A nice read about flashbacks chilling in a magical London cafe.
Screening + Artist Talk: The Secret Life of Your Clothes
Is Jablum Gold worth the money
Jablum Gold is the premium version of Jablum.
But even the Gold standard sometimes tastes like hot water but costs three times that of Dunkin Donuts. Truth, is that the hot water effect tends to occur in Jablum Gold ground coffees more often than the beans.
So my advise to persons wondering about quality. Just avoid the ground coffees. But what about Jablum Gold whole beans. Is it worth the cash?
Cupping coffee is what we do. We do these reviews to keep the companies honest and to let caffeineocrats know what to avoid and when to avoid it. We don’t need sterile labs. We prefer cupping where it counts, at home in the hills of the Jamaica Blue Mountains.
Follow the process of popping open a box of Jablum Gold and cupping via a chemex pour-over.
History: Jablum Gold entered the market about 8 years ago as the curated version of its Jablum classic beans. In other words Jablum Gold sought to address concerns that Jablum was inconsistent with its taste. That the beans tasted like hot water. Like hot almonds. Anything but luxury coffee. So Jablum Gold entered the market with fatter better beans with more flavour. It always amazes me that the company maintained this elaborate packaging to this day.
Packaging: The steps to unbox the coffee is reminiscent of the theatre involved in unboxing a watch. Pop the top apart and it reveals two sleeves: One arms to the left and the other to the right. It reveals a blue burlap bag which further reveals a shiny blue sealed bag.
Aroma: Open with a pair of scissors shows fat swollen beans which smell of brown sugar. There are other spices but brown sugar dominates in a good way.
Preparation: Grind in between fine and medium.
Brewing method: Chemex, in an attempt to enhance crispiness and fruit essences. It’s based on previous knowledge that Jablum coffees generally enhances light chocolate tones and almond tones without much or any fruit. Comparatively utilising a french press would enhance the chocolate tones and mute any hints of fruit.
Taste: Black currant which quickly transitions to deep chocolate and transitions to cream soda with low to medium acidity, and then leaves the palette with a smooth finish.
Conclusion: 7.9/10 with Starbucks daily blend 6/10. So consider Jablum Gold for that affordable luxury.
Update: Just cupped a September 2019 bag. The roasted rare peaberry beans smelt great but tasted like hot water. What can I say, the taste profile is hit or miss.
Specialty Instant Coffee
Boiler accident cease local coffee production at Salada
An accident in the boiler room at instant coffee processor Salada Foods Limited led to a $23 million net loss for the December quarter 2018 and the halt of production.
The good thing is that enough branded Mountain Peak instant coffee was in the trade and still available for purchase.
The decline arose last October from an accident in the broiler room wherein both boilers were damaged and had to be taken offline. The main boiler only came back online at the end of November arising from repair delays, said Salada which manufactures instant coffee and ground coffee beans at its registered office on 20 Bell Road in Kingston.
“While it was down there was no production of coffee however there was sufficient finished goods inventory at Lasco and Salada’s overseas distributors to satisfy market needs,”said Salada in its interim report. Since February 2017, the company outsourced its distribution to Lasco Distributors.
Full production resumed last December, and it is now normalizing inventory levels with its distribution partners and expects by the end of the second quarter to get back on track with its financial results. Revenues amounted to $172 million for three months to December 2018 from $228 million in the corresponding period in 2017.
For the year ended September 30, 2018, the company led by General Manager Dianna Blake-Bennett grew its annual sales to $1 billion an increase of 19 per cent, up from $872,000 in the comparative year.
Improved exports and domestic sales were the keys to unlock much of the sales gains. Profits were buoyed by a strong sales performance, with Salada growing its domestic sales by 16.7 per cent, and improving its export sales in Canada and Barbados by 440 per cent and 220 per cent respectively.
Best time to visit cafes in Liguanea, Kingston
Coffee lovers in the Liguanea coffee zone of Kingston need to know the best time to get a cup of coffee.
The three most popular cafes in Liguanea actually have different high and low periods and its not necessarily what you think.
The high periods are 11am at Cafe Blue, 11 at Cannonball and noon at Starbucks, that’s according to Google spy information.
It means that if you like people watching go to Cafe Blue at 11 and make your rounds to other cafes by noon.
Conversely, the best time to run in for a coffee without long lines would be 6am Starbucks, 8 am at Cannonball and 7pm at Cafe Blue.
So for all those Airbnb visitors with nothing to do mid day or players with the perfect pick-up lines avoid the mornings.
New players in Jamaica coffee offering cheaper deals in 2019
So more good news for buyers. When the mist of microclimate clears, new players are seen offering deals for their brands. They hype their beans as the best from the Jamaica Blue Mountain. Yeah so does everyone, yet some coffees taste ordinary and others amazing.
New players in the retail scene include Bawk Coffee, Plantation Blue and one can even say Stoneleigh.
These players all were involved in various aspects of the established trade and broke away to form their own brand. The more players means more competition in the sector which prides itself on a grandfather-taste which predates Starbucks and of course thirdwave.
This taste is distinct and offers amazing coffee without the bells of whistles of modern coffees. JBM (Jamaica Blue Mountain) is just layered-complexity without the hype.
So of course competition led to price cuts of between 10 to 20 per cent on shelves and on selling platforms like ebay and so on. In fact Stoneleigh actually slashed their retail rates by about 30 per cent just to move volumes. Let’s see what happens on reorders.
The context however is that coffee prices in Jamaica have started to fall back in 2016/17 based on global supply and demand factors. But now come 2019 its competition that’s driving the dip at the roasted bean level. What does this mean for consumers… more choice at cheaper prices.
But of course, we all know you can’t just buy JBM blindly. That’s why its important to know your source. We find that all the new brands offer quality but we’d recommend getting someone whether at the brand or a broker to cup it first prior to shipment.
Cheers to great coffee!
Jamaica Coffee Festival
Ok, So there the coffee festival planned for the first weekend in March. To be precise its March 7, 2020. Interested , well it depends on whether you yearn for coffee or earn from coffee. Over the last two years, the festival was held over two days with the first day, dedicated to business Development workshops For Farmers.
It was really the perfect day for overseas and locals roasters and traders to meet with local farmers and processors. After all we all want the access to the holy grail–Green beans. You can barter with the farmers or play hard ball with the licensed processors.
The main event is in the Jamaica Blue Mountains on the soldier camp of New Castle . If you see an entry fee its really for transport . Last year, transport cost J$1,500 or about $12 USD from Mona.
Jamaica coffee experient
Some coffee companies in the island are innovating. They want to expand the definition of great coffee to include a more fruity taste profile instead of preponderance of chocolate tones. No one will go on the record but expect options that are bursting with fruit to hit shelves within the medium term.
🙂
Look at this on eBay
Guatemala coffee probably the closest in taste profile to Jamaica blue mountain. Click to consider affordable coffee.
httpsver.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F292773117373
Banksy coffee
OK, you know you are large when websites are putting your work on coffee mugs. This ‘laugh now chimp’ was stenciled in various parts of the UK but now has made its way to a coffee mug hahah.
The Banksy Laugh Now Chimp coffee mug shows a dejected chimpanzee wearing a billboard around its neck with the slogan “Laugh now, but one day we’ll be in charge”. Maybe people buying the mug will see it miraculously shatter before their eyes.
I wonder if Banksy likes Jamaica Blue Mountain in his cup.
jamaicamocha 