Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee

So my buddy Steve brought me a small sample of Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee today. Evidently a co-worker was brewing some for himself and offered a taste. I now realize this was an act of cruelty.

<deep breath>

I am prone to hyperbole, so I’ll try and restrain myself…

This coffee makes me want to be a better man.

Hmm, too much hyperbole-bell.

Seriously, this is not just “better” coffee. It’s not just “good” where other coffee is “ok”. No, this coffee is “euphoric”, while other coffee is “meh”. There’s that much of a difference. And it’s not some subtle distinction that you can only grasp after years of study; you take a sip and you just know it’s the best coffee you’ve ever tasted. Period. That’s with no additives whatsoever.

This is coming from a novice coffee enthusiast, not an expert, mind you, but that might even support my claim. It’s the mildness and lack of bitterness that the coffee is known for. Here’s what Wikipedia says about it, which seems to be the consensus after some cursory research:

The best lots of Blue Mountain coffee are noted for their mild flavor and lack of bitterness. Over the last several decades, this coffee has developed a reputation that has made it one of the most expensive and sought-after coffees in the world.

Supposedly there is only one coffee that’s better, called Kopi Luwak, which is made by having lemurs eat the coffee cherries and then poop out the seeds (the coffee beans).

That’s a bit extreme for me at this point, so I think I’ll stick with my plans for freshly ground, french-pressed Jamaican Blue Mountain (I just installed a water filter at home for this). And at somewhere around $35/lb I think the Jamaican stuff is expensive enough. I think I’ll have to keep the Blue Mountain on hand for my weekly or bi-weekly treat, as it’s too expensive for a daily brew.

Anyway, if you haven’t tried this stuff, I highly suggest it. It’ll change your life. ::

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[ A Coffee Primer | dmiessler.com ]