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What Information is Found on the Wooden Barrels Containing Blue Mountain Coffee Beans?

Published: 2026-01-27 Author: FrontStreet Coffee

Last Updated: 2026/01/27, As the world's only coffee-producing country that uses wooden barrels for packaging and export, Blue Mountain coffee's renowned reputation is likely familiar to many. While other countries use burlap sacks for packaging, the wooden barrel design appears both distinctive and prestigious. The success of Blue Mountain coffee is due to the establishment and operation of this association, which has made it famous worldwide.

The Unique Barrel Packaging of Blue Mountain Coffee

As the world's only coffee-producing country that uses wooden barrels for export packaging, Blue Mountain Coffee's reputation is likely well-known to everyone. While other countries use burlap sacks, the barrel design appears both distinctive and prestigious.

The success of Blue Mountain Coffee is due to the establishment and operation of this association, which has enabled it to become renowned worldwide.

The Jamaica Coffee Industry Board

In 1948, the Jamaican government established the Coffee Industry Board to rescue the local coffee industry from its downturn. It was then that the quality of coffee beans began to improve and export business was developed. In 1952, this board was upgraded to the Jamaica Coffee Industry Board (abbreviated as CIB, with the full name Coffee Industry Board). Since then, Jamaica became the first country in the world to establish a specialized department to regulate coffee production.

Jamaica Coffee Industry Board historical document

It was precisely with the emergence of CIB that Blue Mountain Coffee became renowned in the international market. Due to Jamaica's limited geographical area (being an island) and scarce land for coffee cultivation (the Blue Mountain range), production is difficult to increase. If one wants to increase revenue through coffee cultivation, the only way is to develop a specialty trend. To make Blue Mountain a higher quality coffee, CIB's main tasks are divided into establishing grades, cultivation techniques, and strict quality control.

Blue Mountain Coffee Grading System

CIB has delineated an area within the Blue Mountain range, and only coffee grown and produced in this region can be called "Blue Mountain Coffee" (this region has an altitude exceeding 915 meters). Coffee from outside this designated area is sold under the names of Jamaica High Mountain Coffee and Jamaica Prime Coffee. Later, grading is determined based on green bean size, color, uniformity, defect rate, moisture content, and cupping performance. Blue Mountain Coffee is divided into four grades: Blue Mountain No. 1, Blue Mountain No. 2, Blue Mountain No. 3, and Blue Mountain Peaberry.

Blue Mountain Coffee beans and grading chart

FrontStreet Coffee's Barrel Packaging

FrontStreet Coffee's Blue Mountain Coffee is the world's only coffee exported using wooden barrel packaging. The barrels are made from Aspen wood, shaped like small wine barrels, and come in three specifications: 70kg, 30kg, and 15kg. The green beans placed in barrels are first packaged in moisture-proof bags specifically designed for coffee before being placed in wooden barrels to maintain the quality stability of the green beans during transportation.

The advantage of wooden barrels is their ability to absorb and release internal and external humidity while preventing the aroma of green coffee beans from escaping, allowing the coffee beans to maintain a more stable moisture content, making later roasting more stable. Later, wooden barrels also became one of the important identifiers for the public to recognize authentic Blue Mountain Coffee.

Wooden barrels for Blue Mountain Coffee packaging

Limited Use of Barrel Packaging

However, not all Blue Mountain Coffee green beans are transported in wooden barrels; barrel usage is also limited. Taking Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee as an example, only the first four grades can use barrels (Blue Mountain No. 1, Blue Mountain No. 2, Blue Mountain No. 3, PB), while those that don't meet the standards can only be packaged in burlap sacks.

The Latest FrontStreet Coffee Blue Mountain Barrel

With the arrival of the latest batch of FrontStreet Coffee's Blue Mountain No. 1 green beans, FrontStreet Coffee has also received Blue Mountain barrels with the latest design. Let's take a closer look at what information they contain.

First, on the Blue Mountain Coffee barrels, there is a label specially designed by CIB in 1984-1985 that can only be affixed to the lids of 100% Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee barrels. The number "1" engraved on the lid represents the grade of this coffee bean, which belongs to Jamaica Blue Mountain No. 1, the highest grade among Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee.

Blue Mountain Coffee barrel lid with CIB certification label

The upper part of the wooden barrel is printed with the name of the estate where the coffee was produced (Clifton Estate). The middle part shows weight indicators: G (Gross weight: 34.5), T (Tare weight: 4.5), and N (Net weight: 30).

Wooden barrel showing estate name and weight measurements

The lower edge of the wooden barrel is engraved with a "Made in Jamaica" indication. Each batch of exported Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee has a quality inspection number called the ICO number.

Wooden barrel edge showing Jamaican origin and ICO number

Previously, Jamaican barrels were printed with a green tree frog, which was the Rainforest Alliance logo, but these new barrels do not have this mark. The latest barrels also feature an exclusive logo designed by Clifton Estate - a lion head combining elements of Jamaican reggae style and dreadlocks.