Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee – Most Expensive Coffee

Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee is considered by many experts to be the world’s finest. The best lots of Blue Mountain coffee are noted for their mild flavor and lack of bitterness. The Blue Mountain coffee is the most expensive coffee in the world of which Japan bought almost 80% in 2018 which leaves the rest of the world with only 20% share.

Mavis Bank Coffee Factory, processes & trademarks the Coffee Beans in Jamaica, a Caribbean island nation once known for slavery under British rule until late 17th century is now famous for its coffee, the Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee which as the name suggests is grown on Blue mountains of Jamaica.

Why is Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee So Expensive?

Jamaica Blue Mountain Bean has been termed as the most expensive coffee bean from the beginning. What is the reason behind such a title? Why is it so expensive? What makes it so pricey? Let us get into the details to know all about this bean.

Geography

The Jamaican Blue Mountain, a UNESCO’s World Heritage Site. The coffee bean farms on this mountain are at 2000 and 5000 feet above sea level. The Blue Mountain growing region is north of Kingston and south of Port Maria. On a clear day from such a height outline of the island of Cube which is 210 km away, can be seen. With higher slopes preserved for the forest, 2 settlements generally cater to the plantation needs of different coffees and both rely on the area’s rich soil diversity.

The mountain collects the rainfall of 200 mm every month due to its rising elevations from Coastal plains the east. So this makes the area warm, Humid and perfect for cultivating arabica beans. Beans especially at this height are hard and dense and packed with incredible flavors. It’s the island’s tropical climate that gives coffee the sunshine and water that it needs to bloom.

History

You cannot find such a perfect combination in many places in the world which makes Blue Mountain Coffee Bean world’s best tasting coffees.

A lot of other coffees consumed around the world are blended from different grade coffee. Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee Bean is known because of its single-origin coffee. What makes it expensive is the altitude, forest cover and climate and more essentially its farmers which are the only communities who grow them.

Flavors of Blue Mountain Coffee

This most expensive and extravagant coffee which Starbucks offers is siphon only by selected few barista’s. There is an exact amount of water and count of several stirring in exact time intervals. This is not something that can replace the cup of Cappuccino or Espresso you grab on commute each day. While a mug of coffee might cost you 3 – 4 dollars, the Jamaican Blue which is a sure delight for Starbucks might cost you $12 and takes 10 minutes to make.

Although Jamaica grows only 0.1% of Coffees worldwide, it’s smooth, the clean taste has given it a reputation of excellence. Because of the single coffee origin, the aroma of sweet herbs and florals with overtones of nuts is locked in the beans. Despite the high acidity, it also has a full-body, which makes for an extremely unusual combination that results in a coffee that is rich and creamy as well as bright and zesty.

Best Ways To Brew Blue Mountain Beans

Just like Hugh Jackman quotes that: ” To me, the smell of fresh-brewed coffee is one of the greatest inventions ”

So Brewing is an art and if it’s Jamaican Blue Mountain you need to have an artistic approach, Below are the steps you should keep in mind when brewing the Blue Mountain coffee.

1. Keep your coffee fresh: Store in a vacuum container
2. Grind right before you plan to brew
3. Brew using the siphon technique to bring out the best of flavors.
4. Use filtered water that has been boiled, then cooled 30-45 seconds
5. Golden Tip: Use only 345 ml of water in the siphon

You can also use a French Press to brew the coffee as well. While Siphon is considered to be the best way to brew the Blue Mountain Bean, French Press is also not a bad option.

Why Siphon?

Coffees, to be good, must be filtered. It must not be boiled. That makes it taste raw and overdone. So we Siphon it?

Siphon coffee is a concept given by a French woman who made the first commercially successful vacuum coffee brewer. There are 2 chambers stacked, first filled with water. By heating the chamber, vapor pressure forces the water to rise into the upper chamber. Here it is mixed with Coffee. The water, now mixed with coffee is pulled back into the lower chamber through a filter which in turn fills with brewed coffee.

The Blue Mountains of Jamaica

The Blue Mountains are the highest ranges in Jamaica, The Blue Mountain peak, 2256m along the edge of Jamaica features majestic scenery. This is one of the favorites for hikers as it offers first-hand nature at its finest.

The Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee is a single-origin coffee and its beans are grown and harvested only by one of the traditional communities of Jamaica. A culturally independent group of people who got at par with the Slavery of Brits came to be known as The Maroons. These are the people who Currently run the Jamaican Economy. Some the these make the settlements of the Blue Mountains who harvest the Coffee beans.

Apart from its breathtaking beauty these mountains also boast coffee plantation tours where visitors witness how coffee beans are gathered and processed to the make world-famous real Jamaican Blue Mountain Beans. Do follow us to know more at www.familyliving.guide.

How is Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee made?

Now since its a single-origin coffee, Mavis Bank Coffee Factory, a 200-year-old establishment harnesses out the world-famous bean from the Blue mountain berries. The berries which are cherry ripe i.e. completely red are collected and are water floated.

The collectors hand-pick the floating beans neglecting the insect-infects, they are sent to the factory for further processes. The wet beans have to go through drying processes either naturally or machine dryers. Then comes the long wait for almost 10 weeks where they are stored carefully like a precious wine before entering your glasses. After 10 weeks they come out alive when the beans come out the husk. These green beans are the world-famous Blue Mountain Coffee.

These are graded by the Coffee Industry Board, packed and ready to export. Get the graded beans and enjoy it for yourself or may flaunt along with home-brewed coffee makers.

Coffee Economy in Jamaica

Coffee production is one of Jamaica’s largest earners on the international market and extremely important to the nation’s economy. Blue Mountain coffee holds a greater prestige and has a competitive advantage of being a benchmark for its taste, high quality, and appearance of the bean. It ranks as the number one brand on the international market.

Coffee Industry Board of Jamaica (CIBOJ) narrates a beautiful story of Young Pilot whose mother is one of the thousands of Jamaica coffee farmers. Coffee financed his costly schooling in an industry that is on the rise. The Coffee Industry Board of Jamaica has grown a lot in the past few decades with the rise in the demand of the real Blue Mountain Beans throughout the globe.

Farmers are earning record levels at $12,000 a box of beans compared to $3,000 about four years ago. It’s more than double the $5,000 in producing a box of beans.

Laborers associated with Blue Mountain Coffee

Jamaican Blue Mountain is extremely difficult to cultivate as a result the handpicking beans make it a very labor-intensive process. Every single berry gets a hand-inspection. RSW Estate, a company that controls Blue Mountain coffee farms is a 200-year-old factory that only produces 60k lbs a year. While Jamaica in all produces 14 million lbs a year. A crew of local women hand-sort green bean in 10lb bags, So these ladies are final arbiters of quality.

What’s the best coffee in the world?

If you have ever come across the idea that which is the best coffee in the world? Then you would probably be knowing that its The Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee. Luxury is available only to few.

The industry remains on the path to deliver 400,000 boxes per year with higher prices. Customers are paying as high as $60 a pound or six times more than regular coffee beans. Japan is the highest importer of real Jamaican Blue Mountain, It buys 75% of Island’s coffee. The rest of the world gets 25% of coffee!

It has only a limited number of people to serve right now but since production is increasing there are chances that the world might see a fall in prices of this luxury good.

Read More: Chrysanthemum Tea

Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee Authenticity

Since Blue Mountain commands the premium price and luxury, a lot of dishonest sellers use its name and cheat buyers and tourists. Real certified beans are sometimes very difficult to find.

So here are some tips to check for Authenticity:

• Always check the packaging
• The beans are grown, roasted and packaged on the island itself.
• So anyone promoting the Coffee with packed in Europe or the USA is faking it.
• It is certified by the CIB and the seal will be present at the top.