Differences Between Blue Mountain Flavor Blend Coffee Beans and Authentic Blue Mountain - A Guide to Identifying Real vs Fake Blue Mountain Coffee

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The world-renowned "Blue Mountain Coffee" has won the affection of coffee enthusiasts with its mellow taste and the perfect balance of acidity, bitterness, aroma, richness, and sweetness. Due to its rarity and high price, Blue Mountain Coffee is typically consumed as a single-origin coffee. Only siphon and pour-over brewing methods can best interpret the mellow aroma and long-lasting aftertaste of Blue Mountain Coffee.

Many "Blue Mountain Coffee" products on the market are actually what's called "Blue Mountain Blend Coffee" or "Blue Mountain Flavor" coffee. If you pay close attention, you'll notice they're labeled as "Blended" or "Flavor." By definition, "Blue Mountain Blend Coffee" contains no less than 30% Blue Mountain beans. Many people use such Blue Mountain blend coffee beans to prepare coffee drinks such as lattes, cappuccinos, and mochas. If a roaster adheres to the philosophy of fresh-roasting within seven days, with absolutely high-quality coffee beans, complemented by freshness and appropriate roasting, every cup of coffee will leave a lasting fragrance and an unforgettable aftertaste.

What is True Blue Mountain Coffee?

The Blue Mountains are located in the eastern part of Jamaica. When the weather is clear, direct sunlight hits the azure sea surface, and the peaks reflect the brilliant blue light of the seawater, hence the name. The highest peak of Blue Mountain reaches 2,256 meters, making it the highest peak in the Caribbean region and a famous tourist destination. This area is situated in the coffee belt, with fertile volcanic soil, fresh air free from pollution, humid climate, and perennial fog and rain (average precipitation of 1,980 mm, temperature around 27°C). Such climate and extremely high altitude have created the world-renowned Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee.

Clifton Farm Introduction

Clifton Hill is the oldest coffee-producing area in Jamaica that is still in normal operation today, and only Clifton Farm in Jamaica has the "Rainforest Alliance" certification.

It is recognized as an exceptionally high-quality Blue Mountain coffee-producing area known worldwide. Its elegant manor farm is located in the Newcastle area of the island, situated on the eastern slope of Mount Catherine at an altitude of 4,300 feet.

History

As early as the mid-18th century (around 1750), Clifton Farm began planting and producing coffee.

According to a survey by the Jamaica Institute in 1810, Robert Hamilton was the owner of the farm at that time. Clifton Hill was divided into two parts: 80 acres of coffee and 427 acres of pasture on the mountaintop; 111 acres of coffee and 264 acres of pasture at the foot of the mountain.

The Blue Mountain area is a small place with only 6,000 hectares of planting area, making it impossible for all coffee labeled "Blue Mountain" to be grown there. Today's Clifton Farm is the largest estate in this region. Even by international standards, it belongs to small-scale cultivation, where many estate owners are small landholders whose families have worked on this land for two centuries.

The famous British painter and writer Mrs. Marian North visited Jamaica and stayed on Clifton Hill for 5 months. In her autobiography "Recollections of a Happy Life," she mentioned the Clifton Hotel where she stayed: "The Clifton Hotel belongs to a local gentleman who lost his wife. He was unwilling to live in the hotel anymore but rented it out to different people each week, allowing more people to experience the cold air at 5,000 feet altitude and the opportunity to walk among Jamaica's best and oldest coffee plantations."

Clifton Hill Village

The coffee cultivation and processing area is situated at an average altitude of 4,300 feet (1,310.64 meters). The sufficient altitude, gentle afternoon clouds and mist surrounding the mountain forests 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.

In 1953, the Jamaican government established the Jamaica Coffee Industry Board (CIB) to regulate and ensure the quality of Jamaican coffee. Jamaica was the first country in the world to designate a specific geographical location to a particular coffee brand, somewhat similar to how France's wine industry created the Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC).

All coffee exported from Jamaica is sent by the CIB. And the strict testing by trained quality control experts ensures that all exports are 100% authentic Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee.

The Sharp Family

As early as the mid-18th century (around 1750), Clifton Farm began planting and producing coffee. According to a survey by the Jamaica Institute in 1810, Robert Hamilton was the owner of the farm at that time, and now the Sharp family manages the estate.

Clifton's high altitude and long history, coupled with its unique processing methods, give Clifton coffee not only the characteristic roundness and smoothness of Blue Mountain No. 1 but also subtle floral notes and other rich flavors.

This is also why Clifton is loved by many and sold at high prices... with a standard of over ten thousand per barrel.

Washed Processing Method

Blue Mountain only uses washed processing.

The method uses washing and fermentation to remove the fruit skin, pulp, and mucilage. Farms using the washed method must build washing pools and be able to introduce a continuous supply of fresh water. During processing, the fruit skin and pulp are first removed, allowing fermentation for 12-18 hours, then the completed fermented beans are placed in the pool, moved back and forth, using the friction of the beans and the power of flowing water to wash the coffee beans until smooth and clean.

After washing, the coffee beans are still encased in the parchment, with a moisture content of 50%, and must be sun-dried to reduce the moisture content to 12-14%. Afterward, the coffee beans are screened and then stored in special warehouses. These procedures must be strictly controlled; otherwise, the quality of the coffee will be affected.

Certification: Rainforest Alliance certification. Coffee with certification marks on coffee bags or barrels is certified product coffee. Farms must comply with "Sustainable Agriculture System Standards" to obtain certification. (Rainforest Alliance frog), Clifton Estate is the only coffee estate that has obtained (RFA) Rainforest Alliance frog certification.

Green Bean Analysis

Blue Mountain Coffee is further divided into four grades. From highest to lowest quality, they are: NO.1, NO.2, NO.3, and PB, where PB refers to peaberries. According to CIB standards, only coffee grown above 666 meters altitude can be called Jamaican High Mountain Coffee; coffee grown in areas outside the Blue Mountain range is called Jamaican Coffee.

The basic standards for NO.1 Blue Mountain green beans are: beans above 17 screen size, defect rate below 3%, moisture content around 13%, etc.

Variety: Typica

Blue Mountain Coffee Cupping:

Cupping characteristics: A perfect and subtle balance of acidity, body, and aroma. Its acidity is bright and delicate. Its body is as smooth as velvet. Its aroma has a slight penetrating quality, accompanied by floral, spicy, and citrusy notes. After tasting, there is a hint of cocoa aftertaste.

The taste is very clean, complex, very mild, with chocolate sweetness and very strong body. The flavor is rich and mellow, with a perfect balance of sweetness, acidity, and bitterness in coffee, completely without bitterness, with only moderate and perfect acidity, and a persistent fruity finish.

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

Wet aroma: Oolong tea, caramel, honey, dark chocolate, almond skins, silky mouthfeel, brightness

Brewing Analysis

Daily brewing filter choices: V60, Kalita wave, and KONO filters are all suitable

KONO parameters: 15g coffee, water temperature 89°C, grind size 4, water-to-coffee ratio close to 1:15, total time around 2:00

Technique: 25-30g water for bloom, bloom time 30s; first pour to 120g then stop; vertical water flow, small water flow with slow circular motion; second pour to 225g, water flow and circular motion slightly faster to reduce fine particles clogging the filter, causing over-extraction.

Other Extraction Recommendations:

French Press: Grind size 3.5-4, water temperature 90°C

Siphon: Grind size 4, water temperature 89°C

AeroPress: Grind size 2.5, water temperature 88°C

How to Identify Authentic Blue Mountain Coffee?

1. Appearance: Blue Mountain green beans are blue-green in color, very uniform in appearance, medium to small in size, with slightly upturned ends. They expand significantly after roasting, becoming very full.

2. Grinding: True Blue Mountain coffee beans grow at high altitude, and their cell structure is relatively loose. 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 coffee does not have this aroma.

4. Taste: True Blue Mountain coffee has a balanced and rich taste, without any flavor being overly prominent or lacking, which is also something no other coffee bean can achieve—this is the most crucial identification point. The aroma of Blue Mountain peaberries is more subtle, while the taste is relatively stronger.

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. The beans in "Blue Mountain Blend Coffee" are mixed, with relatively large differences in shape, making them easier to identify. Also, don't believe in "premium Blue Mountain" that costs tens of yuan per pound or "Blue Mountain coffee" that costs only ten-plus yuan per cup.

Not all coffee labeled "Blue Mountain" is genuine Blue Mountain—I hope this helps everyone distinguish—

FrontStreet Coffee: A roastery in Guangzhou with a small shop but diverse variety of beans, where you can find various famous and lesser-known beans, while also providing online shop services. https://shop104210103.taobao.com

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