- Once the first coffee plants arrived in Jamaica (which, according to legend, were sent by the French King Louis XV), it was realized that the plants thrived in Jamaica's climate, which allowed for the rapid growth of a coffee industry. The quality and amount of labor declined after the abolition of slavery until the industry's near-collapse in 1943. A decade later, the Coffee Industry Board was established in order to maintain a consistent quality and ensure its market value.
- Blue Mountain coffee is grown between 2,000 and 5,000 feet above sea level. Once the coffee beans are harvested, they are taken to one of the region's four pulperies to be pulped, washed, dried, cured and allowed to age for 6 weeks minimum--a practice done by only a few countries in the world. This period of aging allows the coffee to stay consistent.
The Jamaican government's Coffee Industry Board buys the coffee from the farmers, after which it undergoes testing to make sure that the product is of a standard quality for export. - There are five grades of Blue Mountain coffee: Blue Mountain No. 1, Blue Mountain No. 2, Blue Mountain No. 3, Pea Berry and Triage. The grading is defined by screen size, appearance and defects. The Coffee Industry Board requires 96 percent of beans to adhere to screening size, a uniform appearance to the beans, allowing only a 2 percent maximum amount of defects.
- Blue Mountain coffee is not only a highly desired export of Jamaica, but also one of the most demanded types of coffee among connoisseurs around the world. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee tends to go for high prices by the pound. In Jamaica, the coffee is even more rare, as most of the beans are roasted and exported.
- Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee beans tend to have a bluish-green color before roasting. Once brewed, it takes on a smooth, mild taste notably lacking bitterness, providing a well-rounded drinking experience.
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