What Grade is Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee Bean - Is Blue Mountain No.1 Coffee Bean the Best Quality and Why So Expensive

Blue Mountain Coffee is renowned throughout the coffee world. Although its fame has been somewhat overshadowed by Geisha coffee, this does not diminish the fact that it possesses one of the most mellow and flavorful profiles in the world. You may see many coffees labeled as Blue Mountain Coffee on the market, but this doesn't guarantee they are authentic Blue Mountain Coffee. Due to its premium price and excellent flavor, many coffees claim to be Blue Mountain Coffee.

So what exactly is the caliber of true Blue Mountain Coffee? And what about Jamaica Blue Mountain No.1 Coffee? Perhaps many people know of Blue Mountain coffee beans, but they may not have a deep understanding of authentic Blue Mountain Coffee. Today, FrontStreet Coffee will provide you with a detailed introduction to this premium among premium coffees—Blue Mountain Coffee.

The Growing Environment of Jamaica Blue Mountain Premium Coffee

Blue Mountain Coffee is one of the most expensive coffees in the world and also one of the most superior. FrontStreet Coffee has mentioned that coffee flavor is directly related to the local climate and environment, just as Geisha coffee became the world's best coffee in Panama's unique environment. The Blue Mountains are located in the eastern part of Jamaica Island. The name comes from the reflection of the brilliant blue sea water on the peaks on clear days when the sun shines directly on the azure Caribbean Sea. The highest peak of Blue Mountain reaches 2,256 meters, making it the highest peak in the Caribbean region and a famous tourist destination. This area is located in a seismic zone with fertile volcanic soil, fresh air without pollution, humid climate, and year-round fog and rain (average precipitation of 1,980 mm, temperature around 27°C). FrontStreet Coffee believes that precisely this climate has created the world-renowned Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee, as well as one of the most expensive coffees in the world.

Grading of Blue Mountain Coffee Beans

As FrontStreet Coffee just mentioned, you may see many coffees labeled as Blue Mountain Coffee on the market, but they are not necessarily authentic Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee. Blue Mountain Coffee has its own grading system. Let's see which grade of Blue Mountain Coffee we usually drink.

Blue Mountain Coffee

(Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee) - Blue Mountain Coffee and High Mountain Coffee are each divided into four grades. From highest to lowest quality, they are: NO.1, NO.2, NO.3, and PB (Peaberry). According to CIB standards, only coffee grown above 666 meters altitude can be called Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee.

High Mountain Coffee

(Jamaica High Mountain Supreme Coffee Bean) - Coffee produced below 666 meters in the Jamaica Blue Mountain region is called High Mountain Coffee, which is second only to Blue Mountain Coffee in quality.

Jamaica Coffee

(Jamaica Prime Coffee Beans) - Coffee grown outside the Blue Mountain range is called Jamaica Coffee. Originally, Chinese coffee professionals had a common misconception that only coffee grown above 1,800 meters in the Blue Mountain area could be called Blue Mountain Coffee. In fact, there is only one estate on the mountain crown above 1,800 meters of the Blue Mountain range—Amber, owned by a person of Chinese descent with the surname Lin (林), whose ancestral home is Guangdong, China. This estate has only 30 hectares of land and very limited production. Blue Mountain Coffee is mainly distributed in five mountain areas: John Crow, St. John's Peak, Mossman's Peak, High Peak, and Blue Mountain Peak.

It is precisely because of its unique growing conditions that Blue Mountain Coffee's distinctive flavor was nurtured, placing it among the ranks of "premium coffees." All 100% pure Blue Mountain Coffee worldwide refers to coffee produced within specific ranges of the eastern Blue Mountains of Jamaica. Every step during its cultivation and processing undergoes strict quality control by the Jamaica Coffee Industry Board standards before it can be certified as "Pure Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee."

Moreover, the terrain is extremely rugged, making the harvesting process very difficult (coffee harvesting is almost entirely done by women). Their coffee trees all grow on steep mountain slopes, and the picking process is extremely difficult—only skilled local female workers can handle it. It is very important to select properly ripe coffee beans during picking, as under-ripe or over-ripe beans will affect the coffee quality.

The best Blue Mountain Coffee beans are NO.1 peaberry (Jamaica Blue Mountain No.1 Coffee), also called pearl beans, which are carefully selected small round beans from products grown at 2,100 meters altitude—the best among the best. Therefore, Jamaica Blue Mountain No.1 Coffee is priced the highest among all Blue Mountain Coffees.

Blue Mountain Coffee Bean Varieties

The excellent taste of Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee is related to its variety. Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee is of the oldest Typica variety. Typica trees are tall with copper-colored young leaves at the top, often called red-top coffee. Typica has pure and elegant flavor, but the plant is relatively weak with poor disease resistance and very low yield per plant. This is why Typica variety coffee is becoming increasingly rare. Typica was introduced to Blue Mountain for cultivation in the 18th century and has been there for over two hundred years. Blue Mountain's Typica has adapted to the local island-style terroir, evolving better disease resistance, particularly stronger resistance to coffee berry disease compared to typical Typica.

The Blue Mountain No.1 Coffee beans sold by FrontStreet Coffee come from Clifton Estate, the estate with the longest coffee cultivation history on Jamaica's Blue Mountains. The coffee green beans are exported using wooden barrels and come with certification issued by the Jamaican government. Blue Mountain Coffee is the only coffee-producing region that uses wooden barrels to package green beans; all other regions use jute bags. The green frog logo indicates Rainforest Alliance certification. The Rainforest Alliance frog logo means that Clifton Estate meets "Sustainable Agriculture System Standards" and is certified by the Rainforest Alliance.

Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee Bean Processing Methods

Blue Mountain Coffee initially used the washed processing method, and FrontStreet Coffee has always believed that washed processing can better highlight the authentic flavor of coffee at that time, so most of FrontStreet Coffee's daily beans are mainly washed processed. In 2019, Clifton Farm first attempted to launch a natural processed Blue Mountain batch.

Washed Processing Method:

Freshly picked coffee cherries are manually screened to remove under-ripe and over-ripe fruits, then depulped and directly fermented for 12-18 hours. Next, they are brushed in clean water to remove the mucilage layer outside the green beans. Finally, the semi-dry coffee green beans are spread out to dry until the moisture content reaches 12-14%. The dried coffee green beans need to undergo another strict screening before being packed and stored in warehouses. Every step must be strictly controlled, otherwise it can easily affect the quality of Blue Mountain Coffee. FrontStreet Coffee believes that the washed processing method includes steps to select out defective beans, resulting in clearer flavor in the produced Blue Mountain Coffee.

FrontStreet Coffee Brewing Recommendations:

Some people might ask how to brew such excellent coffee beans to extract their flavors? Actually, regarding coffee brewing, FrontStreet Coffee has always believed that the freshness of coffee beans is a very important factor, as fresh coffee beans allow for the fullest experience of coffee's rich flavors. The coffee beans shipped by FrontStreet Coffee are all roasted within 5 days, because FrontStreet Coffee deeply understands that coffee bean freshness greatly affects flavor. FrontStreet Coffee's roasting philosophy is "Freshly Roasted Good Coffee," ensuring that every customer who places an order receives the freshest coffee when it arrives. The coffee resting period is about 4-7 days, so when customers receive it, it's at its peak flavor.

Of course, some customers need FrontStreet Coffee to grind the beans for them, which is also fine. However, FrontStreet Coffee must remind you: when coffee beans are pre-ground, there's no need for further resting, because during transportation, the pressure from carbon dioxide inside the package can also help the coffee flavor become rounded. Therefore, you can brew a cup immediately after receiving the coffee grounds. However, coffee grounds need to be brewed promptly, as they oxidize quickly when exposed to air, meaning the coffee flavor will dissipate more quickly, and the coffee won't taste as good. Therefore, FrontStreet Coffee recommends purchasing whole beans and grinding fresh before brewing to better appreciate the coffee's flavor.

FrontStreet Coffee Blue Mountain Brewing Parameters:

FrontStreet Coffee believes that the excellent flavor of Blue Mountain Coffee lies in its balanced sweet, sour, and bitter notes, with high body and full aroma. For roasting, FrontStreet Coffee chose medium-dark roast to highlight the nutty and cocoa aromas of the coffee beans. Using a KONO dripper can achieve better body.

Dripper: KONO dripper, Water temperature: 88°C, Coffee dose: 15g, Coffee-to-water ratio: 1:15
Grind size: Fine sugar texture (Chinese standard #20 sieve pass rate 75%)

First wet the KONO dripper to ensure better fit between filter paper and coffee dripper. Pour out the water from the sharing pot and add 15g of coffee grounds. Use 30g of water to bloom for 30s, then start pouring with small circular motions in the center until reaching 125g, then pause. When the coffee bed drops to half the dripper's height, start the second pour with the same technique until reaching 225g. Wait for all dripping to complete, then remove the dripper. Start timing from the first pour—extraction time is 2'00". Next, take the entire cup and shake it well before pouring into cups for tasting.

[FrontStreet Coffee Natural Blue Mountain Flavor]: Slight berry acidity, reminiscent of dried plums and mulberries, excellent overall balance, rich dark chocolate and nutty flavors, with a slight fermented sensation.

[FrontStreet Coffee Washed Blue Mountain Flavor]: Rich dark chocolate and nutty flavors, creamy smooth texture, balanced sweet, sour, and bitter notes.

In the past, Blue Mountain Coffee was hard to come by, and you couldn't even be sure it was authentic Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee; but now, Blue Mountain Coffee is no longer difficult to obtain. At FrontStreet Coffee, Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee is priced at 158 RMB/100g, which is very economical and practical. Of course, although Blue Mountain Coffee has a rather mellow and balanced flavor, you can also try coffee flavors from other producing regions! FrontStreet Coffee has over fifty different coffee beans from various producing regions, and everyone is welcome to taste them!

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Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473