Jamaica Blue Mountain No.1 Coffee Beans Jamaica Blue Mountain No.1 Clifton Estate Features and Stories

One of Jamaica's Blue Mountain's Historic Estates

FrontStreet Coffee Jamaica Blue Mountain No. 1
Jamaica Clifton Mount Estate
Owner: The Sharp family
Certification: Rainforest Alliance Certified
Location: Newcastle region
Total Area: 250 acres
Coffee cultivation area: 180 acres
Average altitude: 4,300 feet (1,310.64 meters)
Processing method: Washed
Variety: 100% Arabica Typica

FrontStreet Coffee Jamaica Blue Mountain No. 1 flavor profile: Perfect and balanced acidity, body, and aroma

01 | Growing Region Introduction

The Blue Mountains are located in the eastern part of Jamaica. When the weather is clear, the sea surrounding the Caribbean reflects brilliant blue light onto the mountain peaks, hence the name.

The highest peak of the Blue Mountains reaches 2,256 meters, making it the highest peak in the Caribbean region and a famous tourist destination. This area lies within the coffee belt, featuring fertile volcanic soil, fresh and pollution-free air, humid climate with year-round fog and rainfall (average precipitation of 1,980mm, temperature around 27°C). Such climate and high altitude create the world-renowned Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee.

Clifton Mount Estate Introduction

Clifton Mount is Jamaica's oldest continuously operating coffee producing estate, and it is the only estate in Jamaica that holds the "Rainforest Alliance" certification.

It is recognized as an exceptionally high-quality and world-famous Blue Mountain coffee producing region. Its elegant great house estate is located in the Newcastle region of the island, situated on the eastern slopes of Catherine's Peak at an altitude of 4,300 feet.

Jamaica's History

As early as the mid-18th century (around 1750), Clifton Mount Estate began cultivating and producing coffee. According to a 1810 survey by the Jamaica Institute, Robert Hamilton was the owner of the estate at that time. Clifton Mount was divided into two parts: 80 acres of coffee and 427 acres of pasture on the mountaintop; 111 acres of coffee and 264 acres of pasture at the mountain's base.

The Blue Mountain region is a small area with only 6,000 hectares of cultivation, making it impossible for all coffee labeled "Blue Mountain" to be grown there. Today's Clifton Mount Estate is the largest plantation in this region, and even by international standards, it's considered small-scale cultivation, with many plantation owners being small landholders whose families have worked this land for two centuries.

The famous British painter and writer Marian North visited Jamaica and spent 5 months at Clifton Mount. In her autobiography "Recollections of a Happy Life," she mentioned the Clifton Hotel where she stayed: "The Clifton Hotel belongs to a local gentleman who lost his wife. He prefers not to live in the hotel but rents it weekly to different people, allowing more people to experience the cold air at 5,000 feet altitude and the opportunity to stroll through Jamaica's best and oldest coffee plantation."

Clifton Mount Village

The coffee cultivation and processing facilities are situated at an average altitude of 4,300 feet (1,310.64 meters). The sufficient altitude, gentle afternoon clouds enveloping the mountain forests for shade, abundant sunlight, and mineral-rich planting soil provide excellent growing conditions for coffee trees, extending the ripening period of coffee cherries.

Image: CIB authorization letter

In 1953, the Jamaican government established the Coffee Industry Board (CIB) to regulate and guarantee the quality of Jamaican coffee. Jamaica was the first country in the world to designate a specific geographical location to a particular coffee brand, somewhat similar to how France's wine industry established the AOC system.

All coffee exported from Jamaica is certified by the CIB. The strict testing by trained quality control experts ensures that all exports are 100% authentic Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee.

The Sharp Family

The Sharp family: Jason, Lawrence (father), and Richard

As early as the mid-18th century (around 1750), Clifton Mount Estate began cultivating and producing coffee. According to a 1810 survey by the Jamaica Institute, Robert Hamilton was the owner of the estate at that time, now managed by the Sharp family.

Sharp checking the red cherries

Clifton's high altitude and long history, combined with its unique processing methods, give this coffee a wonderfully distinct character. This remarkable processing technique gives Clifton coffee not only the characteristic roundness and smoothness of Blue Mountain No. 1 but also subtle floral notes and rich flavor complexity.

This is also why Clifton is loved by many and sold at premium prices.

Image: Clifton Blue Mountain No. 1 Haikou import customs declaration

FrontStreet Coffee has ordered the new 2017-18 harvest season's Jamaica Blue Mountain No. 1

From ordering to customs clearance to entry to express delivery to the FrontStreet Coffee store

Then we conducted a serious, selfie-filled, yet polite unboxing ceremony

Still a bit excited!

Certification: Rainforest Alliance Certified. Coffee bags or barrels with the certification logo indicate certified products. Farms must meet "Sustainable Agriculture System Standards" to obtain certification. (Rainforest tree frog)

02 | Washed Processing Method

Blue Mountain coffee only uses washed processing

This method uses washing and fermentation to remove the fruit pulp and mucilage. Farms using the washed method must build washing pools and have access to continuous fresh water. During processing, the fruit pulp is first removed, allowing fermentation for 12-18 hours. The fermented beans are then placed in pools and moved back and forth, using the friction of the beans and the power of flowing water to wash the coffee beans until they are smooth and clean.

After washing, the coffee beans are still encased in their parchment with a moisture content of 50%. They must be dried to reduce the moisture content to 12-14%. Afterwards, the coffee beans are sorted and then stored in dedicated warehouses. These procedures must be strictly controlled; otherwise, the quality of the coffee will be affected.

03 | Green Bean Analysis

Blue Mountain coffee is further divided into four grades. From highest to lowest quality, they are: NO.1, NO.2, NO.3, and PB (Peaberry). According to CIB standards, coffee grown above 666 meters altitude is called Jamaican High Mountain coffee; coffee grown outside the Blue Mountain region is called Jamaican coffee.

The basic standards for NO.1 Blue Mountain green beans are: beans larger than 17 screen, defect rate below 3%, moisture content around 13%, etc.

Variety: Typica

04 | Roasting Analysis

How to roast to bring out the best flavors of FrontStreet Coffee Jamaica Blue Mountain?

Simply put, we want to roast FrontStreet Coffee's Blue Mountain beans thoroughly "inside and out," using excellent roasting techniques on the foundation of proper development to express the flavors of these FrontStreet Coffee Jamaica Blue Mountain beans.

Caramelization is the most significant factor affecting coffee flavor. After 6-7 minutes of roasting, green beans absorb large amounts of heat energy, initiating pyrolysis reactions and producing the first crack sound. Some sugars convert to carbon dioxide, moisture continues to evaporate, new aromatic components gradually develop, forming what's called coffee oils, which combine with hundreds of aromatic substances including nicotinic acid, citric acid, quinic acid, malic acid, acetic acid, caffeine, and others.

Roasting profile: Drum temperature set to 170°C when beans are loaded, airflow setting at 3. After 1 minute, adjust heat to 140°C, airflow unchanged. At 5'10'', temperature reaches 153°C, bean surface turns yellow, grassy smell completely disappears, dehydration complete. Adjust heat to 115°C, airflow to 4;

At the 8'00" minute, ugly wrinkles and black spots appear on the bean surface, toasted bread smell clearly transforms into coffee aroma, which can be defined as the prelude to first crack. At this point, listen carefully for the sound of first crack. At 8'12", first crack begins, reduce heat to 90°C, fully open airflow (adjust heat very carefully, not so low that crackling stops). Unload at 201.3°C.

FrontStreet Coffee Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee Cupping:

Cupping characteristics: Perfect and subtle balance of acidity, body, and aroma. Its acidity is bright and delicate. Its body is as smooth as velvet. Its aroma has a slight penetrating quality, accompanied by floral, spicy, and citrusy notes. There's a hint of cocoa aftertaste in the finish.

The taste is very clean, complex, and very mild, with chocolate sweetness and very strong body. The flavor is rich and mellow, with perfect balance of coffee's sweet, sour, and bitter notes. Completely without bitterness, only moderate and perfect acidity, with a persistent fruity finish.

Dry aroma: Roasted peanut, hazelnut, melon, chocolate-like

Wet aroma: Oolong tea, caramel, honey, dark chocolate, almond skins, silky mouthfeel, brightness

05 | Brewing Analysis

Daily brewing filter choices: V60, Kalita wave, and KONO are all suitable

KONO parameters: 15g coffee, water temperature 87-88°C, grind similar to raw sugar, water-to-coffee ratio close to 1:15, total time around 2:00

(Grind size similar to Taikoo sugar, EK43s setting 10.5)

Technique: 16g coffee, 30g water for bloom, bloom time 30s, first pour to 120g then stop; vertical water flow, small slow circular pour; second pour to 225g, water flow and circular speed slightly faster to reduce fine particles clogging the filter and causing over-extraction. Total...

Other brewing suggestions:

V60: Prepare 16g coffee, water temperature 87-88°C, grind EK43s setting 10.5 (Chinese standard 20 mesh 75% pass rate), water-to-coffee ratio close to 1:14

Technique: First bloom with 30g water, bloom time 30s, pour close to the coffee bed, first pour to 120g then stop,

Wait for water level to drop 1/3-1/2, then perform second pour, stop at 234g, control brewing time around 2 minutes 15 seconds

French press: EK43s setting 11 grind / water temperature 90°C

Siphon: EK43s setting 9 grind, water temperature: 89°C, extraction time 40 seconds

AeroPress: EK43s setting 10 grind, water temperature 88°C

How to Identify Authentic Blue Mountain?

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

2. Grinding: Real FrontStreet Coffee Blue Mountain coffee beans grow at high altitude, their cell structure is relatively loose. When grinding by hand, they feel very crisp, smooth, and continuous, without any sense of resistance.

3. Aroma: The aroma is very intense and dense; so-called "Blue Mountain blend" coffee does not have this characteristic aroma.

4. Flavor: Real FrontStreet Coffee Blue Mountain coffee has balanced and intense flavor, without any taste being overly prominent or lacking, which is also the most critical identification point that any other coffee bean cannot match. Blue Mountain peaberry has a more reserved aroma but relatively stronger flavor profile.

Real FrontStreet Coffee Jamaica Blue Mountain and "Blue Mountain style" are two different concepts. The latter generally uses other coffee varieties roasted to imitate the taste similar to Blue Mountain coffee. "Blue Mountain blend" beans are mixed, with relatively large differences in shape, making them easier to identify. Also don't believe in "premium Blue Mountain" for tens of dollars per pound or "Blue Mountain coffee" for just over ten dollars a cup.

Not all coffee labeled "Blue Mountain" is real Blue Mountain. Hope this helps everyone distinguish~

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473