Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee#The Coffee Industry Regulation Act
{{short description|Classification of coffee grown in the Blue Mountains of Jamaica}}
File:Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee in a packet.jpg
Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee or Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee is a classification of coffee grown in the Blue Mountains of Jamaica. The coffee was introduced to Jamaica in 1728.{{Cite web|url=https://2caffeinated.com/a-jamaican-blue-mountain-coffee-guide-all-you-need-to-know/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191016042600/https://2caffeinated.com/a-jamaican-blue-mountain-coffee-guide-all-you-need-to-know/|url-status=usurped|archive-date=October 16, 2019|title=Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee Guide: All You Need To Know|date=January 9, 2020}}
Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee is an Arabica coffee-bean variety called Typica,{{Cite web |title=About Coffee – Jamaica Agricultural Commodities Regulatory Authority |url=https://jacra.org/divisions/coffee/about-coffee/ |access-date=2022-10-16 |language=en-US}} which originated in southwestern Ethiopia.{{Cite web |title=Arabica Coffee Varieties {{!}} Typica |url=https://varieties.worldcoffeeresearch.org/varieties/typica |access-date=2022-10-16 |website=varieties.worldcoffeeresearch.org |language=en}}
The best lots of Blue Mountain coffee are noted for their mild flavour and lack of bitterness. Over the past few decades, this coffee has developed a reputation that has made it one of the world's most expensive and sought-after coffees. Over 80% of all Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee is exported to Japan.{{Cite web |url=http://www.jamaicaemb.jp/trade/index.html |title=Embassy of Jamaica - Tokyo |access-date=2010-02-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170221011314/http://www.jamaicaemb.jp/trade/index.html |archive-date=2017-02-21 |url-status=dead }} In addition to their use for brewed coffee, the beans are the flavour base of Tia Maria coffee liqueur.
Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee is a globally protected certification mark, meaning only coffee certified by the Jamaica Commodities Regulatory Authority{{Cite web|title=Background – Jamaica Agricultural Commodities Regulatory Authority|url=http://jacra.org/divisions/coffee/background/|access-date=2020-08-14|language=en-US}} (previously the Coffee Industry Board of Jamaica) can be labelled as such. It comes from a recognised growing region in the Blue Mountain region of Jamaica, and the Coffee Industry Board of Jamaica monitors its cultivation.
Generally located between Kingston to the south and Port Antonio to the north, the Blue Mountains are some of the highest mountains in the Caribbean, rising to {{convert|2256|m|ft}}. The region's climate is cool and misty with high rainfall, and the soil is rich with excellent drainage, conditions considered ideal for coffee cultivation.[https://eightysevenplus.com/jamaica-blue-mountain-coffee-the-history/ "Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee: The History, 2020"]{{dead link|date=February 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} Eighty Seven Plus Coffee
The Coffee Industry Regulation Act
The Coffee Industry Regulation Act specifies what coffee may use the Blue Mountain label. Additionally, it restricts the use of the Blue Mountain trademark to those authorized by the Jamaica Agricultural Commodities Regulatory Authority (formerly the Coffee Industry Board). Broadly speaking, coffee harvested from the parishes of Saint Andrew, Saint Thomas, Portland and Saint Mary may be considered Blue Mountain coffee.{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011222232033/http://www.jamaicancoffee.gov.jm/rules%26reg.html |archive-date=2001-12-22 |url=http://www.jamaicancoffee.gov.jm/rules®.html |title=Rules & Regulations—Coffee Industry Board |url-status=dead }}
Traditionally, only coffee grown in the Blue Mountain area can be called Jamaica Blue Mountain. Coffee grown outside of the Blue Mountains at elevations between {{convert|1500|ft|m|order=flip}} and {{convert|3000|ft|m|order=flip}} is called Jamaica High Mountain, and coffee grown below {{convert|1500|ft|m|order=flip}} elevation is called Jamaica Supreme or Jamaica Low Mountain.
Blue Mountain Coffee is registered with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) as a certification mark (No. 1,414,598), protected as a community trademark (No. 002093060) in the European Union and as a certification trademark (No. 1222993) with the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) of the United Kingdom. Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee is registered with the Jamaica Intellectual Property Office as a Geographical Indication. {{Cite web |title=In Search of a Perfect Cup |url=https://www.wipo.int/ipadvantage/en/details.jsp?id=2612 |access-date=2023-03-30 |website=www.wipo.int |language=en}}
Classifications of Blue Mountain Coffee
There are generally three types of grades of Jamaica Blue Mountain ranked by size and defects. Number 1 beans are the largest and most desired with the least defects, followed by number 2 and 3 beans. Separately, there are peaberry beans, which are smaller beans that appear shaped like a rugby ball as opposed to the usual flat beans.{{Cite web|url=http://wwwchem.uwimona.edu.jm/lectures/coffee.html|title=Jamaican Coffee|website=wwwchem.uwimona.edu.jm}}
As with most other varieties of coffee, there are several grades{{which|date=July 2018}} assigned to different lots based on factors such as size, appearance, and defects allowed.{{cite web|url=http://www.ciboj.org/pps/JamaicaCoffeeCertification_GI.pps|title=The Jamaican Coffee Industry Board Quality Certification Process|access-date=2015-04-13|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304040925/http://www.ciboj.org/pps/JamaicaCoffeeCertification_GI.pps|archive-date=2016-03-04}}
Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee Day
In December 2018,{{Cite web |last=McLeod |first=Sheri-Kae |date=2021-01-12 |title=#ICYMI: Jamaica Celebrates Blue Mountain Coffee Day |url=https://www.caribbeannationalweekly.com/caribbean-breaking-news-featured/icymi-jamaica-celebrates-blue-mountain-coffee-day/ |access-date=2022-10-16 |website=CNW Network |language=en-US}} the Japanese Government accepted a motion from the Association of Japanese Importers of Jamaican Coffee (AJIJC) to recognize January 9, 2019, as the first Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee Day.{{Cite web |title=Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee Day – Jamaica Agricultural Commodities Regulatory Authority |url=https://jacra.org/jamaica-blue-mountain-coffee-day/ |access-date=2022-10-16 |language=en-US}} This day is in recognition of January 9, 1967 when 60% of that year's harvest was shipped from the Port of Kingston, Jamaica to Japan.{{Cite web |last=Shiga |first=Hersey |date=2022-02-03 |title=Jamaican Winning beans |url=https://www.hersey.jp/jamaican-blue-mountain-coffee-day/16482/ |access-date=2022-10-16 |website=HERSEY MAGAZINE |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2021-09-01 |title=Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee |url=https://wnfdiary.com/jamaican-blue-mountain-coffee/ |access-date=2022-10-16 |website=Wild 'n' Free Diary |language=en-US}} This very large shipment of coffee marked the beginning of a new relationship between Jamaica and Japan after the second world war. To date, Japan continues to be the largest consumer of Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee.
The Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee Day includes promotional activities that lead up to the day and is celebrated locally in Jamaica and Japan as well as in large cities around the world such as New York and London and several Jamaican embassies.{{Cite web |date=2022-01-08 |title=Blue Mountain Coffee Day 2022 to share 'legendary luxury' globally |url=https://our.today/blue-mountain-coffee-day-2022-to-share-legendary-luxury-globally/ |access-date=2022-10-16 |website=Our Today |language=pt-BR}}
Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee Festival
The inaugural Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee Festival took place over three days on March 23, 24, and 25 in 2018 at Newcastle in St. Andrew, Jamaica.{{Cite web |title=Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee Festival Begins on March 23 – Jamaica Information Service |url=https://jis.gov.jm/jamaica-blue-mountain-coffee-festival-begins-on-march-23/ |access-date=2022-10-16 |website=jis.gov.jm}} The following year, it occurred on March 1, 2, 3 in 2019 in the same region.{{Cite web |title=Trade Development Workshop Kicks Off Blue Mountain Coffee Festival – Jamaica Information Service |url=https://jis.gov.jm/trade-development-workshop-kicks-off-blue-mountain-coffee-festival/ |access-date=2022-10-16 |website=jis.gov.jm}} Due to the Covid-19 Pandemic the event was canceled in 2020.{{Cite web |date=2022-03-03 |title=It's Back! The Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee Festival |url=https://www.jamaicaobserver.com/local-lifestyle/its-back-the-jamaica-blue-mountain-coffee-festival/ |access-date=2022-10-16 |website=Jamaica Observer |language=en-US}} Organizers switched to a virtual event in 2021 that was offered internationally as a live event on social media.{{Cite web |title=Tourism Round Up Features the Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee Festival Gone Virtual March 12 2021 – Jamaica Information Service |url=https://jis.gov.jm/radio_programs/tourism-round-up-features-the-jamaica-blue-mountain-coffee-festival-gone-virtual-march-12-2021/ |access-date=2022-10-16 |website=jis.gov.jm}} The expanded grand festival took place in-person in 2022 on March 4 and lasted a whole month until April 2.
The festival featured Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee products, promoted vendors, and showcased performers, tours, barista competitions, and food demonstrations for local and international attendees from producers, processors, consumers, and vendors.{{Cite web |title=JAMAICA Blue Mountain Coffee Festival – The Caribbean's Premier Coffee Festival! |url=https://bluemountaincoffeefest.com/ |access-date=2022-10-16 |language=en-US}}
The festival offered the opportunity to promote products to tourists, educate current farming producers through a Trade Day, and create opportunities to form matchmaking for buyers, processors, and exporters.
During the festival, workshops, seminars, and networking sessions were offered by the Jamaica Agricultural Commodities Regulatory Authority (JACRA), the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA), and the Tourism Linkages Network (TLN).
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|https://rocksteadycoffee.com/collections/jamaica-blue-mountain-coffee |Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee }}
- {{Official website|http://www.ciboj.org/ |The Coffee Industry Board of Jamaica }}
- {{Official website|http://www.bluemountaincoffee.com.jm/ |Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee }}
- {{Official website|http://www.jamaicacoffee.org/ |Jamaica Coffee Exporters Association }}
- {{cite web|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060313043025/http://www.scae.com/default.asp?page=viewnews&cat=Miscellaneous+Document&nid=662|archive-date=2006-03-13|url=http://www.scae.com/default.asp?page=viewnews&cat=Miscellaneous+Document&nid=662|title=Blue Mountain Blues|publisher=Specialty Coffee Association of Europe|date=2006-02-21}} Article about hurricane damage to the Jamaican crop.
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