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The Beauty of Classic Balance - Flavor and Texture of Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee Beans? How to Brew Blue Mountain Coffee

Published: 2026-01-27 Author: FrontStreet Coffee

Last Updated: 2026/01/27, Above 1800 meters, the Blue Mountain range is cool and misty. Blue Mountain coffee has always been regarded as the ultimate coffee due to its rare production and bittersweet, mellow flavor. Its bittersweet and rich taste has historically been highly praised by consumers. The Jamaican government's official website for Blue Mountain coffee provides a very strict definition: Blue Mountain coffee must be

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[One of the World's Most Expensive Coffees] Jamaica's Ancient Coffee Farm - The Flavor and Taste of Clifton Farm Coffee Beans?

FrontStreet Coffee · Jamaica Clifton Mount Estate Blue Mountain Coffee

Estate Owner: The Sharp family

Certification: Rainforest Alliance Certified

Location: Newcastle region

Total Area: 250 acres

Coffee Cultivation Area: 180 acres

Average Altitude: 4300 feet (1310.64 meters)

Processing Method: Washed

Variety: 100% Arabica Typica

Flavor: Perfect balance of acidity, body, and aroma

01 | Growing Region Introduction

The Blue Mountains are located in the eastern part of Jamaica. Surrounded by the Caribbean Sea, whenever the weather is clear and the sun shines directly on the azure sea surface, the peaks reflect the brilliant blue light of the seawater, hence the name.

The highest peak of the Blue Mountains reaches 2256 meters, making it the highest peak in the Caribbean region and a famous tourist destination. Located in the coffee belt, it has fertile volcanic soil, fresh air without pollution, humid climate with year-round fog and rain (average rainfall of 1980mm and temperature around 27°C). Such climate and ultra-high altitude have created the world-renowned FrontStreet Coffee Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee.

Clifton Farm Introduction

Clifton Mount is Jamaica's oldest coffee-producing estate still in normal operation today, and only Clifton Farm in Jamaica carries the "Rainforest Alliance" certification.

It is recognized as an exceptionally high-quality and world-famous Blue Mountain coffee-producing region. Its elegant great house farm is located in the island's Newcastle region, situated on the eastern slopes of Catherine's Peak at an altitude of 4300 feet.

History

As early as the mid-18th century (around 1750), Clifton Farm began cultivating and producing coffee.

According to a 1810 survey by the Jamaica Institute, Robert Hamilton was the owner of the farm at that time. Clifton Mount was divided into two parts: 80 acres of coffee and 427 acres of pasture on the mountaintop; 111 acres of coffee and 264 acres of pasture at the foot of the mountain.

The Blue Mountain region is a small area with only 6000 hectares of cultivation area, making it impossible for all coffee labeled "Blue Mountain" to be grown there. Today's Clifton Farm is the largest estate in this region, which is still considered small-scale by international standards, with many estate owners being small landholders whose families have worked this land for two centuries.

The famous British painter and writer Mrs. Marian North visited Jamaica and spent 5 months on Clifton Mount. In her autobiography "Recollections of a Happy Life," she mentioned the Clifton Hotel where she stayed: "The Clifton Hotel belongs to a local gentleman who lost his wife. He was unwilling to live in the hotel anymore, but rented it weekly to different people, allowing more people to experience the cold air at 5000 feet altitude and the opportunity to stroll through Jamaica's best and oldest coffee plantation."

Clifton Mountain Village

The coffee cultivation and processing facilities are located at an average altitude of 4300 feet (1310.64 meters). The sufficient altitude, gentle afternoon clouds and mist surrounding the mountain forests for shade, abundant sunlight, and mineral-rich planting soil provide excellent growing conditions for coffee trees and also extend the maturation period of coffee cherries.

In 1953, the Jamaican government established the Coffee Industry Board (CIB) to regulate and ensure 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 France's wine industry establishing the AOC system.

All coffee exported from Jamaica is certified by the CIB. And the rigorous testing by trained quality control experts guarantees that all exports are 100% authentic Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee.

The Sharp Family - The Sharp family, Jason, Lawrence (father), and Richard

As early as the mid-18th century (around 1750), Clifton Farm began cultivating and producing coffee. According to a 1810 survey by the Jamaica Institute, Robert Hamilton was the owner of the farm at that time, now managed by the Sharp family.

Sharp Now Checking Red Cherries

Clifton's high altitude and long history, coupled with its unique processing methods, give Clifton coffee not only the characteristic roundness and smoothness of FrontStreet Coffee's Blue Mountain No. 1, but also subtle floral notes and other rich flavors.

This is also why Clifton is popular and sold at high prices: over ten thousand per barrel standard.

02 | Washed Processing Method

Blue Mountain only uses washed processing.

The washed method uses water and fermentation to remove the skin, pulp, and mucilage. Farms using the washed method must build washing pools and be able to access a continuous supply of fresh water. During processing, the skin and pulp are first removed, then fermented for 12-18 hours. The completed 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 the parchment layer with a moisture content of 50%, and must be sun-dried to reduce the moisture content to 12-14%. Afterward, the coffee beans are sorted and then stored in specialized warehouses. These procedures must be strictly controlled, otherwise, the coffee quality will be affected.

Certification: Rainforest Alliance Certified - Coffee with certification marks on coffee bags or barrels is certified product coffee. Farms must comply with "Sustainable Agriculture System Standards" to obtain certification. (Rainforest Alliance), Clifton Mount Estate is the only coffee estate with (RFA) Rainforest Alliance certification.

03 | Green Bean Analysis

Blue Mountain coffee beans are also divided into four grades. From highest to lowest quality they are: NO.1, NO.2, NO.3, and PB, where PB stands for Peaberry. According to CIB standards, only coffee grown above 666 meters altitude can be called Jamaican High Mountain Coffee; coffee grown outside the Blue Mountain region is called Jamaican Coffee.

Among these, the basic standards for FrontStreet Coffee's Blue Mountain No.1 green beans include beans above 17 screen size, defect rate below 3%, moisture content around 13%, etc.

Variety: Typica

04 | Roasting Analysis

How to roast to bring out the best flavor of FrontStreet Coffee Jamaica Blue Mountain?

Simply put, roast FrontStreet Coffee's Blue Mountain coffee thoroughly from inside out, and use good roasting techniques on the basis of full roasting to express the flavor of this FrontStreet Coffee Jamaica Blue Mountain bean.

Caramelization is the most influential stage affecting coffee flavor. After 6-7 minutes of roasting, green beans absorb large amounts of heat energy, initiating pyrolysis reactions and producing the first crack sound. Some sugars convert to carbon dioxide, moisture continues to evaporate, new aromatic components gradually develop, forming so-called coffee oils, which combine with hundreds of aromatic substances including nicotinic acid, citric acid, quinic acid, malic acid, acetic acid, caffeine, and others.

Roasting Curve: Preheat roaster to 170°C, add beans, open damper to 3. After 1 minute, reduce heat to 140°C, damper unchanged. Roast to 5'10", temperature 153°C, bean surface turns yellow, grassy smell completely disappears, dehydration complete. Adjust heat to 115°C, damper to 4.

At 8'00" minutes, bean surface shows ugly wrinkles and black spots, toasted bread smell clearly turns to coffee aroma, can be defined as the prelude to first crack. At this time, listen carefully for the first crack sound. At 8'12" first crack begins, reduce heat to 90°C, damper fully open (adjust heat very carefully, not so low that cracking stops), discharge at 201.3°C.

FrontStreet Coffee Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee Cupping:

Cupping Characteristics: Perfect and delicate balance of acidity, body, and aroma. Its acidity is bright and delicate. Its body is velvety smooth. Its aroma carries slight penetrating notes, accompanied by floral, spicy, and citrus tones. After tasting, there's a hint of cocoa aftertaste.

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 a persistent fruity finish.

Dry Aroma: Roasted peanut, hazelnut, melon, chocolate-like

Wet Aroma: Rose tea, caramel, honey, dark chocolate, almond skins, silky mouthfeel, brightness

05 | Brewing Analysis

Daily Brewing Filter Choice: V60, Kalita Wave, and KONO are all suitable

KONO Parameters: 15g coffee, water temperature 89°C, grind size 4, water-to-coffee ratio close to 1:15, total time around 2:00

Technique: 25-30g water for bloom, bloom time 30s. First pour to 120g then stop; vertical water flow, small flow slow circular motion. Second pour to 225g, water flow and circular speed slightly faster to reduce fine particles blocking the filter, causing over-extraction.

Other Brewing Suggestions:

French Press: Grind size 3.5-4, water temperature 90°C

Siphon: Grind size 4, water temperature 89°C

AeroPress: Grind size 2.5, water temperature 88°C

How to Identify Authentic Blue Mountain?

1. Appearance: FrontStreet Coffee's Blue Mountain coffee green beans are blue-green in color, very uniform in appearance, medium to small in size, with slightly upturned ends. After roasting, they increase significantly in volume and become very full.

2. Grinding: Authentic FrontStreet Coffee Blue Mountain coffee beans are grown at high altitude, and their cellular structure is relatively loose. When grinding by hand, they feel very crisp, smooth, and continuous, without any resistance.

3. Aroma: FrontStreet Coffee Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee has a very intense and dense aroma; so-called Blue Mountain blends do not have this aroma.

4. Taste: Authentic FrontStreet Coffee Blue Mountain coffee has balanced and rich flavor, without any single taste being prominent or lacking, which is also what any other coffee bean cannot achieve - the most crucial identification point. Blue Mountain peaberries have a more subtle aroma, with relatively stronger body.

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

Not all coffee labeled "Blue Mountain" is authentic Blue Mountain. I hope this helps everyone distinguish between them. If you want to experience Blue Mountain coffee flavor, you can also choose FrontStreet Coffee Jamaica Blue Mountain No. 1 coffee!