7 Brewing Methods for Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee: How to Properly Brew Blue Mountain No.1 Coffee?

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The Frontsteet Blue Mountain No. 1 coffee beans currently sold by FrontStreet Coffee are from Jamaica's Clifton Estate. This estate is the oldest coffee-producing area in Jamaica that remains operational today, and only Clifton Farm in Jamaica has the Rainforest Alliance Green Tree Frog certification. It is recognized as a world-renowned Blue Mountain coffee producing region of exceptional quality. Its elegant Great House Farm is located in the Newcastle area of the island, situated on the eastern slope of Catherine's Peak at an altitude of 1,310.64 meters.

As early as the mid-18th century (around 1750), Clifton Farm began planting and producing coffee. Today's Clifton Farm is the largest estate in this region. By international standards, it's still considered small-scale cultivation, with many estate owners being small landholders. The Sharp family has been working on this land for two centuries. The area boasts sufficient altitude, gentle afternoon clouds and mist that provide shade for the mountain forests, ample sunlight, and mineral-rich soil—offering excellent growing conditions for coffee trees and extending the maturation period of coffee cherries.

The Frontsteet Blue Mountain pour-over coffee prepared daily by FrontStreet Coffee's baristas uses the washed processing method. This method utilizes washing and fermentation to remove the fruit skin, pulp, and mucilage. During processing, the fruit skin and pulp are first removed, allowing fermentation for 12-18 hours. Then the fermented beans are placed in pools, where continuous fresh water is introduced to move them back and forth, using the friction between beans and the power of flowing water to wash the coffee beans until they are smooth and clean.

Blue Mountain coffee is divided into four grades: ranked by quality from highest to lowest as NO.1, NO.2, NO.3, and PB (Peaberry). According to CIB standards, only coffee grown at altitudes above 666 meters can be called "Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee." Coffee produced below 666 meters in the Blue Mountain region is called "Jamaica High Mountain Coffee," while coffee grown outside the Blue Mountain range is called "Jamaica Coffee." The basic standards for NO.1 Blue Mountain green beans include beans of 17 screen size or larger, defect rate below 3%, moisture content around 13%, and of the Typica variety.

Genuine "Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee" comes with a certificate of origin and is exported in wooden barrels. At FrontStreet Coffee's physical stores, you can see the certificates issued by Clifton Estate and the wooden barrels printed with the green tree frog logo. Clifton Estate is the only coffee estate certified by the Rainforest Alliance (RFA), with certification only available to those meeting "Sustainable Agriculture System Standards."

Frontsteet Blue Mountain No. 1 Brewing Methods

When your Frontsteet Blue Mountain No. 1 coffee beans arrive at home, how should you brew them? FrontStreet Coffee recommends 7 brewing methods:

1. Espresso and Latte

Did you know that Frontsteet's "Blue Mountain No. 1" can also be used for espresso! How is Blue Mountain SOE made? Proper puck distribution technique—leveling the coffee surface before tamping—requires about 25kg/m² of pressure (though we use a calibrated tamper for consistent pressure), with an extremely fine grind (similar to salt texture).

Extract 40g of liquid from 20.5g of coffee grounds, extraction time 26 seconds (single basket fully loaded with 14g, double basket with 22g). Because the beans are relatively fresh, the crema is moderate, presenting a golden color with rich caramel aroma. When tasting, you'll first experience soft fruity acidity, followed by caramel sweetness, with a finish of chocolate and brown sugar.

Blue Mountain espresso mixed with hot water to make "Americano" enhances the sweetness significantly, making the sweet sensation lighter while reducing fruit acidity, leaving a concentrated dark chocolate flavor in the mouth.

"Blue Mountain Latte": Frontsteet uses fresh milk, steamed to 60 degrees, with foam and milk well-integrated. When combined with espresso, it delivers hazelnut-like sweetness with distinct creamy chocolate notes, while preserving the fresh, sweet taste of milk—a truly eye-opening flavor experience.

2. Pour-Over Coffee

(1) Kalita Wave, Cake Cup, and Kono Cone Brewing

Coffee brewed with Kalita Wave, cake cup, or Kono cone will have a fuller body with excellent flavor persistence. During extraction, the Kono cone utilizes pressure generated by the siphon effect, so coffee grounds achieve initial water saturation through immersion-style extraction, increasing concentration. Soluble substances are then carried out with the water flow. For those who prefer a richer Blue Mountain, this method is recommended.

Prepare 15g of coffee, water temperature 88°C, medium-coarse grind (size of raw sugar, 70% retention on China standard #20 sieve), water-to-coffee ratio 1:15.

Technique: First bloom with 30g water for 30s. Pour water close to the coffee surface. First pour to 125g, then stop. Wait until the water level drops by 1/3-1/2, then perform the second pour to 225g and stop. Wait until all water passes through the coffee grounds before finishing extraction. Total extraction time should be around 2 minutes 15 seconds.

(2) V60 Dripper Brewing

The Hario V60 series dripper has a wide opening, and its unique spiral rib design allows air to escape more easily, improving extraction quality. The rib design enables quick extraction of soluble substances, primarily through a washing-style approach, resulting in a light, juice-like texture with prominent acidity and aroma. Different pouring techniques can yield different textures and flavors, making it highly versatile.

Prepare 15g of coffee, water temperature 88°C, medium grind (size of white sugar, 75% retention on China standard #20 sieve), water-to-coffee ratio 1:15.

Brewing method: First bloom with 30g water for 30s. Pour water close to the coffee surface. First pour to 120g, then stop. Wait until the water level drops by 1/3-1/2, then perform the second pour to 225g and stop. Wait until all water passes through the coffee grounds. Total extraction time should be around 2 minutes 5 seconds.

Frontsteet Blue Mountain No. 1 flavor: The taste of Blue Mountain is very clean and mild, with chocolate sweetness and strong body. 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 a persistent fruity finish.

When brewed with Kono, Kalita Wave, or cake cup, the concentration increases, resulting in a solid, heavy texture with intense flavors. When brewed with V60, it delivers a refreshing sweetness with sugarcane-like sweetness, followed by nutty and dark chocolate aftertaste and lingering sweetness.

3. Siphon Coffee

Preparation Steps:

(1) Add water to the siphon's lower chamber. For making two servings of coffee, add water to about 5mm above the 2-cup mark on the siphon. Since coffee grounds absorb water, if you want to make two servings of coffee liquid, you need to add slightly more water.

(2) Grind coffee beans, prepare 25g of coffee grounds (about 15g for single serving), medium-coarse grind (65% retention on China standard #20 sieve), meaning particles between white and brown sugar size.

(3) After adding water, remember to wipe the outside of the lower chamber dry with a soft cloth to avoid water residue, which could cause the pot to burst during heating.

(4) Place hot water in the lower chamber and heat with a gas stove. Generally, single-serving coffee uses about 180g of water, double-serving 300g (water-to-coffee ratio 1:12).

(5) Once everything is ready, start heating the water!

When the water reaches brewing temperature, attach the filter cloth to the upper chamber. Make sure to hook it properly as shown in the picture below! Otherwise, when water from the lower chamber rushes up to the upper chamber, the filter will be dislodged.

Delayed Ground Addition Method:

This method produces a richer flavor, with more prominent caramel and honey notes in the mid-palate.

Unlike adding grounds first, the delayed addition method involves waiting until all water from the lower chamber has risen to the upper chamber before adding coffee grounds. Before adding grounds, you have ample time to reduce the heat source to just enough to support the water in the upper chamber without falling back. Then adjust the filter screen position to keep it centered, and wait a few minutes for the water temperature to drop slightly. When water first rises from the lower to upper chamber, the temperature is around 90-95°C, so you can let the temperature drop by 2-5 degrees before adding coffee grounds.

(1) When the temperature reaches 90°C, straighten the upper chamber. When water rises to the upper chamber, pour in the coffee grounds, stir while timing. Use circular stirring to ensure coffee grounds are fully saturated with water.

(2) Adjust heat to appropriate level. After 30 seconds of blooming, perform a second stir.

(3) Perform a third stir at around 50 seconds. After stirring, remove the heat source and wipe the lower chamber with a semi-damp cloth to let the coffee liquid flow back. Total time should be around 2 minutes 15 seconds.

Flavor: Freshly brewed siphon coffee is extremely hot... of course, wait for it to cool slightly before tasting. The caramel flavor is very rich, with a heavier texture, but this doesn't affect its clean taste. The fruit acidity becomes more composed, with a distinct lingering sweetness.

4. AeroPress

It combines the immersion extraction method of French press, the paper filtration of pour-over coffee, and the rapid, pressurized extraction principle of espresso. Theoretically, AeroPress-brewed coffee can combine the richness of espresso, the purity of pour-over, and the smoothness of French press.

AeroPress standard accessories: AeroPress main body (with rubber plunger already attached), funnel, filter paper holder, filter cap, filter papers, measuring spoon, stirrer.

AeroPress Advantages:

(1) Clean, smooth texture: Using appropriate warm water with proper pressure can brew low-acidity, non-bitter coffee that's full of flavor, with prominent sweet notes.

(2) Rich body: Make a perfect cup of coffee in 2 minutes, with actual pressing time of only 20 seconds. However, due to pressurized extraction during pressing, you can achieve a fresher taste than other immersion methods.

Technique:

Inverted method, single serving 15g of coffee, medium-fine grind (80% retention on China standard #20 sieve), 85°C water. Preheat the AeroPress, add hot water and stir twice to wet all grounds, bloom with 35g water for 30 seconds, then add 200g water, stir gently a few times at 1 minute 45 seconds, press at 1 minute 50 seconds, apply vertical, even pressure, finish extraction at 2 minutes 17 seconds.

Flavor: The sweetness becomes quite fresh and prominent, with light fruit acidity and milk chocolate flavors in the sweetness, followed by a slight lingering sweetness. The overall texture is tea-like.

5. French Press

No complicated techniques required, no filter paper needed, easy to use.

Grind size: Medium-coarse grind BG 6M (70% retention on China standard #20 sieve)

Technique:

20g coffee beans, water-to-coffee ratio 1:14, pour 88°C water into French press to 280g, start timing. Place the lid on the French press with the filter stopped at the highest position, wait for 2.5 minutes, then press the filter to the bottom.

Analysis:

Using immersion extraction, extraction is faster initially and slower later. Coffee grounds are fully immersed in water for even extraction, making "Frontsteet Jamaica Blue Mountain" taste balanced and less likely to produce bitterness. Pressing and filtering the grounds with a metal filter screen retains rich oils, enhances smooth texture, and increases body and caramel sweetness.

Flavor: Compared to AeroPress, the caramel flavor is enhanced while preserving more dark chocolate aftertaste and fruit acidity. The body is improved.

6. Cold Drip Coffee

Medium grind (75% retention on China standard #20 sieve). Cold drip doesn't have strict requirements for grind size. Use 60g of coffee grounds to drip 600ml of liquid, generally using a coffee-to-water ratio between 1:10 or 1:12. Use 0-2°C ice water with ice-to-water ratio of 1:1, dripping at a rate of 7 drops every 10 seconds.

After dripping is complete, remember to seal and refrigerate for 3-4 nights for fermentation. Why? Because freshly dripped coffee liquid doesn't have full flavor development and tastes somewhat dry and astringent. Medium-dark roasted beans need longer fermentation to achieve a smoother texture and fuller flavor.

Important Details:

For cold drip coffee, gently press the coffee grounds to maintain uniform structure in the filter cylinder. Place a filter paper on the surface of the grounds to allow water to evenly wet the coffee particles. "Pre-infusion" is also essential, similar to the blooming process in pour-over coffee.

Flavor: When consumed without ice, you'll immediately taste caramel, brown sugar, and dark chocolate sweetness. Adding ice makes the texture smoother, with subtle fermented notes, refreshing quality, and gentle fruit acidity.

7. Japanese Ice Pour-Over

Equipment Preparation:

Ice cubes, coffee beans, complete pour-over set (V60 dripper and filter paper, serving pot, digital scale, thermometer, pour-over kettle, small spoon)

Technique:

Medium grind (75% retention on China standard #20 sieve), water temperature 89°C. Pre-place 100g of ice cubes in the lower pot. Bloom with 40g water for 30 seconds. During brewing, you can use a small spoon to stir to promote degassing and speed up dissolution. Then pour with a small water stream to 160g. Finally, shake gently, and the ice pour-over is complete.

Flavor: After ice melting, the concentration is diluted slightly while improving the silky, viscous texture. Fruit acidity is enhanced, with subtle melon notes and nutty, roasted peanut aftertaste gradually emerging. Ice pour-over has slightly less layer complexity than hot pour-over, with less flavor variation from start to finish.

Conclusion

FrontStreet Coffee's Jamaica Blue Mountain No. 1 coffee offers many brewing possibilities, each with different flavor profiles. This serves as a reference for everyone—you can also adjust according to your own taste preferences!

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473