Jamaica Launches Blue Mountain Geisha Coffee - Blue Mountain Geisha Coffee Brewing Guide and Flavor Description

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As a traditional coffee-producing region, the Blue Mountains have consistently cultivated the traditional Typica variety, employing a single and refined washed processing method that yields Blue Mountain coffee with stable flavors year after year. However, in recent years, Blue Mountain coffee farmers have also begun to innovate and change. First, they introduced a natural processed version of Blue Mountain No. 1, and now, FrontStreet Coffee has taken the lead in importing Blue Mountain Geisha coffee micro-batches. Let's explore what makes Blue Mountain Geisha so captivating.

Blue Mountain Geisha

Until 2019, the Blue Mountains exclusively exported washed-processed Typica varieties to overseas markets. It is precisely this single processing method and coffee variety that has contributed to Blue Mountain coffee's consistently high quality over the past decade. Its balanced, rich flavor profile is appreciated by many coffee enthusiasts. In 2020 (following 2019 announcements), Blue Mountain first introduced natural-processed Blue Mountain No. 1 coffee, and later launched Blue Mountain Geisha.

FrontStreet Coffee Jamaica Blue Mountain Geisha

Region: Jamaica Blue Mountain region

Farm: Clifton Farm

Altitude: 1310m

Variety: Geisha

Processing: Washed processing

As for why Blue Mountain, after maintaining its decade-long focus, began to diversify its thinking and innovate in recent years—actually, news emerged earlier that Jamaica was experimenting with Bourbon varieties. When FrontStreet Coffee's team heard this news, they discussed the reasons behind Jamaica's move. Before the popularity of lightly roasted, acidic coffee became widespread, the public's perception of coffee was characterized by rich, mellow flavors, like traditional Mandheling and Colombian coffees. During that era, traditional Blue Mountain coffee reigned supreme like the king among birds, with its clean, rich, and balanced flavor profile becoming the benchmark that others sought to emulate. It was revered alongside Hawaii Kona as the "king and queen" of the coffee world.

However, times have changed. First came the explosively fruity Yirgacheffe coffee, followed by the world-renowned Panama Geisha coffee, sparking a global wave of appreciation for coffee's delightful acidity. Many people like to compare Blue Mountain coffee with Geisha coffee, but FrontStreet Coffee believes there's no need to determine which is superior. From the former champion (Blue Mountain's rich, bitter balance) to the current rising star (Geisha's fresh floral and fruity sweetness), this undoubtedly reflects the choices of the times. Eventually, today's Geisha will become yesterday's Blue Mountain, and for Geisha's competitors, it's not other coffee varieties, but rather people's taste preferences.

Facing this situation, traditional Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee farmers who felt Blue Mountain's position was being threatened began to gradually innovate. The newly added natural-processed Blue Mountain and Blue Mountain Geisha this year serve as excellent proof of this innovation.

FrontStreet Coffee also obtained a barrel of Blue Mountain Geisha at the first opportunity. Like traditional Blue Mountain No. 1 coffee, exported coffee is packaged in wooden barrels. This batch has limited production and comes from Clifton Farm. The barrel bears the Rainforest Alliance certification logo (currently, Clifton is the only coffee farm in Jamaica's Blue Mountain region with this certification).

We must understand that coffee trees are plants, and it's not as simple as transplanting coffee from one region to another for cultivation. This involves the adaptability and stability of new species to new environments. To cultivate excellent flavors, one needs excellent agronomic experience, time for adaptation, suitable growing conditions, and sufficient coffee processing expertise. It's clear that Blue Mountain initiated other variety planting programs long ago, undergoing years of breeding and flavor adjustment. The Geisha variety was discovered in 2004 by Panama's Hacienda La Esmeralda for its superior floral and fruity flavors. After more than 10 years of dissemination, it has spread throughout coffee-growing regions, with even Yunnan cultivating Geisha. This year, Jamaica's launch of micro-batch Blue Mountain Geisha shows Blue Mountain's strong confidence in this Geisha coffee.

Processing Method

Blue Mountain Geisha still employs Jamaica's specialty washed processing method. During processing, the pulp and fruit flesh are first removed, allowing fermentation for 12-18 hours. The fermented beans are then placed in pools and moved back and forth, using the friction between 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 encased in their parchment, with a moisture content of 50%. They must be sun-dried to reduce the moisture content to 12-14%, otherwise, they will continue to ferment, becoming moldy and spoiled. Subsequently, the coffee beans are screened and then stored in specialized warehouses.

From observing the green beans, their color is emerald green, with a slightly pointed and elongated shape. The defect rate is extremely low, demonstrating the maturity of their processing technology and quality control capabilities.

FrontStreet Coffee Roasting Analysis

For this batch of Blue Mountain Geisha, FrontStreet Coffee's roasters faced a dilemma: should they highlight the Blue Mountain character or the Geisha character? If they pursued the Blue Mountain profile, what would be the point of using the Geisha variety? If they emphasized the Geisha character, wouldn't it betray the Blue Mountain name? Facing this challenge, FrontStreet Coffee's roasters first prepared two versions: one traditionally rich, aromatic, and full-bodied medium roast, and another light roast emphasizing floral and fruity aromas. After several fine adjustments, the roasters decided to use an adjusted light roast curve that highlights Geisha's floral aromas and fruit acidity.

Start with a drum temperature of 180°C, heat at 130, with damper opening at 3. The return temperature point is at 1'32", with the drum temperature at 97°C, heat unchanged. At 3 minutes, adjust the damper to 4; at 4 minutes, increase heat to 140. When the drum temperature reaches 153.5°C, the bean surface turns yellow, and grassy aromas completely disappear, entering the dehydration stage. At 8'36", ugly wrinkles and black spots appear on the bean surface, with the toasted bread aroma clearly transitioning to coffee aroma—this can be defined as the prelude to first crack. At this point, listen carefully for the sound of first crack. First crack begins at 9'31", with 1'28" development after first crack, ending at 192°C.

FrontStreet Coffee Cupping

Eight hours after each roasting batch, samples are cupped using 200ml standard cupping bowls, with a grind size that achieves 70%-75% retention on a #20 standard sieve, using 11g of coffee. Water TDS is 120ppm, with water temperature at 94°C. First, grind and smell the dry aroma, then add water to fill the bowl. Confirm the wet aroma, and after 4 minutes, break the crust and remove grounds for flavor evaluation.

FrontStreet Coffee Brewing Recommendations

When you get Blue Mountain Geisha, don't get too excited and open it immediately for tasting. Observe the roast date and allow the beans to rest for 4-7 days, otherwise, the coffee will likely have a harsh, dry taste. Because this is washed-processed coffee, there will be slightly more residual silver skin after roasting. Excessive silver skin can affect the mouthfeel, adding astringency and impacting cleanliness. Therefore, if conditions allow, try to remove the silver skin.

Brewing Sharing

V60 Conical Filter Brewer Parameters

Use 15g of coffee grounds with a 1:15 ratio, water temperature at 91°C, and medium-fine grind (75% retention on #20 standard sieve). Since the growing altitude in the Blue Mountain region is slightly lower compared to Panama, the coffee bean hardness will be lower than Hacienda La Esmeralda Geisha, so the grind setting will be slightly coarser than for Hacienda La Esmeralda Geisha.

Brewing Process

The ground Geisha Blue Mountain will emit caramel aromas. Add 15g of coffee grounds, and gently pour 30g of water in a spiral pattern for a 30-second bloom. Then, for the second pour, add 100g of water, using small circular motions to allow the coffee bed to expand rapidly and raise the liquid level.

When the coffee bed begins to recede inward, pour the final 95g of water to achieve the overall 1:15 coffee-to-water ratio. The final pour should also use concentric circular motions, with a recommended pouring height of 5cm to reduce the impact of the water stream on the coffee grounds, avoiding unwanted flavors that can easily appear during the middle to late extraction stages. The total extraction time is 1 minute and 50 seconds.

This brewing method produces a Blue Mountain Geisha with subtle floral aromas, clean and clear citrus and honeydew melon sweet and sour fruit notes. The mouthfeel is rounded and smooth.

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