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Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee
- an Introduction to One of the Best Coffees in the World
Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee is a smooth roast, with
rich and aromatic tones. This flavorful coffee is
considered to be one of the world’s best coffees
produced. An experience everyone should taste.
The Beginning of Jamaica’s Coffee Trade
The history of Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee is just
as rich and interesting as the coffee itself.
According to one legend, King Louis XV of France sent
three coffee plants to the French colony of
Martinique, around 1723. Of the three plants, only one
survived, which was given to former Jamaican Governor.
Sir Nicholas Lawes, approximately five years later.
Once this coffee plant arrived on Jamaican soil, a
coffee crop was quickly established thanks to their
soil being rich in nitrogen, potash, and phosphorous.
Less than ten years later, coffee exportation had
already begun. By the early nineteen century there
were more than 600 coffee plantations established.
It is believed that all of the coffee plants grown in
Jamaica today are descendents of that single plant, of
the Arabica typica variety.
The Blue Mountains Factor—why does that Coffee Taste
so Good?
The fantastic Blue Mountain taste is achieved by a
combination of three different factors: altitude, a
special kind of rich, nutrient-laden soil called
volcanic soil, and the treatment processes undergone
by the beans once they are harvested.
The hub of Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee production
is, of course, Jamaica’s Blue Mountains, which is a
magnificent mountain range that rises more than seven
thousand feet above sea level. The high altitude,
dense cloud cover, and low annual rainfall of the
region all serve to slow down the maturation rate of
the coffee crop. In this region, crops take up to ten
months to mature, whereas in most other parts of the
world, the average time taken is five to six months.
The longer maturation time produces beans that are
larger and have a more concentrated and complex flavor.
Like every other mountain in the islands of the
Caribbean, Jamaica’s Blue Mountains are the peaks of
extinct volcanoes. Throughout centuries of eruptions,
the soil created on the peaks of the Blue Mountains
which have become extremely nutrient-rich due to the
decomposition of plant life, and the deposition of
accumulated biomass. This extraordinarily rich soil is
an important ingredient in producing the exceptional
quality coffee beans that go into every cup of
Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee.
This is not the entire story, however. There is one
more important factor, without this Jamaican Blue
Mountain Coffee would not be as highly-regarded as it
is today. The production and distribution of Jamaican
Blue Mountain Coffee is rigorously regulated and
protected by the Jamaican government to ensure that
every bean roasted and every cup brewed is of its
highest quality.
For example, only coffee bean grown at an altitude of
between 3,000 and 5,500 feet are allowed to bear the
name Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee. If the coffee
plants are grown between 1,500 and 3,000 feet, the
coffee is known as Jamaica High Mountain Coffee, and
plants grown below 1,500 feet are Jamaica Low Mountain
or Jamaica Supreme Coffee. These regulations ensure
that all Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee is grown at the
special altitude that delays maturation of the coffee
plants, as well as produces that complex and rich
flavored coffee. In addition, there are geographical,
as well as elevation requirements, in order to bear
the Jamaican Blue Mountain name. Due to this, the
coffee plants must be grown in one of only four
parishes within the region.
Another unique aspect of Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee
is that each bean is pulped, washed and allowed to age
for a full six weeks, which is considered their
preparation process. Before export of Jamaican Blue
Mountain Coffee is allowed, it is checked for
appearance and taste, to ensure that every single
batch of coffee is of its highest quality.
How to Best Enjoy Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee
Once you have made the effort to purchase one of the
very best coffees in the world, it would be almost
criminal if you did not ensure that your coffee is
properly stored and brewed!
Storing your coffee properly requires that it be
sealed in an airtight container, away from any foods
with strong odors or flavors, such as curry powder and
other spices. Refrigeration in an airtight container
is the ideal way to store ground beans.
You can keep your coffee tasting great by cleaning
your coffee pot immediately following each use. Never
use detergent or other cleaners in your coffee pot,
this can affect the taste. Simply empty the pot, brush
and rinse thoroughly with hot water. Additionally,
give the pot a rinse with hot water before making a
fresh batch of Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee, and
enjoy.
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