Questions answered
Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee, in brief
Short answers to the questions readers ask most. Each links back to the fuller guide page.
What is Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee?
It is coffee grown in the Blue Mountains of eastern Jamaica and sold under the protected name Jamaica Blue Mountain. It is known for a mild, balanced cup with low bitterness. Only coffee from the designated growing area, handled within JACRA's regulatory system, may carry the name.
Who regulates Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee?
The Jamaica Agricultural Commodities Regulatory Authority (JACRA) regulates Jamaica's coffee industry, including the licensing of coffee dealers and users of the Jamaica Blue Mountain trademark. Businesses that market coffee under that name are expected to hold the relevant JACRA licenses.
What licenses does Mamre Blue Coffee hold?
Mamre Blue Coffee was approved by JACRA as a Special Coffee Dealer and Trademark User Licensee in January 2021. It is a single estate in Jamaica's Blue Mountains, growing Arabica Typica at elevations above 3,400 ft.
How can I recognize authentic Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee?
Check that the label says 100% Jamaica Blue Mountain, not blend or style. Look for a named seller or estate and details of its JACRA licensing. Be cautious of vague wording, and of packaging that displays the name prominently without stating how much Blue Mountain coffee is inside.
What is the difference between 100% Jamaica Blue Mountain and a blend?
A 100% product contains only coffee from Jamaica's Blue Mountains. A blend combines some Jamaica Blue Mountain with other coffees. Mamre Blue's Premium Blend pods are an example: they mix Jamaica Blue Mountain with other arabica beans, and the percentage is not published.
Why are some entries described as JACRA-certified and others not?
The 100% Jamaica Blue Mountain products are listed by the seller as certified by JACRA. The Premium Blend pod listings make no such statement. This guide records each product's status exactly as the seller describes it, rather than extending a claim from one product to another.
Where are the coffees in this guide grown?
The 100% products come from Mamre Blue Coffee's single estate in the Blue Mountains of Jamaica, grown at over 3,400 ft. The Premium Blend pods contain Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee plus other arabica beans whose origin has not been published.
What does Arabica Typica mean?
Arabica is the coffee species, and Typica is one of its oldest cultivated varieties and the one most closely associated with Jamaica's Blue Mountains. The coffee grown on Mamre Blue Coffee's estate is Arabica Typica.
Can I buy directly from this guide?
The guide is a reference and does not sell anything. Each product entry links to its listing on mamrebluecoffee.com, the Mamre Blue Coffee website, where current prices, availability and purchase options are shown.
Who publishes the Blue Mountain Coffee Field Guide?
The guide is published by Mamre Blue Coffee, a JACRA-licensed Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee estate, and the products it describes are Mamre Blue's own. Entries keep to published product information and flag anything the seller has not stated, such as the Premium Blend ratio.
Spotted an error or have a question we haven't covered? Write to the Field Guide.