Is Blue Mountain Coffee Black Coffee? Origin, Flavor, History & Story - Are Blue Mountain Coffee Beans Arabica Beans?

What is Authentic Blue Mountain Coffee?

Blue Mountain Coffee, as the name suggests, is coffee produced in the Blue Mountain region of Jamaica. Therefore, those products labeled as "Blue Mountain Flavor Coffee" or "Blue Mountain Blend Coffee Beans" are definitely not genuine Blue Mountain Coffee – they use coffee beans from other regions to imitate the taste of Blue Mountain Coffee. For those who have actually tasted Blue Mountain Coffee, this might not be an issue. However, for those who haven't tried Blue Mountain Coffee and mistakenly purchase these non-Blue Mountain varieties, FrontStreet Coffee finds two possible scenarios: one is being deceived by the fake, because not knowing the real taste, they assume this non-Blue Mountain flavor is authentic; the other is mistakenly thinking Blue Mountain Coffee is nothing special, which damages the reputation of Blue Mountain.

So, can all coffee from the Blue Mountain region be called Blue Mountain Coffee?

Actually, no. In 1950, the Jamaican government established the Jamaica Coffee Industry Board. This board sets quality standards for Jamaican coffee and supervises the implementation of these standards to ensure the quality of Jamaican coffee. The board grants special official seals to both raw and roasted coffee exported from Jamaica. In essence, what qualifies as Blue Mountain Coffee is determined by the Jamaica Coffee Industry Board.

By 1981, Jamaica had opened up about 1,500 hectares of land for coffee cultivation, followed by investing in another 6,000 hectares of coffee land. In fact, according to the board's plan, only coffee produced by estates within these 6,000 hectares can be sold under the name of Blue Mountain Coffee.

Meanwhile, coffee grown on the remaining 12,000 hectares of land in the Blue Mountain region can only be called High Mountain Supreme Coffee and Jamaica Coffee.

Of course, Blue Mountain Coffee itself is further classified into grades. Based on the size of raw beans, they are divided into No. 1, No. 2, and No. 3 coffee. The best and most commonly found in the domestic market is Blue Mountain No. 1 Coffee, whose raw beans must be size 17 or above with a defect rate below 3%. No. 2 and No. 3 are rarely seen in the market because their prices are not high and they lack fame. Therefore, what truly has a great reputation is actually Blue Mountain No. 1 Coffee.

The High Quality of Blue Mountain Coffee Comes from Excellent Varieties

Blue Mountain No. 1 Coffee is purely of the Typica variety, which is among the best within the Arabica species. It was introduced to Jamaica from the Americas in the 18th century. Due to lack of significant attention and its naturally low yield, it was difficult to form a pillar industry. Until the mid-20th century, Jamaica re-emphasized its coffee industry, introducing advanced cultivation techniques, improving management levels, establishing quality standards, and receiving substantial economic aid from Japan, making it one of the most famous coffee beans by the end of the 20th century. (It must be said that Japanese marketing is truly sophisticated.)

And all of this离不开品种. You should know that coffee bean varieties in the Americas have gone through three rounds of replacement, while Ethiopia still hasn't fully distinguished its varieties. Jamaica has succeeded in maintaining excellent Arabica coffee varieties.

Authentic Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee Has Certificate Authentication

The Jamaican government has always insisted that all Blue Mountain Coffee should be roasted in Jamaica to ensure consistent quality. In reality, roasting is a delicate art that requires experience, training, and expensive equipment. From a consumer's perspective, coffee beans should be obtained and consumed immediately after roasting. Coffee roasted in Jamaica cannot meet this requirement. Now, raw Jamaican coffee beans can be exported.

FrontStreet Coffee imports Blue Mountain No. 1 Coffee from the Clifton Mountain Farm, all transported in original barrels. Currently, the Jamaica Coffee Industry Board can issue certificates for all exported Blue Mountain Coffee.

However, there's a bug with this certificate: you can only apply for a certificate from the CIB when you order Blue Mountain Coffee beans from the current season, but it takes 3-6 months for the certificate to be approved, and by the time it reaches us, it's already almost a new year. So this certificate has a year difference.

FrontStreet Coffee's Brewing Recommendations for Jamaican Blue Mountain No. 1 Coffee Beans

Use 15g of coffee grounds, water temperature at 86°C, water-to-coffee ratio of 1:15, and medium-coarse grind (Chinese standard 65% passing rate through No. 20 sieve).

There are generally several filter cup choices: V60, Kalita Wave, and Kono. FrontStreet Coffee primarily uses the Kono filter cup for demonstration. FrontStreet Coffee chose the Kono filter cup mainly because Blue Mountain Coffee uses a dark roast, and high temperatures can easily lead to over-extraction. Therefore, FrontStreet Coffee selected a water temperature of 86°C. At this temperature, using a V60 or other faster-flowing filter cups would easily lead to under-extraction, while the Kono has fewer and shorter ribs, which can isolate the gap between the filter paper and the filter cup, increasing water flow residence time and providing an immersion function. Therefore, after considering all brewing parameter test results, FrontStreet Coffee ultimately chose the Kono filter cup.

In terms of brewing technique, FrontStreet Coffee uses segmented extraction, which is the three-pour method. Use 30g of water for blooming, with a blooming time of 30s. For the first segment, pour with a small circular flow to 125g, then stop pouring. When the liquid level drops to just before exposing the coffee bed, continue with the second pour, ending extraction at 225g. The total extraction time (including blooming) is 2'00".

What are the Flavor Characteristics of Blue Mountain Coffee?

Since Blue Mountain Coffee is so famous, what makes its flavor special? The excellent quality of Blue Mountain Coffee beans creates its clean taste. In the era of medium-dark roasting, Blue Mountain Coffee often exhibits a balance of sweet, sour, and bitter flavors, with subtle nutty and chocolate notes. The aftertaste is very comfortable. It represents the highest quality of coffee in an era and is truly the King of Coffee.

Important Notice :

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