Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee Fest 2023 you said…you had me at Jamaica. Although my parents are from the beautiful lush island with a vibrant culture, sand and sun, and the premium Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee, I had never been up in the hills of the Blue Mountains. A coffee fest experience, plus the island of my heritage?! The coffee gods had finally heard my cries! After learning about the event I immediately made plans to attend.
The 6th annual Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee Fest took place March 25, 2023 in the pristine hills of
the Blue Mountains on the historic New Castle Parade Grounds of St. Andrew, Jamaica.
JBM Coffee Fest was not only a celebration of one of the world’s most exquisite coffees, but It was a celebration of Jamaican culture, heritage, and a beautiful gathering of the coffee community from far and wide.
Hailed as the premier festival celebrating coffee, it did not disappoint. The fest showcased local manufacturers, purveyors, artisans, baristas, mixologists, live entertainment, cooking demonstrations and more.
Tips for your first festival experience
- Follow events on social media to stay up to date on event information and ticket sale locations. Buy your tickets in advance if possible, or purchase at an authorized local coffee shop retailer when you arrive.
- Make sure to hydrate and have a solid breakfast. Skip your morning coffee if you can. No worries, you’ll have coffee to your heart’s content in just a few hours.
- Wear something comfortable with a light jacket and a good pair of walking shoes. If you plan to make a few purchases, a light backpack may be helpful so you can have free hands to taste test and take a few selfies.
- If possible, try to make it on the earliest shuttles to maximize your experience and avoid any unexpected delays.
- When you arrive at the event take a quick walk through and scope out your favorite booths. Double back to the booth that interests you the most first (Chances are there may be a really long line later or some items may run out due to popularity.) Save the pics until the second go round.
Background on Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee
Due to high demand and limited quantity, Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee is regarded as one of the premier coffees in the world. The highly sought after Blue Mountain Coffee is known for its lack of bitterness, fragrant aroma, and exquisite sweet smooth taste.
To enjoy JBM coffee at its finest it’s recommended to drink JBM coffee black, but if necessary add a little bit of honey to complement the flavors in the coffee. Another recommended way to enjoy Blue Mountain coffee is to jazz it up with whipped coconut cream and a touch of Jamaican rum (Appleton Estate or Wray & Nephew) with condensed milk.
Blue Mountain Coffee is grown in the Blue and John Crow Mountain range in eastern Jamaica, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Only coffee grown between 3,000 and 5,500 feet can be classified as Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee, while coffee grown below 3,000 feet is classified as Jamaica High Mountain Coffee.
As one of the highest peaks in the Caribbean at 7402 ft, Blue Mountain has a unique microclimate with significantly cooler temperatures. The magical combination of sunshine, temperature, rainfall, cloud cover and soil type make the specialty coffee hard to grow in any other region.
The harvesting periods of Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee are unlike any other coffee grown in the world. Over roughly 10 months, the extended coffee growing season and high rainfall of the Blue Mountains facilitate a slower, deeper maturation and are a key factor in the development of this luxury coffee bean.
Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee is certified by the Jamaica Agricultural Commodities Regulatory Authority (JACRA) which is responsible for the integrity and licensing of the brand and handles, tests, and arranges all the logistical side of exports.
Ready for Adventure: My Experience at the Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee Fest
There were several departure times set up from Utech to Newcastle. I planned for the 10:30 am departure time. Due to the winding narrow roads of the Blue Mountains it’s recommended to commit a good amount of time to transit as there could be delays.
Some patrons did not make the first bus at 9:30 am so they waited to be loaded onto the shuttles before our group. An unrelated accident on the hill delayed the return of the first group of shuttles pushing back our 10:30 am departure time. Canvas gift bags were handed out with fun coffee swag while we waited.
Part of the excitement and adventure of the fest was being semi crammed into a bus driving on the left side along the tight curvy roads where only one car can pass at a time. The experience was only heightened when the bus driver switched the radio from Tina Turner’s “What’s Love Got To Do With It,” to the upbeat melodic tunes of none other than Koffee. Somehow the hour ride felt like a mere 20 minutes.
The Festivities: Coffee and So Much More
As we arrived at the fest, the energy and excitement was at an all time high. There was a “step and repeat” backdrop with a beautiful Coffee Fest design to take photos, and a 360 camera if you were feeling the vibes.
Ras-I’s ‘Somewhere Wonderful’, played in the background. The soothing lyrics and whimsical tropical melodies welcomed festival goers and allowed for an escape into the wonderful world of Jamaican coffee, culture, and community. A song with a soothing melody and hopeful message ushered in the good vibes and offered peace and encouragement to those who have gone through hard times.
“Take me somewhere wonderful
So tired of being misunderstood
I keep on doing all the good
‘Cause life always works out as it should (yeah)”
The day began overcast and teased with a sprinkle of rain – a welcome reminder of the unique cool mountain climate. Booths were lined with patrons there to revel in all things coffee – crafts, culinary delights, music and entertainment.
Vendors such as Cannonball Café, Stoneleigh Coffee Roasters, Cafe Blue, Mavis Bank Coffee, Trumpet Tree Coffee Factory, Jamaica Blue Mountain Peak were some of those that served delicious coffee beverages.
The festival was the ultimate experience for coffee enthusiasts and provided farmers and business vendors with the opportunity to share their coffee products, treats, apothecary, jewelry and more.
Jamaica Coffee Growers Association offered up taste tests from different farms in the region to allow for the coffee enthusiast to revel in the nuances in flavor from farm to farm.
Nunk Estate displayed jars of coffee beans and kindly explained the different stages of coffee processing. By far, my favorite part of the event was getting to touch and taste a coffee cherry for the first time. It was amazing. I squeezed the coffee cherry into my mouth revealing the inner pulp and mucilage encasing the bean. It was juicy and much sweeter than I expected. After sucking on the inner layers of the cherry for a moment, the encased green coffee bean was revealed.
Throughout the fest there was music, and the crowd joined in dancing with joy. Host Dr. Terri Karell kept the event lively. Ushering in performances by Etna, Dburnz , the Silverbird Steel Pan, and historic Charles Town Maroons.
The day wouldn’t be complete without an exciting barista competition. The incredible Deaf Can! Barista Sadiki Gordon took home this year’s win. (I’ll have more to share about this fantastic organization in future posts.)
I wish I had more time to slowly explore each booth but all in all, Blue Mountain Coffee Fest was exactly what I hoped it would be and more. This was the fest’s first year back since Covid, and it was a great success. Mark your calendars now for next year. I anticipate this fest growing bigger and better in the years to come.
The Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee Festival was made possible by the Ministry of Tourism, Jamaica Promotions Corporation (JAMPRO), Tourism Linkages Network, Tourism Enhancement Fund, Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA), Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) and Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB).
For more information visit @jamaicacoffeefest on Instagram or bluemountaincoffeefest.com
Additional Resources:
Jamaica Tourism-
JBM Fest website-
https://bluemountaincoffeefest.com/
Harvesting-
https://www.bluemountainbest.com/blog/jamaican-blue-mountain-coffee-growing-the-worlds
BMC
https://www.coffeedetective.com/why-blue-mountain-coffee-is-so-good.html
Pre-festival
