Where to buy Blue Mountain coffee?

In our past trips to Negril we have found the Hi-Lo to have the best price on 1lb bags of Blue Mountain beans. I know some people have suggested the airport duty free to have the lowest prices but that has not been my experience. This time we are in Port Antonio, I have found a good price at the Ramtulla grocery store for what is labled Blue Mountain coffee, by a Portland supplier that I don't recall the name. I wonder if the mega-mart? in MoBay has good prices? (I think that's what its called). If so, where is it located?

I always get my coffee from Big Roy at Cafe Goa. I've never bought it at the grocery store or duty free, so I can't compare. However, his coffee is very good! :)

True Blue Mountain coffee is strictly controlled and though I am by no means a coffee expert I have had some questionable served coffee in Negril. Good coffee but not Blue Mountain as claimed. There are relatively few producers and processors that can lay claim to the Blue Mountain name.

Mega Mart has quite a big selection of Blue Mountain coffee. It may not be the cheapest, but the prices are decent and the largest selection I have seen at one time. My favorite is the Wallenford Blue. The link for the Mega Mart locations is http://gomegamart.com/pages/Locations.html

Have you tried High Mountain coffee? Just as good to me, in fact do a blind taste test and see if you can decide which is which. High Mountain is cheaper.....

I did some research on something I had heard before about blue mountain coffee;

Only coffees certified by the Coffee Industry Board may use the “Jamaican Blue Mountain” label. In order to qualify for this label, the coffee must be grown within specific geographic boundaries, must be of a certain minimum size, and cannot exceed a specific percentage of defects. Certified "Blue Mountain Coffee" is imported only by importers authorized by the Coffee Industry Board of Jamaica.

Despite these strict standards, many companies will still try to market coffees that do not meet the requirements as Blue Mountain coffee. One unfortunately common practice is to blend a small amount of Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee with lower quality beans to reduce the cost. If you see Blue Mountain coffee being sold at an unusually low price, you can be certain that it is not true Blue Mountain Jamaican coffee.

I buy from Bigroy at Cafe Goa too. Always fresh beans, sometimes still warm!

Thunder --- across from Alfred's --- he'll roast it before your eyes

he also has fresh chocolate . . .

I haven't had issues with the coffee purchased at Rumtulla and a good price as well. I don't personally drink it but everyone so far have been pleased with what I've brought back.

We have bought coffee from Big Roy also but later I kind of wondered if it stays fresh when it's not vacuum sealed and how does it de-gas (?) in a bag without a valve in it

maybe some of you missed it - I am in Port Antonio, not Negril. I poste here because I think very few people read the PA threas. A guy approached us this morning, asking if we had been to the market (we had). He was selling coffee, He wanted 20US a pound. Good luck with that.

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Originally Posted by Seveen

Thunder --- across from Alfred's --- he'll roast it before your eyes

he also has fresh chocolate . . .

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I'll second that! Aside from just one place I visited high up in the mountains that sold their beans at 50us a pound, I can't say I've had a better bean than Thunder's at around 20us.

Apparently there are just about 12 roasters certified to process Blue Mountain Coffee. Most if not all purchases on the beach are for blended coffees sold as Blue Mountain. I can't tell the difference. The North American price is over 50$. The Jamaican price of one pound of true certified Blue is @ 30$. I doubt there are many places in Jamaica that actually serve the legitimate stuff uncut.

People swear by Thunders coffee. It is by no means and does not pretend to be Blue Mountain certified coffee. It is in fact as his label suggests "high Mountain" which is a grade below Blue Mountain.

Below...or above the grade. I love hearing about what grows at this or that elevation type of discussions while I'm on the island.

This thread has me wanting a nice cup of coffee, in JA I add brown sugar and some Lasco powdered vanilla milk ... nicest cup of coffee ever :p

This is Thunder from 7 years ago~ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1RnVfM4g6U

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Originally Posted by Bluez

I did some research on something I had heard before about blue mountain coffee;

Only coffees certified by the Coffee Industry Board may use the “Jamaican Blue Mountain” label. In order to qualify for this label, the coffee must be grown within specific geographic boundaries, must be of a certain minimum size, and cannot exceed a specific percentage of defects. Certified "Blue Mountain Coffee" is imported only by importers authorized by the Coffee Industry Board of Jamaica.

Despite these strict standards, many companies will still try to market coffees that do not meet the requirements as Blue Mountain coffee. One unfortunately common practice is to blend a small amount of Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee with lower quality beans to reduce the cost. If you see Blue Mountain coffee being sold at an unusually low price, you can be certain that it is not true Blue Mountain Jamaican coffee.

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Interesting.....

I looked a little harder this last trip and noticed almost everything that said Blue Mountain on it was a blend. Hi-Lo has an endcap right by the registers that is a great display, full of a lot of blends.

Curious, how long can you freeze beans like Thunders before it goes bad?

Tomorrow we are opening my last packet of Treasure Beach's Dawn's High Mountain coffee. I vacuumed sealed 8 bags last year which I then froze. I expect it to taste like it did last year. I also roast my own coffee and like her, bought mine in the Santa Cruz market. I hadn't started roasting yet but trips to Port Antonio's Musgrave Market found beans for sale. I've seen the coffee cherries for sale occasionally in Mandeville too. I suspect most "Blue Mountain" beans are from these areas as real BM beans just aren't for sale on any open market. To me, a good High Mountain coffee can taste pretty similar to any affordable Blue Mountain coffee. The best beans are sold overseas and not in Jamaica or the States. On a trip to the coffee factory it was explained to us that misshaped, broken, off color, or odd sized beans are relegated to be ground and packed with the best being sold in whole bean form. The darker the roast, the less true flavor comes through.

Thanks Mike!