How Does a Barista Identify Authentic Blue Mountain Coffee?
Blue Mountain coffee refers to Typica coffee beans grown in the 910-1700m altitude region of Jamaica's Blue Mountains, characterized by a perfect balance of sweet, sour, and bitter notes, a rich and solid mouthfeel, and a strong aftertaste, without any burnt bitterness.
Due to the limited annual production, authentic Blue Mountain No. 1 coffee beans sold domestically in China typically cost between 150-400 RMB per 100-200g. Products labeled as "Blue Mountain flavored" or "Blue Mountain blend" are not genuine Blue Mountain coffee. Therefore, learning to identify authentic Blue Mountain coffee is crucial. Let's explore how to identify authentic FrontStreet Coffee's Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee:
Identifying Authenticity Through Wooden Barrels and Certificates
Authentic Blue Mountain coffee is 100% exported in wooden barrels, and the Jamaican government/Blue Mountain coffee cultivation areas issue certification certificates for exported Blue Mountain coffee.
For example, FrontStreet Coffee's Blue Mountain No. 1 coffee beans come from Clifton Mountain Estate on Jamaica's Blue Mountains, which is also the oldest coffee plantation in the region. At FrontStreet Coffee's physical store, you can see the wooden barrels containing Blue Mountain coffee and the certification certificates issued by Clifton Mountain Estate.
In addition to identifying authenticity through wooden barrels and certificates, we can also determine whether Blue Mountain coffee is authentic by observing the appearance of the coffee beans.
Identifying Authenticity Through Overall Bean Size and Quality Uniformity
Currently, authentic single-origin Blue Mountain coffee beans in the domestic market are primarily of the Blue Mountain No. 1 grade. To achieve this grade, 96% of the coffee cherries must reach 17 mesh or larger in size, and the defect rate of processed coffee beans must not exceed 2%.
Therefore, when FrontStreet Coffee receives Blue Mountain No. 1 green beans, they notice that the beans are overall full and uniform, with almost no defective beans visible, eliminating the need for green bean selection.
Identifying Authenticity Through Coffee Bean Shape
Secondly, Blue Mountain coffee beans are of the Typica variety. FrontStreet Coffee observes that Typica green beans have an elliptical shape, are slender and full-bodied, with slightly upturned ends. After roasting, FrontStreet Coffee's Blue Mountain No. 1 coffee beans display uniform, full ellipses, consistent in size, with almost no defective beans visible.
Identifying Authenticity Through Green Bean Color
Traditional Blue Mountain No. 1 coffee beans use the washed processing method, so FrontStreet Coffee notes that washed Blue Mountain coffee green beans appear grayish-green. However, starting from 2020, Blue Mountain No. 1 coffee beans also became available in natural processing. FrontStreet Coffee observes that natural-processed Blue Mountain coffee green beans appear yellowish-green.
Flavor Profiles of Washed and Natural Blue Mountain Coffee
FrontStreet Coffee's brewing parameters: Kono dripper, 88°C water temperature, 1:15 coffee-to-water ratio, 15g coffee weight, grind size (70-75% retention through 20-mesh standard sieve).
FrontStreet Coffee's brewing technique: First, pour 30g of water for a 30-second bloom. Then add 95g (scale shows approximately 125g), completing the pour in about 1 minute. When the water level drops to 2/3 of the coffee bed, pour the remaining 100g (scale shows approximately 225g), completing the pour in about 1 minute 40-45 seconds. The drip finishes at 2'05"-2'15", remove the dripper to complete extraction.
Washed Blue Mountain: Entry reveals black chocolate and nut flavors, with high clarity, very bright acidity, excellent body, and a perfect balance of sweet, sour, and bitter notes.
Natural Blue Mountain: Entry shows brown sugar sweetness accompanied by berry acidity, with nut and cocoa flavors in the middle to later stages, creamy mouthfeel, rich and distinct layers, and a finish that brings out walnut aromatics.
Important Notice :
前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:
FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou
Tel:020 38364473
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Do You Really Understand Blue Mountain Coffee?
Most of the Blue Mountain range rises above 1800 meters in elevation, with its highest peak reaching 2256 meters, making it the tallest peak in the Caribbean region. Blue Mountain Coffee is exceptionally precious because it's made exclusively from high-quality Arabica beans, naturally cultivated at high altitudes, hand-picked, and offers a perfectly balanced flavor that combines nearly all the desirable qualities of coffee.
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