FrontStreet Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee) | How Much Does Authentic Blue Mountain Coffee Cost? How to Buy Genuine Blue Mountain Coffee? Jamaica

FrontStreet Coffee | How Much Does Authentic Blue Mountain Coffee Cost? How to Buy Authentic Blue Mountain Coffee? What Certifications Does Jamaica Blue Mountain Have?

True Blue Mountain Coffee is one of the world's most ideally cultivated coffees, with Jamaica's weather, geological structure, and topography combining to provide a uniquely perfect growing environment. Designated Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee can only be grown within the Blue Mountain region in the eastern northern part of Jamaica near Kingston. The coffee grows on mountains reaching up to 1800 meters (approximately 6000 feet), which is quite high altitude for Coffea arabica. Additionally, the terrain is extremely rugged, making the harvesting process very difficult (the coffee harvesters are almost entirely women).

The abundant rainfall in the Blue Mountain region, year-round mist with low average temperatures around 20°C, fertile new volcanic soil, and other special conditions create an excellent growing environment for Blue Mountain Coffee. Located at high altitudes between 2500 to 5000 feet, these conditions produce a unique subtle acidity that feels neither stimulating nor uncomfortable. Seedlings are nurtured in nurseries for about 2 years, organic fertilizers are used throughout the growing period, and harvesting is done manually one berry at a time. All processing, roasting, and packaging must comply with the high standards set by the Jamaica Coffee Industry Board. These unique growing conditions cultivate the distinctive flavor of Blue Mountain Coffee, placing it among the world's "premium coffees." All 100% pure Blue Mountain Coffee globally refers to coffee produced within a specific range of Jamaica's eastern Blue Mountain range. Every step of its cultivation and processing undergoes the strict quality control standards of the Jamaica Coffee Industry Board to be certified as "Pure Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee."

'Blue Mountain Flavor'

This merely indicates that the coffee's flavor resembles Blue Mountain (not necessarily genuinely similar), and may not contain even a single genuine Blue Mountain coffee bean.

'Jamaican Coffee'

Blue Mountain Coffee is produced in Jamaica, but Jamaican coffee is not necessarily Blue Mountain Coffee.

'Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee'

This refers to Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee, but to be called Jamaica Blue Mountain No. 1, it requires additional conditions.

Why is it called 'Blue Mountain Coffee'?

The Blue Mountain range is located in the eastern part of Jamaica, surrounded by the Caribbean Sea. On clear days when the sun shines directly on the azure sea surface, the mountain peaks reflect the brilliant blue light of the seawater, hence the name 'Blue Mountain'. The Blue Mountain range, with its fertile volcanic soil, fresh air, humid climate, and year-round mist and rain, has created the world-renowned Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee, while also producing the world's highest-priced coffee.

Coffee from the Blue Mountain range is divided into three grades: Jamaica Blue Mountain, Jamaica High Mountain, and Jamaica Low Mountain or Jamaica Supreme. Coffee grown below 1500 feet altitude is called Jamaican coffee, coffee between 1500 and 3000 feet is known as High Mountain coffee, and only coffee between 3000 and 5000 feet can be called Blue Mountain Coffee, with Blue Mountain Coffee priced several times higher than High Mountain coffee. Blue Mountain Coffee is further divided into No. 2 and No. 1, with No. 1 being the highest quality.

The top-quality Jamaica Blue Mountain No. 1 is currently produced by approximately Wallenford, Mavis Bank, Old Tavern, and RSW Estate, among which Wallenford is the only special Jamaican state-owned processing facility. The legal production area for Blue Mountain Coffee is 3000-5000 feet. Wallenford Estate only selects Blue Mountain coffee beans grown above 4000 feet altitude for processing. The Blue Mountain Coffee produced by Wallenford Estate is praised as "Superior Quality." Among coffee connoisseurs' evaluations of all Jamaica Blue Mountain estates worldwide, Wallenford Estate performs best in quality management, stability, reputation, and flavor.

On the rugged and high-altitude mountains, careful cultivation and harvesting ensure that all Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee is ground, tasted, and distributed by the Jamaica Industry Association. The coffee in the cup tastes exceptionally clean and is 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 fragrance, smooth richness, and give me a gem-like quality feeling. It's precious like a gem. It's complex but very mild, it's sweet, and it has very strong body. You must taste it to know what I'm talking about." The unique growing conditions and extreme care in all production processes have made Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee very famous.

Jamaica is one of the world's smaller coffee producers, harvesting approximately 40,000 bags of 60kg each annually (Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee is actually shipped in 70kg wooden barrels - they are the last country to still use this traditional packaging method, but their production is measured by 60kg bags as that's the international standard for coffee production measurement). In comparison, Brazil, the world's largest coffee exporter, produces about 30,000,000 bags of 60kg each annually.

Japanese investors have made substantial investments in Jamaica's Blue Mountain Coffee cultivation areas and secure 90% of the annual production share. Other countries worldwide must bid for the remaining 10%, which amounts to about 3,500 barrels. True Blue Mountain Coffee has a unique flavor that makes it the most expensive coffee in the world. Its demand is particularly high, creating a supply shortage in the market.

The small quantity but high-quality Typica is the best variety of Arabica. Most coffee-producing countries prefer to grow other varieties with higher yields but lower quality, while Jamaica prioritizes quality, willing to sacrifice Blue Mountain Coffee production volume to exchange for the best quality. 100% pure Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee has a strong, tempting elegant aroma that other coffees cannot match. When ground, brewed, and tasted, its flavor reaches its peak, and the surrounding coffee aroma makes one intoxicated! Its caffeine content is quite low, approximately only half that of other coffee varieties, meeting modern health requirements. The trees are mainly the "Geisha High Bred" type of Coffea arabica. Seeds from these trees have been exported to other countries like Hawaii, Kenya, Papua New Guinea, and other places, but nowhere have they been able to recreate the flavor of Blue Mountain Coffee beans.

How to Know if it's Real Blue Mountain?

The unique special Jamaican state-owned identity enables the Jamaican government to assign it more responsibilities, including:

1. CIB (Coffee Industry Board) jointly undertakes the management and regulation of Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee quality

2. Guiding all Blue Mountain coffee estates in Jamaica to advance management innovations

In practice, part of CIB's regulatory function for Blue Mountain Coffee quality is located at WALLENFORD. For instance, there's a consensus within the coffee industry that obtaining WALLENFORD's import quota for Blue Mountain No. 1 is equivalent to CIB's quota allocation for that country or company.

Only the best Blue Mountain coffee cherries are selected for processing, with particularly strict quality process control. Among coffee connoisseurs' evaluations of all Jamaica Blue Mountain estates worldwide, Wallenford performs best in quality management, stability, reputation, and flavor.

In the Blue Mountain region, the legal production area for Blue Mountain Coffee is 3000-5000 feet, and Wallenford only selects Blue Mountain coffee cherries grown above 4000 feet altitude for processing. Furthermore, among Jamaica's four legal Blue Mountain Coffee processing facilities, Wallenford, Mavis Bank, Silver Hill, and Moy Hall account for 90% of Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee exports, while Blue Mountain Coffee from Wallenford and Moy Hall is praised as "Superior Quality" (absolute quality).

FrontStreet Coffee Recommends Brewing:

Dripper: KONO dripper

Water Temperature: 88°C

Grind Size: Fuji Royal grinder setting 4

Brewing Method: Water-to-coffee ratio 1:14, 17g coffee grounds, first pour 25g water for 30s bloom, second pour to 238g water, extraction time around 2:30 minutes

Analysis: The KONO dripper doesn't have many ribs at the bottom, and the filter paper fits closely against the dripper, achieving the purpose of restricting airflow. This allows water and coffee grounds to have longer contact and steeping time in the dripper, ensuring sufficient extraction time and rate for coarse grinding. This enables the coffee grounds to be fully extracted, enhancing the rich mouthfeel and making the flavor more concentrated.

Flavor: High balance, clean, thick and solid mouthfeel, persistent finish with dark chocolate flavor.

Important Notice :

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