Jamaican Coffee Bean Knowledge: Why is Blue Mountain Coffee Stored in Wooden Barrels?

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Recently, some coffee enthusiasts who visited FrontStreet Coffee noticed a beautiful wooden barrel in our store and asked where we purchased it. In fact, it's a barrel used for storing Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee green beans. However, most coffee lovers know that green coffee beans are typically stored in burlap bags, so they were curious why Blue Mountain coffee is stored in wooden barrels. In this article, FrontStreet Coffee will explain the reasons why Blue Mountain coffee is stored in wooden barrels.

Why is Blue Mountain Coffee Stored in Wooden Barrels?

According to FrontStreet Coffee's many years of experience in purchasing green coffee beans, only Blue Mountain coffee is exported and sold in barrels, while coffee beans from other regions are all exported in burlap bags. The origin of Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee being sold in barrels dates back to the mid-18th century during the British colonial period, when empty barrels that had transported flour from Britain to Jamaica were reused to ship coffee and rum.

As FrontStreet Coffee understands, the wooden barrels used today are made from timber from temperate forests in the United States. The advantage of wooden barrels is their ability to absorb and release internal and external humidity without significant changes, which can alleviate sudden temperature changes during transportation. Additionally, barrel sealing isolates the coffee aroma, maintaining the best coffee quality, though the additional cost is relatively high. However, Jamaican estates that produce Blue Mountain coffee have continued the tradition of using wooden barrels for green coffee beans to maintain them in the best condition, which has also become a signature identifier of Blue Mountain coffee.

For example, the Blue Mountain coffee green bean barrel in FrontStreet Coffee's store comes from the Clifton Mountain Estate in Blue Mountain. The biggest difference between this barrel and those used by other Blue Mountain estates for exporting coffee beans is the small green frog on it. This little frog represents "Rainforest Alliance Certification," which refers to farms that meet the standards established by the "Rainforest Alliance." The alliance protects the farm's surrounding ecosystem, restricts pesticide use, and evaluates benchmarks such as waste management. Only coffee that passes evaluation and certification can be called "Rainforest Alliance Certified Coffee." According to FrontStreet Coffee's understanding, Clifton Estate is the only estate in Jamaica with Rainforest Alliance certification.

In addition, FrontStreet Coffee imported Jamaican Blue Mountain from its origin. Currently, the Jamaican Coffee Board can issue certificates for all exported Blue Mountain coffee on the market.

Blue Mountain Coffee Bean 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-licensed processing producers and exported by 16 licensed exporters)

(3) Certificate of Origin for Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee

The quality certificate indicates time and quantity. The Jamaican Coffee Board randomly selects a package from the submitted Blue Mountain coffee for inspection. If it meets the conditions for Blue Mountain coffee, a certificate is issued.

Next, FrontStreet Coffee will introduce the Blue Mountain coffee beans from Jamaica's Clifton Estate.

FrontStreet Coffee Jamaica Washed Blue Mountain No. 1 Coffee Beans

Country: Jamaica

Region: Blue Mountain (Clifton Estate)

Altitude: 1310m

Variety: Typica

Processing Method: Washed

Flavor: Brown sugar sweetness and berry acidity upon entry, with nutty cocoa flavors in the middle and later stages. The mouthfeel is creamy with rich, distinct layers, while the aftertaste carries walnut aroma.

FrontStreet Coffee Jamaica Natural Blue Mountain No. 1 Coffee Beans

Country: Jamaica

Region: Blue Mountain (Clifton Estate)

Altitude: 1310m

Variety: Typica

Processing Method: Washed

Flavor: Dark chocolate and nutty flavors upon entry, with high clarity and brightness, good body, and balanced sweet, sour, and bitter notes.

Both Blue Mountain coffee beans introduced by FrontStreet Coffee come from Clifton Estate. According to FrontStreet Coffee's understanding, Clifton Estate is the largest estate in the Blue Mountain region. Although it's considered small-scale by international standards, it's important to note that the Blue Mountain region is a small area with only 6,000 hectares of planting area, and it's impossible for all 6,000 hectares to be planted with coffee beans.

Additionally, Clifton Estate began planting coffee as early as the mid-18th century, making it truly a qualified and high-quality Blue Mountain coffee bean producing estate.

Blue Mountain Coffee Bean Processing Methods

As mentioned above by FrontStreet Coffee, Blue Mountain coffee beans are available in both washed and natural processing methods. However, before the end of 2019, Blue Mountain coffee only used washed processing. It was only in early 2020 that natural processing was introduced. This change was made for innovation and to adapt to the times, but changing the processing method will inevitably alter its flavor structure.

However, FrontStreet Coffee has always believed that newcomers to coffee should start with washed coffee beans, as washed processing is the method that best represents the original flavor of coffee beans. This is one of the reasons why Blue Mountain coffee previously only exported washed coffee beans, and washed coffee beans also have a cleaner and fresher mouthfeel.

The difference between natural and washed processing methods is that natural processing retains the pulp flavors, while washed processing removes the pulp flavors, representing the most essential flavor of the coffee beans. There are obvious differences in mouthfeel - washed is cleaner and brighter, while natural is richer in flavor. Therefore, FrontStreet Coffee suggests that you can choose according to personal preference, but if you want to understand this coffee region, you should definitely try the most original flavor of this coffee bean.

Blue Mountain Coffee Bean Varieties

One of the most obvious characteristics of Blue Mountain coffee beans is that they all use the oldest Arabica native variety - Typica. This variety is known for its excellent flavor expression and is recognized as a premium coffee variety, but it has extremely low yield and is susceptible to rust disease, requiring more human management. Typica coffee beans originated in Ethiopia and southeastern Sudan and are the most widely cultivated coffee variety in the Western Hemisphere. The plants are relatively robust but not tolerant to strong light, with higher yields in Hawaii. Typica's top leaves are copper-colored, earning it the name "red-top coffee."

Additionally, Typica coffee has its unique elegant and clean flavor, as well as balanced characteristics, with high mouthfeel clarity - something that special processing methods cannot achieve. The variety that FrontStreet Coffee invested in for coffee cultivation in Yunnan is also the ancient small-grain variety - Typica, which is why many people who have tried it comment on its pure and elegant taste.

In Frontsteet's view, whether a cup of coffee tastes good ultimately depends on the coffee bean variety, as special processing methods are not a long-term solution. This is also one of the reasons why Blue Mountain coffee flavor has always been so excellent.

Grading of Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee Beans

Blue Mountain coffee is divided into four quality grades; from top to bottom: NO.1, NO.2, NO.3, and PB (Peaberry). FrontStreet Coffee's Blue Mountain coffee beans are precisely Blue Mountain No. 1 coffee beans, also known as the finest quality among Blue Mountain coffees, making it the most expensive variety in the Blue Mountain coffee category. The Blue Mountain coffee introduced by FrontStreet Coffee is precisely the highest grade No. 1 Blue Mountain.

Blue Mountain No. 1 is grown in the Jamaican Blue Mountain region. Because the coffee trees are located on steep mountain slopes with low yield, large bean size, and excellent quality, the taste is well-balanced, combining appropriate acidity, bitterness, aroma, body, and sweetness. Therefore, it is recognized by coffee enthusiasts worldwide as a premium product, naturally making Blue Mountain No. 1 the most expensive among all Blue Mountain coffees.

In addition to the excellent terroir environment, Blue Mountain coffee bean grading also screens for defect rates according to the following standards:

The above is FrontStreet Coffee's compilation of answers regarding why Blue Mountain coffee beans are stored in wooden barrels. Before introducing any new beans for coffee enthusiasts to taste, Frontsteet conducts extensive cupping and brewing tests. Next, Frontsteet will share our brewing parameters for both washed and natural Blue Mountain with all coffee enthusiast friends.

How to Roast to Better Express [Frontsteet Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee] Flavors?

Simply put, roast the Blue Mountain beans thoroughly "inside and out," using good roasting techniques on the foundation of proper roasting to express the flavor of these 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, water continues to evaporate, new aromatic components gradually develop, forming so-called coffee oils, which combine with hundreds of aromatic substances such as nicotinic acid, citric acid, quinic acid, malic acid, acetic acid, and caffeine.

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

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

Frontsteet Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee Bean Brewing Parameters Sharing

Frontsteet uses a KONO filter cup when brewing Blue Mountain coffee because it brings out a rounder and fuller mouthfeel. However, the KONO filter cup has relatively poor exhaust efficiency.

Brewing Parameters:

15g coffee grounds

Filter cup: KONO

Coffee-to-water ratio: 1:15

Grind size: Medium granulated sugar consistency

Water temperature: 86°C

Brewing Method:分段式萃取 (Segmented Extraction).

Use 30g of water for 30-second bloom, then pour with a small water stream to the center to 125g. When the water level is about to expose the coffee bed, continue pouring to 225g and stop. When the water level is about to expose the coffee bed again, remove the filter cup. Total extraction time is 2 minutes.

[Natural Blue Mountain Coffee Flavor Characteristics]

Brown sugar sweetness with berry acidity upon entry, with nutty cocoa flavors in the middle and later stages. Creamy mouthfeel with rich and distinct layers, while the aftertaste brings out walnut aroma.

[Washed Blue Mountain Coffee Flavor Characteristics]

Dark chocolate and nutty flavors upon entry, with high clarity and brightness, good body, and balanced sweet, sour, and bitter notes.

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473