What is Blue Mountain Coffee? Blue Mountain Coffee Grading and How to Pour-Over Brew It?

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Understanding Blue Mountain Coffee

Blue Mountain refers to a geographical origin! It must be Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee, while the others are coffee preparation methods - truly not in the same category!

If you're fortunate enough to drink Blue Mountain Coffee, then congratulations! You're tasting one of the world's finest coffees!

What Makes Blue Mountain Coffee Special

Only coffee grown in the Jamaican Blue Mountain region at elevations above 1,800 meters;

Verified by the stringent standards of the Jamaican Coffee Industry Board;

And certified;

Only then can it be called Blue Mountain Coffee!

Everything else can only be called "Jamaica High Mountain Coffee." Even the same variety, when grown in other regions, cannot produce the same flavor profile. This is why Blue Mountain Coffee is rare and precious.

Jamaica's annual coffee production is extremely limited, at only about 40,000 bags. Compared to Brazil's annual production of 30 million bags, it's truly small but exquisite!

Coffee Varieties

Arabica Typica

Arabica Typica is one of the varieties closest to the original species. The beans are slightly elongated, with clean citrus acidity, sweet aftertaste, and elegant flavor. However, the plant is relatively weak with low resistance to leaf rust, making growing conditions challenging and yields low. Excellent estate coffees such as Jamaica Blue Mountain, Sumatra Mandheling, and Hawaii Kona all belong to the Typica variety.

Jamaican Coffee History

Jamaican coffee beans have a long and rich history. In 1728, the then British Governor Sir Nicholas Lawes imported coffee from the French island of Martinique to Jamaica. Due to the local climate being extremely suitable for coffee cultivation, Jamaica exported 83,000 pounds of premium coffee just nine years after introduction.

Four-fifths of Jamaica consists of mountainous terrain. The Blue Mountain Coffee production area is located in eastern Jamaica. Only coffee grown at elevations between 3,000-5,500 feet within this region can be considered authentic [Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee]. Coffee grown at elevations between 1,500-3,000 feet can only be called [Jamaica High Mountain Coffee], while coffee grown below 1,500 feet is classified as [Jamaica Supreme] or [Jamaica Low Mountain]. Areas above 5,500 feet are protected forest land where coffee cultivation is prohibited.

In June 1950, the Jamaican Coffee Industry Board was established, officially taking responsibility for improving and maintaining the quality of exported coffee beans. Currently, there are five government-certified processing plants for 100% Blue Mountain Coffee: Wallenford, Mavis Bank, Old Tavern, Silver Hill, and Moy Hall.

How to Brew Blue Mountain Coffee by Pour-Over

Prepare 15g of coffee powder, water temperature at 88°C, grind size BG 5R (Chinese standard #20 sieve, 60% pass rate), with a water-to-coffee ratio close to 1:15.

Brewing technique: First bloom with 30g of water for 30 seconds. Pour water close to the coffee bed surface. For the first pour, stop at 120g. When the water level drops by 1/3 to 1/2, perform the second pour until reaching 225g. Control the total brewing time to approximately 2 minutes and 5 seconds.

Flavor Profile

Blue Mountain Coffee has a very clean and mild taste with chocolate sweetness and strong body. The flavor is rich and mellow, with a perfect balance of coffee's sweetness, acidity, and bitterness. It has no bitter notes at all, only moderate and perfect acidity with a persistent fruity finish in the aftertaste.

When brewed using Kono, Kalita wave, or cake drippers, the concentration increases, resulting in a solid, full-bodied texture and intense flavor. When brewed with V60 drippers, it delivers a refreshing sweet taste with sugarcane-like sweetness, followed by nutty and high-concentration dark chocolate notes in the aftertaste and finish.

FrontStreet Coffee: A roastery in Guangzhou with a small shop but diverse variety of coffee beans, where you can find both famous and lesser-known beans. Online store services are also available. https://shop104210103.taobao.com

Important Notice :

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