What Does Blue Mountain Coffee Taste Like? Does It Have Chocolate Flavor? How Does Coffee Bean Aroma Change During the Resting Period

FrontStreet Coffee - Introduction to Blue Mountain Coffee and Coffee Bean Resting Period

Jamaica is a country in the Caribbean that produces the world-famous Blue Mountain Coffee. The Blue Mountains feature steep terrain, fresh, pollution-free air, abundant rainfall throughout the year and significant day-night temperature differences, along with uniquely fertile new volcanic soil. Most importantly, every afternoon clouds and fog wrap the entire mountain area, not only giving the coffee trees natural shade but also bringing abundant moisture. These superior geographical and climatic conditions make Blue Mountain Coffee's taste and aroma outstanding, allowing it to stand above other similar varieties.

Beyond its exceptional natural conditions, every step of Blue Mountain Coffee, from planting and picking to washing, hulling and roasting, is handled with extreme care and strict standards. For example, there are clear rules about which organic fertilizers to use during different growth periods, and many processes, including picking and everything that follows, are completed by hand, with the majority of participants being women. To protect the coffee's quality during transport, Jamaica is the last country that still uses traditional wooden barrels to pack and ship coffee. Blue Mountain Coffee has a rich, mellow flavor with balanced acidity, sweetness and bitterness; that is the true Blue Mountain taste.

Coffee Bean Resting Period

So-called bean resting means letting freshly roasted coffee beans naturally release gas over a period of time while isolated from oxygen, thereby reducing their carbon dioxide content.

This matters because excessive carbon dioxide significantly hinders contact between hot water and coffee grounds during brewing, which mainly affects high-pressure espresso extraction. Since espresso extraction lasts only a few tens of seconds, even a slight change in any factor has a large effect on the result, so the conditions for making espresso are more demanding: correction of grind size, pressure distribution, hot water temperature and contact time, including the carbon dioxide content inside the coffee grounds (adjusted through bean resting). If roasted beans are left for too long, though, the flavor will gradually deteriorate; fortunately, espresso extraction has a relatively high tolerance for bean resting time.

Knowledge Extension

As time goes by, the flavor intensity of coffee beans weakens day by day, which is due to the combined effects of time and oxygen.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

Blue Mountain is one of the easiest coffees to love, precisely because it has no obvious weakness. FrontStreet Jamaica Blue Mountain No.1 is the top grade, sourced through Clifton Estate, where coffee has been grown since around 1750; the farm sits at an average of 4300 feet (1310.64 meters), with gentle afternoon cloud cover, ample sun and mineral-rich soil that slow the cherries' ripening. Only coffee grown in the certified Blue Mountain range and approved by Jamaican authorities may carry the name, and the traditional 15, 45 and 70 kilogram wooden barrels, along with the estate certificate, are themselves marks of the real thing. Roasted medium-dark, it layers nuts, dark chocolate, creamy caramel and soft sweetness into one harmonious, clean cup.

FrontStreet Coffee brews Blue Mountain with a Kono dripper to build body, using 15g of coffee at a 1:15 ratio with a grind size slightly coarser than for light roasts, about white sugar, and 87-88°C water. Rest the beans 4-7 days for the best flavor, counting the roast date as day one, then pour in three stages: a 30g bloom for 30 seconds, a second pour to 120g with a slow vertical circling stream, and a final pour to 225g a little faster to avoid over-extraction. The result is very clean, mild and complex, with chocolate sweetness and a long fruity finish. For a richer version, a moka pot with a slightly finer grind and preheated water also works beautifully.