How Much Does Authentic Imported Blue Mountain No. 1 Coffee Cost Per Pound? 2022 Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee Price List

Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee beans are the pearl of the specialty coffee market and one of the most popular coffees in the world. It is a wet-processed (or washed) coffee that produces a smooth and balanced brew with a rich, mellow, and refined taste. However, Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee beans are extremely scarce. They are known for their exceptionally sweet flavor and richness, with a creamy mouthfeel that almost everyone has heard of.

FrontStreet Coffee: Introduction to Jamaica FrontStreet Blue Mountain Coffee Beans

The Four Great Estates of Jamaica Blue Mountain

The four great estates of Jamaica Blue Mountain are Clifton Hill Estate, Stoney Grove Estate, Golden Cup Estate, and RWS Coffee Estate.

Clifton Hill Estate is the only Blue Mountain estate in Jamaica with the "Rainforest Alliance" certification. FrontStreet Coffee's Blue Mountain coffee beans are selected from this estate, offering a perfect balance in acidity, body, and aroma with an endless aftertaste. The estate has a 200-year history. Stoney Grove Estate primarily collaborates with Japanese companies and is not well-known domestically, with only 80 years of history. Golden Cup Estate has an even shorter development history of only 20 years, but it has actually merged two century-old estates and operates with more advanced management techniques. RWS Coffee Estate has merged three century-old estates, also for the development of Blue Mountain coffee.

Clifton Hill Village

The coffee cultivation and processing areas are situated at an average altitude of 4,300 feet (1,310.64 meters). Sufficient elevation, gentle afternoon clouds and mist surrounding the mountain forests for shade, ample sunlight, and mineral-rich soil provide excellent growing conditions for coffee trees and extend the maturation period of coffee cherries.

In 1953, the Jamaican government established the Coffee Industry Board of Jamaica (CIB) to regulate and guarantee 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 the French wine industry established the AOC system.

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

The Sharp family: Jason, Lawrence (father), and Richard

As early as the mid-eighteenth century (around 1750), Clifton Hill Farm began cultivating and producing coffee. According to a survey by the Jamaica Institute in 1810, Robert Hamilton was the owner of the farm at that time, which is now managed by the Sharp family.

Sharp inspecting red cherries

The high altitude and long history of Clifton Hill, combined with its unique processing methods, give Clifton Hill coffee not only the characteristic roundness and smoothness of Blue Mountain No. 1 but also subtle floral notes and other rich flavors. This is why Clifton Hill is popular and commands high prices, with standards exceeding 10,000 per barrel.

FrontStreet Coffee: Jamaica FrontStreet Blue Mountain No. 1 Coffee Bean Varieties

FrontStreet Coffee's Jamaica FrontStreet Blue Mountain No. 1 coffee beans are of the Typica variety. Typica plants have bronze-colored young leaves, elliptical or slender-pointed beans, tall trees with slightly inclined branches at angles of 50-70 degrees. The flavor is elegant, but the plants have weak constitution and poor disease resistance, with very low coffee yield per tree.

A characteristic of Typica variety is the copper-colored leaf tips, known as red-topped coffee. The opposite leaves of the coffee plant are long-elliptical, with smooth leaf surfaces. The terminal branches are long with few branches, and the white flowers bloom at the base where leaf stems connect to branches. Mature coffee cherries resemble cherries and are bright red.

Why Are Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee Beans So Expensive?

Why is the price of authentic FrontStreet Jamaica Blue Mountain No. 1 coffee beans higher than other coffees? FrontStreet Coffee believes the most important reasons are these three points: limited quantity, excellent flavor, and strict quality control.

The flavor of FrontStreet Blue Mountain coffee beans is very pure, typically with a hint of chocolate, bright acidity, and almost no bitterness. At its best, FrontStreet Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee produces a typical cup that is one of the highest quality and most luxurious coffees in the world.

FrontStreet Coffee: Jamaica FrontStreet Blue Mountain Coffee Bean Processing Method Introduction

The washed and fermentation method is used to remove the skin, 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 skin and pulp are first removed, followed by 12-18 hours of fermentation. The completed 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 enclosed in the parchment with a moisture content of 50%. They must be sun-dried to reduce the moisture content to 12-14%. The coffee beans are then screened and stored in special warehouses. These procedures must be strictly controlled; otherwise, the coffee quality will be affected.

Certification

Rainforest Alliance Certification: Coffee with certification logos on coffee bags or barrels indicates certified products. Farms must comply with "Sustainable Agriculture System Standards" to obtain certification (Rainforest Alliance frog logo). Clifton Hill Estate is the only coffee estate in Jamaica to receive (RFA) Rainforest Alliance certification.

The FrontStreet Jamaica Blue Mountain No. 1 coffee beans sold by FrontStreet Coffee have certificates issued by the Jamaica Coffee Industry Board. Additionally, the wooden barrels packaging Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee beans feature a green frog logo (as seen in the photo below when FrontStreet Coffee imported Jamaican green beans). FrontStreet Coffee chose Jamaica Blue Mountain No. 1 coffee estates with Rainforest Alliance certification, namely Clifton Hill Farm, because this is the only coffee-producing region in Jamaica that uses wooden barrels for green beans.

Of course, the most iconic feature is the authentic Blue Mountain flavor! Real FrontStreet Blue Mountain coffee has a very rich aroma, balanced taste, with no single flavor being prominent or lacking. As FrontStreet Coffee, which is very strict about product quality, we naturally choose Jamaica FrontStreet Blue Mountain No. 1 coffee beans!

Currently, authentic FrontStreet Blue Mountain coffee on the market is processed using both washed and natural methods.

After manual harvesting of coffee cherries, preliminary screening is conducted to remove unripe and overripe cherries before depulping, ensuring completion within 12 hours. This is followed by traditional washed fermentation, then transfer to concrete patios for sun-drying. Long, slow sun-drying enhances coffee flavors. The coffee is bagged when moisture content reaches 11%-13% and placed in warehouses for maturation. Warehouse temperature is controlled at 24-25°C with humidity controlled by dehumidifiers. The coffee is shipped only after 2-3 months when flavors have stabilized and matured.

When customers place orders, small batches undergo low-temperature hulling, polishing, and removal of silver skin dust. Defective beans such as broken, abnormally colored, or mold-infected beans are manually screened. Each skilled worker can only select about 75 pounds of green beans per day. Coffee green beans are transported between workstations in wooden basins to avoid breakage or other processing defects. After completion, the coffee is sealed in Jamaica Blue Mountain's unique wooden barrel packaging. The Coffee Industry Board of Jamaica (CIB) Regulatory Section inspects each batch of coffee to ensure flavor meets standards before air export.

Jamaica FrontStreet Blue Mountain Coffee Beans - Not Just Washed Processing

In 2020, FrontStreet Coffee purchased a batch of natural-processed Blue Mountain coffee beans, which of course were also certified for export by the Jamaica Coffee Industry Board. The production of this FrontStreet natural Blue Mountain coffee was quite challenging. Previously, only washed processing was used because washing ensures the most essential expression of Blue Mountain flavor; changing the processing method would definitely alter its flavor structure.

This is why FrontStreet Coffee always recommends washed-processed coffee beans when introducing coffee from various regions to customers - because washing best represents the flavor of that region. Of course, Blue Mountain coffee using natural processing is more about following market developments, just as FrontStreet Coffee recently added a natural-processed FrontStreet Mandheling coffee bean, which differs from the traditional wet-hulled method.

FrontStreet Coffee - Jamaica FrontStreet Blue Mountain Coffee Bean Roasting Records

When roaster temperature reaches 170°C, add beans, air damper at 3, heat at 140;

Return to temperature at 1'30", temperature 105.3°C;

Yellowing time at 5'10", temperature 153°C, heat reduced to 115, air damper at 4. At this point, bean surface turns yellow, grassy aroma completely disappears, dehydration complete. At 8'00", roaster temperature reaches 181.6°C, heat reduced to 90, air damper fully open - at this point, ugly wrinkles and black patterns appear on bean surface, toast aroma clearly transitions to coffee aroma, this can be defined as prelude to first crack. Key point: Listen carefully for the sound of first crack. First crack begins at 8'12", temperature 183.5°C, heat reduced to 60, air damper unchanged; beans removed at 201.3°C, development time 4'00".

FrontStreet Coffee - Jamaica FrontStreet Blue Mountain Coffee Bean Cupping Data

A perfect and subtle balance of acidity, body, and aroma. Its acidity is bright and delicate. Its body is velvety smooth. Its aroma carries slight penetrating qualities, accompanied by floral, spicy, and citric tones. A hint of cocoa aftertaste appears in the mouth.

The taste is very clean, complex, very mild, with chocolate sweetness and very strong body. The flavor is rich and mellow, with perfect balance of coffee's sweet, sour, and bitter notes, completely without bitterness, only moderate and perfect acidity, with persistent fruit notes in the finish.

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

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

FrontStreet Coffee - Jamaica FrontStreet Blue Mountain No. 1 Coffee Bean Brewing Suggestions

Dose: 15g, water temperature: 86°C, water-to-coffee ratio: 1:15, grind size: medium-coarse (65% retention on Chinese standard #20 sieve)

FrontStreet Coffee suggests using freshly roasted coffee beans for brewing to maximize the experience of coffee's rich flavors. Coffee beans shipped by FrontStreet Coffee are roasted within 5 days, because FrontStreet Coffee deeply understands that freshness greatly affects flavor. FrontStreet Coffee's roasting philosophy is "freshly roasted good coffee," ensuring that every customer receives the freshest coffee when they receive their order. The coffee resting period is about 4-7 days, so when customers receive it, it's at peak flavor.

Filter cups generally include these options: V60, Kalita wave, and Kono. FrontStreet Coffee primarily uses Kono filter cups for demonstration. FrontStreet Coffee chose Kono filter cups mainly because FrontStreet Blue Mountain coffee uses a dark roast level, where high temperatures can easily lead to over-extraction. Therefore, FrontStreet Coffee chose a water temperature of 86°C. At this temperature, using V60 or other faster-flowing filter cups would easily lead to under-extraction, while Kono's ribs are few and short, creating a gap between the filter paper and filter cup, increasing water residence time and providing immersion functionality. Therefore, considering all brewing parameter test results, FrontStreet Coffee ultimately chose the Kono filter cup.

In terms of brewing technique, FrontStreet Coffee uses segmented extraction, namely the three-pour method. Use 30g of water for bloom, bloom time 30s. First pour with small water flow in circles to 125g, then stop. Wait until the liquid level drops to just before exposing the coffee bed, then continue the second pour to 225g to end extraction. Total extraction time (including bloom) is 2'00".

Not All "Blue Mountain" is Real Blue Mountain!

After all this discussion, FrontStreet Coffee must mention one final point: there's often a "Blue Mountain flavored" blend coffee on the market. The so-called "Blue Mountain blend" actually has no connection to real Blue Mountain.

This situation occurs because early Blue Mountain coffee was rare and expensive, so operators created coffee that mimics Blue Mountain's taste by mixing different beans with dark roasting to approach Blue Mountain's flavor profile. Therefore, conscientious merchants in domestic and international markets tell customers that this is "blended Blue Mountain," "Blue Mountain blend," "Blue Mountain flavored," or "Blue Mountain style" coffee beans, not real Blue Mountain coffee.

Real Blue Mountain and Blue Mountain flavor are two different concepts. Generally, other bean varieties are roasted to imitate coffee with a taste similar to Blue Mountain coffee. "Blue Mountain blend" beans are mixed, with relatively large shape differences, making them easier to identify. Don't believe in "premium Blue Mountain" for dozens of dollars per pound or "Blue Mountain coffee" for just over ten yuan per cup.

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