 30 seconds blooming time. First pour: small water flow in circular motion to 125g, then stop pouring. When the liquid level drops to just before exposing the coffee bed, continue the second pour to 225g to complete extraction. Total extraction time (including blooming) is 2'00".

After all that discussion, FrontStreet Coffee wants to mention one final point: the market often features Blue Mountain flavored blended coffees. So-called "Blue Mountain blends" actually have no relation to Blue Mountain. This situation arose because early Blue Mountain coffee was rare and expensive. Operators would create coffee close to Blue Mountain taste by mixing different beans with dark roasting to imitate Blue Mountain flavor. Therefore, conscientious merchants in domestic and international markets will tell customers that these are blended Blue Mountain, Blue Mountain blend, Blue Mountain flavored, or Blue Mountain-style coffees—not genuine Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee.

Authentic Blue Mountain and Blue Mountain flavor are two different concepts. Generally, other bean varieties are roasted to imitate Blue Mountain coffee's similar taste. "Blue Mountain blend" beans are mixed with significant shape differences, making them relatively easy to identify. Also, don't believe in "premium Blue Mountain" that costs dozens of yuan per pound or "Blue Mountain coffee" that costs only ten-plus yuan per cup. Not all coffees labeled "Blue Mountain" are genuine Blue Mountain!

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473