The Story of Jamaican Coffee: The Legend of True and False Blue Mountain

Professional coffee knowledge exchange, more coffee bean information, please follow Cafe Style (WeChat official account: cafe_style)

Introduction: The Legendary Blue Mountain Coffee

Whether you're a coffee enthusiast or not, you've likely heard of Jamaica's Blue Mountain coffee. A quick search on e-commerce platforms reveals numerous "Blue Mountain flavored" and "Blue Mountain blended" coffees. What makes Blue Mountain so special that it leaves such a lasting impression? Let's explore some fascinating facts about Blue Mountain!

The History of Jamaican Coffee

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

The Geography of Blue Mountains

The Blue Mountain range is located in eastern Jamaica. The mountain gets its name because on clear days, when the sun shines directly on the azure Caribbean Sea, the peaks reflect the brilliant blue light of the seawater. The highest peak of Blue Mountain reaches 2,256 meters, making it the highest peak in the Caribbean region and a famous tourist destination. Located in the coffee belt, this area boasts fertile volcanic soil, fresh and unpolluted air, a humid climate, and year-round fog and rain (average rainfall of 1,980 mm, temperature around 27°C). Such climate conditions have created the world-renowned Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee, as well as the world's highest-priced coffee.

Unique Growing Conditions

True Blue Mountain coffee is among the most ideally cultivated coffees in the world. Jamaica's weather, geological structure, and topography collectively provide an exceptionally ideal growing environment. Designated Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee can only be grown in the Blue Mountain area, north of Kingston in eastern Jamaica. The mountain range extending across Jamaica reaches over 2,100 meters above sea level. The cool, foggy, and frequently rainy weather creates a harmonious balance of moisture in this fertile land. Here, coffee trees are grown using mixed cultivation methods, coexisting with banana and avocado trees on terraced slopes.

Moreover, the mountains are extremely rugged, making the harvesting process very difficult (coffee harvesting is almost entirely done by women). All their coffee trees grow on steep mountain slopes, making the picking process extremely challenging—only skilled local women workers can handle this task. Selecting properly ripe coffee beans during harvesting is crucial, as underripe or overripe beans will affect the coffee quality.

Blue Mountain Coffee Processing Method

Washed Processing Method

Blue Mountain coffee only uses the washed processing method.

This method utilizes washing and fermentation to remove the fruit pulp and mucilage. Farms using the washed method must build washing pools and have access to a continuous supply of fresh water. During processing, the fruit pulp is first removed, followed by 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 and have a moisture content of 50%. They must be sun-dried to reduce the moisture content to 12-14%, otherwise they will continue to ferment and become moldy and spoiled. The beans are then sorted and stored in special warehouses. These procedures must be strictly controlled, otherwise the coffee quality will be affected.

Three Major Production Areas of Blue Mountain Coffee

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

Today's St. Andrew production area remains one of the three major production areas for Blue Mountain coffee, with the other two being the Portland and St. Thomas production areas. 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 on this land for two centuries.

Currently, there are six certification marks that can represent Blue Mountain coffee origin, such as M.B.C.E (Mavis Bank Central Factory), M.H.C.C.T. (Mavis Hill Coffee Company of Jamaica), 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 (Jamaica Agricultural Society). Some estate-level coffees will also be indicated on wooden barrels.

Common Blue Mountain Coffee Brands

Coffee Trades

The estate name is CLYDESDALE, and the company's coffee factory is located in the backyard of the CIB office building. The estate is situated on the mountainside of Blue Mountain at around 1,200 meters. Jamaica's other two most prominent Blue Mountain coffee companies are Wallenford and Mavis Bank. Both companies were originally state-owned enterprises. Wallenford's production exceeds 60% of Jamaica's total Blue Mountain output, while Mavis Bank's production exceeds 20%. Moreover, Mavis Bank is one of the few Jamaican Blue Mountain enterprises that produces all three grades of coffee: Jamaican Blue Mountain, Jamaican High Mountain, and Jamaican Select coffee.

WALLENFORD

WALLENFORD Estate is located on the slopes of Mount Catherine, the main peak of Jamaica's Blue Mountain range, at an altitude of around 1,524 meters. WALLENFORD Estate began cultivating Blue Mountain coffee in 1790. The year-round cold and foggy climate results in sweet and thick coffee fruits, producing extremely unique, high-quality Blue Mountain coffee beans.

Furthermore, while the Jamaican government sold and privatized most estates, WALLENFORD ESTATE is the only estate that remained under direct management and operation by the Jamaican government. Its quality control processes are the most stringent, focusing not on excessive commercial operations but on maintaining the reputation of Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee.

1. Official registered logo of the Jamaican Coffee Board, used for certification and inspection of exported Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee;

2. Officially registered BLUE MOUNTAIN COFFEE® trademark of the Jamaican Coffee Board (CIB), identifying authentic Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee packaging;

3. WALLENFORD COFFEE COMPANY registered trademark, identifying WALLENFORD Blue Mountain coffee packaging.

Mavis Bank

The Munn family began operating Mavis Bank Company in 1885. The original location was slightly higher than the current site and was called Strawberry Hill. Mavis Bank processes coffee cherries at high altitudes. Their investment in brand-new equipment has significantly improved the quality of their coffee beans because they have a truly flawless processing method. The flavor profile of this coffee is very mild and smooth with excellent body, sometimes reminiscent of high-altitude Dong Ding Oolong tea.

R.S.W Blue Mountain

R.S.W Blue Mountain Estate is located in the mountainous area of southeastern Jamaica. R.S.W refers to 100% Blue Mountain coffee produced by its Resource, Sherwood Forest, and Whitfield Hall estates. Coffee grown in these three regions is at altitudes ranging from 700 to 1,600 meters. The mountains are often shrouded in cool clouds and mist, which is very beneficial for coffee tree growth. Harvested fruits are all concentrated at the Sherwood Forest washing plant for processing.

Clifton Mount Estate

Clifton Mount is Jamaica's oldest coffee-producing area that is still in normal operation today, and Clifton Farm is the only one in Jamaica with the "Rainforest Alliance" certification.

As early as the mid-18th century (around 1750), Clifton Farm began planting and producing coffee. The coffee cultivation and processing areas are located at an average altitude of 4,300 feet (1,310.64 meters). Sufficient altitude, gentle afternoon clouds and mist surrounding the forest for shade, ample sunlight, and mineral-rich planting soil provide excellent growing conditions for coffee trees and also extend the maturation period of coffee cherries.

Gold Cup

Founded in 2003, Gold Cup is a company jointly operated by Dr. Charles Lyn and a team of farmers from the designated Blue Mountain region. Its partners include Mount Lebanon in St. Andrew (altitude approximately 975-1,280 meters) and Abbey Green Estate in St. Thomas (altitude approximately 1,158-1,585 meters). The well-known Abbey Green is also currently one of the largest estates in the Jamaican Blue Mountain region.

To ensure optimal quality and quality control, Gold Cup has invested significantly in coffee post-processing, such as updating post-processing hardware equipment including new pulping machines. They also maintain control during green bean processing, drying, and roasting sample testing phases. Gold Cup is also the largest shareholder of the renowned BMCP processing plant. Fully matured red fruits harvested from high-altitude areas of St. Thomas and St. Andrew are sent to the company's affiliated washing plant. The first stage of processing still involves pre-elimination of floating beans, followed by processing at the Blue Mountain Coffee Processors LTD plant for drying. After selection and sun-drying, the beans are rested for 8 weeks and then graded again according to green bean size, density, color, and appearance. Finally, cupping is performed to check for any potential imperfections. All procedures are completed under the guidance and control of the Jamaican Coffee Association (CIB), with all specifications executed according to Jamaica's highest domestic standards. The green bean quality is particularly reflected in its flagship brand "Amber Estate."

Gold Cup currently has two brands: "Amber Estate" and "BMCP" from the Blue Mountain Coffee Processors LTD plant. Among these, the independent Amber Estate is its top-tier flagship brand, with coffee cherries 100% harvested from Abbey Green and Mount Lebanon estates, and strictly selecting the highest quality green beans graded by the Blue Mountain Coffee Processors plant.

Blue Mountain Coffee Varieties

The variety of Blue Mountain coffee is Typica.

Typica has bronze-colored top leaves, elliptical or slender-pointed beans, tall tree structure with slightly inclined branches at 50-70 degree angles. It offers elegant flavor but has weak constitution and poor disease resistance, with very low fruit yield per tree.

Typica coffee trees have a characteristic feature - reddish-brown leaf tips, hence called "red-topped coffee." The opposite leaves of coffee trees are long-oval shaped with smooth surfaces. Terminal branches are long with few branches, while the flowers are white, blooming at the base where leaf stems connect to branches. Mature coffee cherries look like cherries and are bright red.

How Did Japan Gain Priority Purchasing Rights?

When mentioning Blue Mountain coffee, everyone knows that a significant portion of Blue Mountain coffee was acquired by Japan in those years, making it very difficult to find Blue Mountain coffee outside Japan. There's a history behind this!

In 1950, the Jamaican government established the Jamaican Coffee Industry Board, which set quality standards for Jamaican coffee and supervised the implementation of these standards to ensure Jamaican coffee quality. The board issued special official seals for exported raw and roasted Jamaican coffee. Because Japanese loans were used to improve production quality, the market was guaranteed.

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

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

Classification and Grading of Blue Mountain

The history of Jamaican coffee can be traced back to the 18th century when the British introduced coffee trees to Jamaica and cultivated coffee in the Blue Mountain range. This was further divided into high-altitude Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee, Jamaican High Mountain coffee, and Jamaican coffee, with different grades determining different prices.

(1) Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee

Both Blue Mountain coffee and High Mountain coffee are each 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 Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee. The supreme among coffee delicacies, coffee produced in the Blue Mountain region of Jamaica at altitudes of approximately 2,000-2,256 meters, due to its location on precarious mountainsides, has low production but large, high-quality beans with balanced flavor. It simultaneously possesses appropriate acidity, bitterness, aroma, body, and sweetness, making it universally recognized as a supreme delicacy. Therefore, the price of National Treasure Blue Mountain No.1 is the highest among all Blue Mountain coffees.

(2) Jamaican High Mountain Coffee

Coffee produced below 666 meters in the Jamaican Blue Mountain area is called High Mountain coffee. It is also second only to Blue Mountain coffee in quality and is known in the industry as the brother variety of Blue Mountain coffee. Due to the extremely limited production of Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee, if you want to taste Jamaican-style coffee, then Jamaican High Mountain coffee is your best choice.

(3) Jamaican Coffee

Coffee grown outside the Blue Mountain range is called Jamaican coffee. Originally, Chinese coffee operators had a common misconception that only coffee grown above 1,800 meters in the Blue Mountain area could be called Blue Mountain coffee. In fact, above 1,800 meters on the Blue Mountain range, there is only one estate: Amber, owned by a Chinese descendant with the surname Lyn (林), whose ancestors came from Guangdong, China. The estate has only 30 hectares of land with very limited production. Blue Mountain coffee is mainly distributed in five mountain areas of the Blue Mountain range: John Crow, St. John's Peak, Mossman's Peak, High Peak, and Blue Mountain Peak.

Authentic Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee Has Certification

The Jamaican government used to insist 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. Roasting in Jamaica cannot meet this requirement. Now, Jamaican raw coffee beans can be exported.

CIB (Coffee Industry Board)

Jamaica is the only country in the world with a government coffee management organization—the Jamaican Coffee Industry Board (abbreviated as CIB), which is under the Jamaican Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries. CIB's functions include cultivation technical guidance, processing training, fair trade, quality supervision, and other matters related to Jamaican Blue Mountain quality and brand. The board members of CIB are all estate owners who own a certain scale of planting estates in Jamaica (due to industry shifts, newly certified Jamaican Blue Mountain estates now require an area of more than 50 hectares).

CIB stipulates that only Blue Mountain coffee beans produced in regions above 2,200 feet in the Jamaican Blue Mountains can be called Jamaican Blue Mountain. Its grades are divided according to bean size into NO.1, NO.2, NO.3, and manually selected PB. Among these, the basic standards for NO.1 Blue Mountain raw beans include beans larger than 17 mesh, defect rate below 3%, moisture content around 13%, etc. To date, Blue Mountain coffee raw beans have only one processing method: washed, with no sun-dried or other processing methods.

Currently, the Jamaican Coffee Board can issue certificates for all exported Blue Mountain coffee on the market.

Certificates are divided into three types:

(1) Quality certificate issued by the Jamaican Coffee Board

(2) Authorized sales certificate issued by Blue Mountain coffee manufacturers

(Blue Mountain coffee is distributed by 4 Jamaican government-approved processing producers and exported by 16 licensed exporters)

(3) Certificate of origin for Jamaican 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 recently imported Blue Mountain from its origin region and obtained this certificate.

Among all coffees, only Blue Mountain uses barrel packaging; other coffees are exported in jute bags. It is said that this practice dates back to the mid-18th century during the British colonial period when empty flour barrels transported from Britain to Jamaica were reused to transport coffee and rum. Today's wooden barrels are made from timber from temperate forests in the United States. The advantage of wooden barrels is that they absorb and release internal and external humidity without significant changes, which can alleviate sudden temperature changes during transportation. Additionally, barrel packaging seals and isolates coffee aroma, maintaining the best coffee quality, but the additional cost is relatively high.

How Should Blue Mountain Coffee Be Roasted?

Simply put, roast Blue Mountain "thoroughly" from inside out, and on the basis of proper roasting, use good roasting techniques to express the flavor of these beans.

Caramelization is the most significant step affecting coffee flavor. After 6-7 minutes of roasting, raw beans absorb a large amount of heat energy, initiating pyrolysis reactions and the first cracking sound. Some sugars convert to carbon dioxide, water continues to evaporate, new aromatic components gradually develop, forming so-called coffee oils, which combine with hundreds of aromatic substances including nicotinic acid, citric acid, quinic acid, malic acid, acetic acid, caffeine, etc.

Roasting curve: Heat to 170°C, set air vent to 3. After 1 minute, adjust heat to 140°C, air vent unchanged. Roast until 5'10", temperature reaches 153°C, bean surface turns yellow, grassy aroma completely disappears, dehydration complete. Adjust heat to 115°C, air vent to 4;

At 8'00" minutes, bean surface shows ugly wrinkles and black patterns, toast aroma clearly transitions to coffee aroma, which can be defined as the prelude to first crack. At this point, listen carefully for the sound of first crack. Starting at 8'12", first crack begins, reduce heat to 90°C, air vent fully open (adjust heat very carefully, not so low that cracking stops), remove from heat at 201.3°C.

Cupping

A perfect and delicate balance of acidity, body, and aroma. Its acidity is bright and delicate. Its body is as smooth as velvet. Its aroma carries slight penetration, accompanied by floral, spicy, and citrus tones. There's a hint of cocoa aftertaste in the mouth.

The taste is very clean, complex, and very mild, with chocolate sweetness and very strong body. The flavor is rich and mellow, with a perfect combination of coffee's sweetness, acidity, and bitterness. It has no bitterness at all, only moderate and perfect acidity, with a persistent fruity finish.

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

Wet aroma: rose-tea, caramel, honey, black chocolate, almond skins, silky mouthfeel, brightness

How Should We Brew Blue Mountain Coffee Beans?

Filter cup choices for daily brewing: V60, Kalita wave, and KONO are all suitable.

Example Using KONO Filter Cup

Parameters: 15g coffee, water temperature 84-86°C, BG grinding 6M (Chinese standard 20-mesh sieve, 47% pass rate), equivalent to Fuji grinder 4, water-to-coffee ratio close to 1:14, total time around 1:50.

Method: 25-30g water for bloom, bloom time 30s, slowly pour water to around 120g and stop. Wait until water level drops and is about to expose the coffee bed, then start pouring to 210g.

Other Extraction Suggestions:

French press: 3.5-4 grind setting / water temperature 86°C

Siphon: 4 grind setting, water temperature: 89°C

AeroPress: 4 grind setting, water temperature 86°C

Tips:

Blue Mountain has a relatively dark roast degree. If the water temperature is too high, it will easily produce astringency and carry a very obvious smoky flavor.

How to Identify Authentic vs. Fake Blue Mountain?

1. Appearance: Raw Blue Mountain coffee beans are greenish-blue, very uniform in appearance, medium to small in size, with slightly upturned ends. They expand significantly after roasting and become very full.

2. Grinding: True Blue Mountain coffee beans grow at high altitudes, giving them a relatively loose cytoplasmic structure. When grinding by hand, they feel very crisp, smooth, and continuous, without any sense of resistance.

3. Aroma: The aroma is very rich and dense; so-called "Blue Mountain blend" coffees do not have this aroma.

4. Taste: True Blue Mountain coffee has balanced and rich flavor, without any single taste being overly prominent or lacking. This is also something no other coffee bean can achieve and is the most key identification point.

What Is Blue Mountain Flavored Coffee?

So-called "Blue Mountain blend" actually has no connection to Blue Mountain; this situation arose because early Blue Mountain coffee was rare and expensive. Operators created coffee close to Blue Mountain taste by mixing beans with dark roasting based on Blue Mountain flavor characteristics. Therefore, conscientious merchants in domestic and international markets will tell customers that this is blended Blue Mountain, Blue Mountain blend, Blue Mountain flavor, or Blue Mountain-style coffee beans, not genuine Blue Mountain coffee.

True Blue Mountain and Blue Mountain flavor are two different concepts. Generally, other coffee varieties are roasted to imitate the taste of 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" costing tens of yuan per pound or "Blue Mountain coffee" costing just over ten yuan per cup.

Not all coffees labeled "Blue Mountain" are genuine Blue Mountain. Hope this helps everyone distinguish~

Related recommendations: Why is authentic Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee so expensive? First, you need to confirm authenticity

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473