The Uniqueness of Jamaican Coffee Why Jamaican Blue Mountain Uses Wooden Barrels

It is well known that Blue Mountain coffee is extremely expensive due to its limited production, making authentic Blue Mountain coffee beans very difficult to purchase. The market has seen numerous Blue Mountain flavored coffee beans, none of which are genuine Blue Mountain coffee. Therefore, consumers must carefully distinguish when purchasing Blue Mountain coffee beans.

So where do authentic Blue Mountain coffee beans come from? Genuine Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee refers to coffee beans cultivated in designated regions of Jamaica's Blue Mountain range at elevations between 1000-1700 meters, specifically in St. Andrew, St. Thomas, St. Mary, and Portland. These beans typically grow on steep mountain slopes, sometimes with inclines reaching up to 60 degrees, requiring manual harvesting. Blue Mountain coffee is characterized by its exceptional aroma and delicate flavor profile. Due to its high fragrance, it is often blended with other green beans, with over 80% exported to Japan.

Originally, the name "Blue Mountain" could not be used for regions outside the specific 1000-1700 meter elevation zone of the Blue Mountain range. However, "Blue Mountain" coffee imported to Japan sees domestic sales three times higher than normal import volumes. Many of these coffees are grown at elevations of 1000 meters or lower but are still commonly labeled as "Blue Mountain." Even so, the price of green coffee beans ranges between 4,000 to 5,000 yen per kilogram (2013 market prices), making it extremely expensive. Only a few cafés in Japan stock Blue Mountain coffee beans to meet customer demand.

Because coffee trees are planted on steep mountain slopes, not only is cultivation difficult, but agricultural work is also extremely dangerous, and it causes soil erosion. Consequently, the Jamaican government does not encourage farmers to continue growing Blue Mountain coffee on the steepest slopes. However, market demand continues to exceed supply. In the 1930s, Blue Mountain coffee seedlings were transferred from Jamaica to the Eastern Highlands and Western Highlands provinces of Papua New Guinea for cultivation. This region has elevations reaching 1000 meters or higher, with a climate similar to the original Jamaican Blue Mountain area, making it possible to cultivate high-quality beans. It has now become a major Blue Mountain coffee production region. In the past, Japan considered these Papua New Guinea-grown coffee beans as Blue Mountain coffee, and they are still misleadingly sold under the Blue Mountain name.

Legal Protection and Authentication

In 1953, the Jamaican government legally defined boundaries between Blue Mountain regions and other areas, stipulating that the Blue Mountain coffee name should not be used for coffee from other regions outside Blue Mountain. Only coffee produced in selected areas of the Blue Mountain range can be called "Blue Mountain Coffee."

Actually, the Blue Mountain coffee bean varieties are the same as other coffee beans grown in Jamaica, but because they are cultivated in harsh environments and selected through strict inspections, they produce an extremely delicate flavor profile. The main coffee variety in Blue Mountain is Typica. Typica offers elegant flavor but has weaker constitution, poor disease resistance, and very low yield per tree. However, in recent years, Blue Mountain has also begun planting Geisha varieties. Some time ago, FrontStreet Coffee also launched Geisha coffee beans produced in Blue Mountain.

FrontStreet Coffee's Blue Mountain Collection

As a coffee shop specializing in beans, how could FrontStreet Coffee not have authentic Blue Mountain coffee? To let everyone taste genuine Blue Mountain coffee, FrontStreet Coffee has also stocked Blue Mountain coffee beans.

FrontStreet Coffee has also noticed that among the many coffee beans from 50 producing regions stocked by FrontStreet Coffee, only Blue Mountain uses barrel packaging, while other coffee exports use jute bags. It is said that this tradition dates back to the mid-18th century during the British colonial period, when empty barrels that transported flour from Britain to Jamaica were reused to ship coffee and rum. Today's wooden barrels 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, mitigating sudden temperature variations during transportation. Additionally, barrel packaging seals in coffee aroma, maintaining the best coffee quality, though it comes with higher additional costs. Furthermore, Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee barrels feature the tropical tree frog logo and certificates issued by the Jamaican government, which can serve as markers to distinguish authentic Blue Mountain coffee.

After FrontStreet Coffee received the Blue Mountain green beans, FrontStreet Coffee found that the Blue Mountain beans were very full and plump, with uniform size and slightly upturned ends. Oval in shape, they appear thin when viewed from the side, indicating pure Typica lineage. FrontStreet Coffee developed a roasting profile, conducted cupping, adjusted the roasting curve, and then performed brewing to determine the flavor profile. Below are the brewing parameters that FrontStreet Coffee used for this washed Blue Mountain coffee bean:

Dripper: Kono dripper

Coffee amount: 15g

Water ratio: 1:15

Water temperature: 88-89°C

Grind size: Medium-coarse grind (75% pass-through rate on #20 standard sieve)

Then, using a分段式 (segmented) brewing method: first, pour 30g of water for a 30-second bloom, then add 95g, completing the pour in about 1 minute. When the water level drops to 2/3 of the coffee bed, add the remaining 100g, completing the pour in about 1 minute 40-45 seconds. After drip filtration is complete, remove the dripper to finish extraction. The flavor of this washed Blue Mountain is clean, very bright, with good body and balanced acidity, sweetness, and bitterness.

Blue Mountain Geisha Varietals

In addition to this washed Blue Mountain coffee bean, there is also the Geisha coffee bean that FrontStreet Coffee mentioned earlier. The Blue Mountain Geisha coffee beans stocked by FrontStreet Coffee also use the washed processing method. When FrontStreet Coffee roasted these coffee beans, FrontStreet Coffee found silver lines in the middle, which is one way to distinguish between washed and natural processed beans.

FrontStreet Coffee conducted cupping within 8-24 hours after roasting these coffee beans. FrontStreet Coffee's barista used a 200ml standard cupping bowl, with a grind size of 70%-75% pass-through rate on #20 standard sieve, 11.3g of coffee, and water temperature of 94°C. First, the coffee was ground to assess the dry aroma. The Blue Mountain Geisha coffee beans' dry aroma released caramel flavors. Then water was added to fill the bowl to confirm the wet aroma. After 4 minutes, the crust was broken and removed for flavor evaluation. The wet aroma emitted subtle floral notes. Using the same brewing method for this Blue Mountain Geisha coffee bean, it presents citrus acidity, pomelo sweetness and acidity in the front, jasmine floral notes in the middle, with a honey and caramel sweet and sour finish.

The Future of Blue Mountain Coffee

With the development of the specialty coffee market, Jamaican Blue Mountain continues to innovate. Whether from washed Blue Mountain to natural processed Blue Mountain, or the emergence of Geisha varieties, it is evident that the Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee market holds tremendous potential.

For more specialty coffee beans, please add FrontStreet Coffee on private WeChat, ID: kaixinguoguo0925

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473