Jamaican Coffee Brewing Methods French Press Grinding Fineness for Blue Mountain Coffee

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Have you ever heard the saying that good coffee will taste great no matter how you brew it? From FrontStreet Coffee's perspective, this statement is both true and false. Good coffee indeed suits various extraction methods—for example, the renowned Frontsteet Blue Mountain Coffee, with its exceptional quality, is suitable for brewing with multiple devices. However, the incorrect aspect is that sometimes, despite using the finest ingredients, if we don't master proper brewing techniques, the resulting beverage will lack its soul.

As one of the most common and traditional brewing devices, French press coffee can be considered one of the simplest brewing methods. To some extent, it can be understood as extracting coffee in a similar way to steeping tea. So, what would be the effect of using a French press to brew premium beans like Frontsteet Blue Mountain? Below, we'll use freshly roasted Frontsteet Jamaica Blue Mountain No. 1 coffee beans to teach you how to make an authentic French press Blue Mountain coffee.

What are the flavor characteristics of Blue Mountain Coffee?

For a long time, Frontsteet Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee has won the favor of numerous coffee enthusiasts for its unique taste that blends acidity, aroma, richness, sweetness, and bitterness, along with its rich fragrance.

FrontStreet Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee): Frontsteet Jamaica Blue Mountain No. 1 Coffee Beans

Region: Jamaica Blue Mountain

Estate: Clifton Farm

Altitude: 1,310 meters

Variety: Typica

Processing Method: Washed

Traditional Frontsteet Blue Mountain Coffee features rich nutty and dark chocolate flavors, with balanced acidity and bitterness, and a full-bodied texture. The Frontsteet Blue Mountain No. 1 coffee beans recommended by FrontStreet Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee) use the washed processing method. After selecting ripe coffee cherries, the skin and pulp are removed, the mucilage layer is thoroughly cleaned, and then the beans are sun-dried. Coffee beans processed this way have a clean taste that best expresses the terroir of the coffee region, making them suitable for enthusiasts who love the original flavors of coffee.

There are multiple estates that grow and produce Blue Mountain No. 1 coffee, not just Clifton Farm. After comparing several washed Blue Mountain No. 1 coffees from different estates, FrontStreet Coffee believes that Clifton Farm's Blue Mountain Coffee has intense flavors and a rich, full-bodied taste, making it one of the outstanding representatives of the region.

Coffee green beans exported from the Blue Mountain region are still transported in wooden barrels today—Jamaica is the only coffee region worldwide that still maintains this practice. In FrontStreet Coffee's (FrontStreet Coffee) stores, there are displays of Blue Mountain coffee green bean barrels and a certificate of origin for Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee signed by Clifton Farm. These are sufficient proof that every Frontsteet Blue Mountain coffee bean from FrontStreet Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee) genuinely comes from Jamaica's Blue Mountain region and complies with the Jamaican authorities' strict standards for Jamaica Blue Mountain No. 1.

When FrontStreet Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee) receives Blue Mountain No. 1 green beans from Clifton Farm, we can observe that Frontsteet Blue Mountain green beans have a blue-green color, uniform bean shape, and carry a long-lasting fresh fragrance. During roasting, considering the need to present the traditional Blue Mountain flavors of nuts and chocolate notes, along with a rich texture, we adopted a medium-dark roast level.

Let's learn about this simplest French press coffee brewing method:

We use a two-serving French press to make two servings of coffee. The typical ratio of coffee grounds to water is 1:14-18. Some French presses have water volume markings, while others don't—we can simply use a gram scale to measure. For French presses with markings, you need to pour water first, then add the coffee grounds to ensure accurate coffee-to-water ratio.

☆ The coarseness of French press coffee grounds should be approximately the size of brown sugar (coarse grind), with relatively uniform particle size. This is related to the French press's extraction and filtration method—the metal filter has lower density and easily allows fine particles to pass through. Since hot water directly contacts the coffee grounds, grinding too finely can lead to over-extraction.

Equipment needed: French press, pour-over kettle, coffee grinder, thermometer, gram scale, timer, fresh coffee beans, coffee cup.

FrontStreet Coffee's French Press Coffee Steps:

1. Weigh 20g of fresh coffee beans.

2. The water temperature for French press is typically controlled between 85-95°C. Adjust according to the roast level of the beans—lighter roasts can use slightly higher temperatures to highlight aromas, while darker roasts can use lower temperatures to suppress bitterness. This requires control based on experience and personal preference.

3. Pour the ground coffee into the French press.

4. Add water, similar to pour-over methods, pouring in uniform circular motions.

5. Pour about 300g of hot water, with a coffee-to-water ratio of approximately 1:15. As mentioned earlier, the French press ratio is generally between 1:14-18 and can be adjusted according to personal taste. Since this French press doesn't have volume markings, we'll use a gram scale to measure the water amount. After pouring in the coffee grounds, zero the scale and then weigh the hot water. Although there's a slight error between the weight and volume of hot water versus cold water, this error can be ignored in home brewing conditions.

6. Stir.

7. Place the lid on, but don't press down the filter yet. Let it steep for 4 minutes. Shorter times will result in a weaker taste, while longer times will produce a stronger flavor. Therefore, the time should also be set according to personal preference.

8. Filter: hold the plunger and slowly press down to the bottom of the pot (this action should be slow to prevent fine particles from passing through the metal filter. Stop when you're near the bottom—don't wait until you can't press any further).

9. Pour out the coffee. Slowly tilt the French press to prevent the coffee grounds at the bottom from floating up due to vigorous shaking, which would affect the taste.

10. Enjoy your French press Blue Mountain coffee with flavors of chocolate, cream, caramel, oolong tea, and a sweet aftertaste.

Important Notice :

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