Coffee from Jamaica

Jamaica is famous for its coffee, but one type specifically. You most likely heard by now about the Blue Mountain Coffee. It is praised up and down for its amazing quality, so, naturally, we wanted to find out what makes it so special. If you share our curiosity, we hope this article will help you find out the information you need, and maybe your next favourite coffee!

Origins

The existence of Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee can be traced back to a very wise decision made by the King of France in the 18th century. All the way back in 1723, King Louis XV sent a gift to the French colony Martinique- three coffee plants. Five years later, the Governor of Jamaica also received a coffee plant, but from the Governor of Martinique. This way, the chain of coffee was created and Jamaica was able to begin its story. 

It only took nine years for the one Arabica coffee plant to be nurtured and, therefore, develop a whole plantation. This led to the first coffee batches exported from Jamaica and the beginning of an industry. 

Why Blue Mountain?

As we know by now, Arabica coffee thrives in fertile, volcanic soils, where there is regular rainfall and cloud covers, in order to protect the plants from the excessive burning sun. Also, an important factor is how rich in nitrogen and phosphorus the Jamaican soil is. 

In order for a coffee to be called ”Blue Mountain”, it has to be grown at altitudes of up to 1.800 meters either in the Parishes of Portland, St. Andrew, St. Mary, or St. Thomas. With all these factors combined, it is no wonder that this coffee is exceptionally sweet, rich in flavour and a full body with mild acidity. In the Blue Mountains, coffee farming is characterized by numerous small holdings of up to 4 hectares. In numbers, there would be about 15.000 of them.

Processing

Coffee processing is pretty much the same all around the world, but there are a few variables that can be specific to every country. In the case of Jamaica, the focus is on quality, as only the best beans can survive and therefore gain the name ”Blue Mountain”. 

In some cases, coffee farms have their own processing facilities, but generally, once the cherries are harvested, they are sent to a processing plant. There, they are submerged in water, and the damaged ones float to the surface. After this, the remaining cherries will be passed through a pulper that separates the beans from the flesh. In order for the wet parchment to dry, it is laid out on the concrete, in the sun. The next step is to grade the beans by size. The ones that enter the 1, 2, and 3 categories qualify for the next steps, while the ones that are bigger than this are used for local consumption and instant coffee production. For the ”golden children”, the next stop is to the mill. There, things do not happen as you would expect. They are not grinded yet, but simply peeled of their parchment. This step finalizes their ”green bean” status. To end up being roasted, they are once again sorted, and this time by hand. The ones that pass the test will be exported, and the rest will be consumed locally.

”The Champagne of Coffees”

As you might have been able to tell by now, this coffee is truly exceptional. So much so that it has gained the title of ”champagne of coffees”. The same way that the quality of champagne is controlled through the ”Appellation D’Origine Contrôlée Champagne”, the Blue Mountain area is also strictly regulated. 

It is true that the area is relatively small, and so is the export. The exportable annual production can vary between 400 and 1000 metric tonnes. Some might say that this is a downside, but actually, it only adds to the exclusivity of it. Another aspect that adds to this feature is how the coffee is packaged. By now, we got used to only seeing coffee in bags, but Jamaica decided to take it up a notch. You will mostly see their coffee packed in wooden barrels, an element that adds to the authenticity. 

Therefore, what do you think? It seems like there is a big reason why Jamaican coffee is so highly praised. Not only is it grown in the best conditions, but it is also very carefully and thoroughly processed. This can only guarantee top notch quality. If you ever decide to have your own taste of Heaven, you can find these beans and many others on specialized sites like Cafendo. Let us know what you think!