5 Exciting Facts about Growing Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee

The exotic taste of Jamaican Blue Coffee is what makes it one of the most coveted and expensive coffees today. Its unique taste of mild nutty flavor and floral notes places this variant as a very delectable coffee in the market. We mentioned that it is one of the most expensive types of coffee beans,, with a whopping $50 up to $120 price tag for a mere 16 oz of it.

If you are not familiar with its origin, you must know that this coffee is only grown in four parishes of Jamaica, namely Saint Thomas, Saint Andrew, Saint Mary, and Portland. They also have a distinct way of cultivating this coffee, and we are here to tell you exciting facts about it.

1. The coffee flourishes on the Blue Mountains

The most outstretched mountain ranges in Jamaica are the Blue Mountain ranges which extend about 30 miles. Its highest elevation reaches up to more than 7,000 feet above sea level. Blue Mountain Coffee is grown at an altitude of at least 2000 to 3000 feet above sea level to make sure that the amount of rain that this particular coffee gets is around 200 inches of rain for a whole year.

2. Blue Jamaican Coffee trees take twice as long to mature

Unlike other coffee plantations where it takes less time to grow coffee trees on the ground, the coffee farmers of the Blue Mountains wait for about ten months until they can plant it on the ground. After that, it will take at least five years before beans from the Jamaican Blue Mountains can produce cherries. It is much longer if you compare it to other coffee trees where you can harvest the beans after two or three years.

3. Soil factor

Jamaican soil is rich and fertile, especially in the Blue Mountains. The soil composition on those ranges is actually of volcanic origin, having phosphorus and nitrogen. The Arabica species thrive better in soil rich with the said chemical compounds.

4. Bimodal Rain Pattern

A bimodal natural precipitation sequence happens in Jamaica and is critical for growing Blue Mountain Coffee. The early rains during February and March contribute to the flowering of the coffee trees. Aside from that, the early rains also protect the seedlings before the summer season. The second period for the rainy season happens around September, which facilitates the continuous ripening of the coffee cherries until they are ready for harvesting.

5. Full hands-on process

It is not only the weather condition, soil type, and altitude that makes this coffee one of the best-tasting ones in the coffee industry; the process of harvesting the beans is also a factor. The hand-picking method is what those coffee farmers in the area use because they only pick the ripe cherries and allow the other unripe cherries to fully mature.

Final Thoughts

There is no wonder that this coffee is among the best. The quality of the beans produced from the area is matched well with its price. You may be lucky if someday you get to sip this heavenly concoction.