COFFEE Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)     What is Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee The first coffee plants was brought to Jamaica in 1728 by Sir Nicholas Lawes, then Governor of Jamaica and owner of Temple Hall Estate. Cultivation started in the foothills of St. Andrew but soon plantations extended deeper into the fertile Blue Mountains. Jamaica was the largest coffee producer in the world from 1800 to 1840 producing 70,000 tons per year. Slavery was abolished in 1838 and this signaled the end of many coffee plantations. Newly freed farmers began planting and clearing all the available hillsides to earn a living and to have land to live on. By 1891, the coffee industry was in general disarray. Legislation was passed to provide competent instructors to give instructions in the art of cultivation and curing coffee. The effort to increase quality was largely unsuccessful as the largest buyer in those days was the Canadian market and they resisted it as being unacceptable. Finally, in 1944 the Jamaican government established a Central Coffee Clearing House where all coffee for export had to be processed. This cleaning and grading process was a giant step in the improvement in the quality of the Jamaican coffee being exported. In 1951, there were only three Coffee Processing Plants (called "pulperies") remaining in operation in the Blue Mountains after a devastating hurricane. In an attempt to regulate the growth that was sure to follow, the Coffee Industry Board was formed to establish guidelines in quality, cultivation and processing. The Coffee Industry Board is still an active force today and garners some of the credit for the resurgence of Jamaican coffee. In 1973, the three coffee processing plants at Mavis Bank, Silver Hill and Moy Hall along with a new comer, Wallenford, registered the name "Blue Mountain Coffee". Jamaica is famous for producing some of the finest coffee found anywhere in the world. Jamaica's Blue Mountain is heralded as the world's number one coffee. What makes this little island such a prime spot for growing a world-class coffee? As in real estate, it's "Location, Location, Location" and in this case, that location is the Blue Mountains. The unique combination of ideal altitude, mineral rich soil, gentle cloud cover, mountain shade, and ample sunlight produces a coffee widely acknowledged as the world's best. The coffee berries take much longer to mature, ensuring a rich flavor and deep aroma and allows its signature character to evolve. To be called "Blue Mountain Coffee", it must be grown at altitudes between 2,000 and 7,000 feet in the Parishes of Portland, St. Andrew and St. Thomas and, most importantly, be grown on the estates of; Mavis Bank, Silver Hill, Moy Hall or Wallenford. Coffee grown anywhere else in the Blue Mountains or anywhere else in Jamaica cannot be called "Blue Mountain Coffee. Blue Mountain coffee is exclusively made from the Arabica Bean. The Arabica bean is more fragile to grow but is considered more flavorful and has less caffeine than the Robusta Bean grown in many parts of the world. Jamaica produces approximately 2,700,000 pounds of Blue Mountain coffee beans a year. About 90% of the annual crop is exported to Japan. The quantity remaining for coffee aficionados in other parts of the world is very limited which accounts for its high price. In the US, price may range between $35 and $50 per pound of Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee. Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee is certified by the Coffee Industry Board of Jamaica as genuine Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee. Rich, well rounded, bright and well-balanced. An outstanding exotic coffee for those who are passionate about drinking only the very best coffee.   Coffee  · About Us  · Privacy Policy  · Return Policy · Ordering and Shipping FAQ · Coffee Glossary · Coffee History · Site Map  · Links Copyright © 2005 Coffee Service Plus, 410 Andbro Drive, Pitman, NJ 08071