Why is Blue Mountain coffee so expensive? why do you use oak barrels to hold raw beans?

Professional coffee knowledge exchange more coffee bean information please follow the coffee workshop (Wechat official account cafe_style)

Blue Mountain Coffee is a coffee bean brand grown in a limited area of the Blue Mountain Mountains of Jamaica at an altitude of 800-1200 meters. It usually grows on steep slopes, sometimes as high as 60 degrees and requires manual mining. It is characterized by its high aroma and delicate taste. Because of its high aroma, it is often mixed with other raw beans and more than 80% of it is exported to Japan.

The production of coffee is the same as that of ordinary agricultural products, and it has been greatly affected by the weather. In 1969, the production of Toshiyama coffee was affected by the weather, which caused production difficulties. UCC enterprises in Japan provided assistance and introduced ecological planting methods.

In recognition of the assistance provided by Japanese enterprises, Toya signed an agreement with Japan in 1972 to provide 90% of its annual output to the Japanese market. the remaining 10% is about 3500 barrels (70 kilograms in oak barrels) and then sold on the market (the only coffee packed in oak barrels).

Therefore, Luoshan Coffee is very popular in the market, which has established its dominant position in the coffee market.

Output is scarce

Because it is only planted in limited areas, the harvest is very low. The output of raw beans in 2014 was about 875 metric tons. From July 2013 to July 2014, the amount of raw beans exported by Jamaica to Japan was 283 tons, plus 440 metric tons * 2. The total is 723 tons. After baking, 578 tons of ripe beans will be produced. Taking 15 grams as a cup, about 38.56 million cups, the average person in Japan drinks less than one cup of Blue Mountain coffee in a year. In fact, Blue Mountain coffee beans are the same as other coffee beans grown in Jamaica, but because they are cultivated in a harsh environment and screened through strict inspection, they produce a very meticulous taste. In 1953, the Jamaican government drew a clear line between the Blue Mountains and other areas in accordance with the law, stipulating that the name of Blue Mountain Coffee should not be used for coffee in areas other than the Blue Mountains. Only coffee made in selected areas of the Blue Mountains can be called "Blue Mountain Coffee".

The origin of the barrel:

Of all the coffee, only Blue Mountain is barreled, and other coffee exits are in sacks. It is said that from the mid-18th century, flour shipped from England to Jamaica during the British colonial period was recycled in empty buckets and used to transport coffee and rum. The buckets used today are all wood from temperate forests in the United States. the advantage of buckets is to absorb and release internal and external humidity without much change, which can alleviate sudden temperature changes in the process of transportation. Another barrel sealed off coffee aroma, can maintain the best coffee quality, but the additional cost will be higher.