National Library of Jamaica
Middleton Coffee Plantation, St. Andrew, Jamaica [1870]
PRODUCT
Coffee
Middleton Coffee Plantation near Gordon Town, St. Andrew, 1870
Image from the National Library of Jamaica Photograph Collection. Permission to reproduce this image must be obtained from the National Library of Jamaica
This image is an early Duperly photograph of the Middleton Coffee Plantations in St. Andrew.
Further information - Coffee
COFFEE (Coffee arabica)
Coffee, which originated in the highlands of Ethiopia, was introduced into Jamaica in 1728 by Sir Nicholas Lawes, a former governor who planted it at his Temple Estate in St. Andrew. Jamaica’s coffee production is low by world standards (approximately 2.72 million kg) but it ranks high internationally in quality and flavor especially that grown on the slopes of the Blue Mountains which commands a high price on the world market. Coffee labeled “Blue Mountain” has to be grown within a 16km radius of the Peak. The other generic category of coffee is Jamaica Prime, grown on the mountains of the central parishes but outside the Blue Mountain range. Most of Jamaica’s coffee is exported and cheaper varieties imported and blended for local consumption. Japan is Jamaica’s best market for unroasted coffee and the Japanese are involved with the expansion of the industry. The Coffee Industry Board established by the government in 1950, is the centralized facility for processing and quality control.
Coffee berries which contain the coffee bean, are produced by several species of small evergreen bush of the genus ‘Coffea’. The two most commonly grown species are ‘Coffea canephora’ (also known as ‘Coffee robusta’ and ‘Coffee arabica’ (which is the type grown in Jamaica). Once ripe, coffee berries are picked, processed and dried. The seeds are then roasted, undergoing several physical and chemical changes. They are roasted to varying degrees, depending on the desired flavor. They are then ground and brewed to create coffee [drink]
Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee is a classification of coffee grown in the Blue Mountains of Jamaica. 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. In addition to its use for brewed coffee, the beans are the flavor base of Tia Maria coffee liqueur.
Sources
Duperly, Adolphe, Adolphe Duperly “Daguerian Excursion in Jamaica" (1844)
Senior, Olive, Encyclopedia of Jamaican Heritage. St. Andrew, Jamaica: Twin Guinep Publishers Ltd., 2003
Middleton Coffee Plantation, St. Andrew, Jamaica [1870]
PRODUCT
Coffee
Middleton Coffee Plantation near Gordon Town, St. Andrew, 1870
Image from the National Library of Jamaica Photograph Collection. Permission to reproduce this image must be obtained from the National Library of Jamaica
This image is an early Duperly photograph of the Middleton Coffee Plantations in St. Andrew.
Further information - Coffee
COFFEE (Coffee arabica)
Coffee, which originated in the highlands of Ethiopia, was introduced into Jamaica in 1728 by Sir Nicholas Lawes, a former governor who planted it at his Temple Estate in St. Andrew. Jamaica’s coffee production is low by world standards (approximately 2.72 million kg) but it ranks high internationally in quality and flavor especially that grown on the slopes of the Blue Mountains which commands a high price on the world market. Coffee labeled “Blue Mountain” has to be grown within a 16km radius of the Peak. The other generic category of coffee is Jamaica Prime, grown on the mountains of the central parishes but outside the Blue Mountain range. Most of Jamaica’s coffee is exported and cheaper varieties imported and blended for local consumption. Japan is Jamaica’s best market for unroasted coffee and the Japanese are involved with the expansion of the industry. The Coffee Industry Board established by the government in 1950, is the centralized facility for processing and quality control.
Coffee berries which contain the coffee bean, are produced by several species of small evergreen bush of the genus ‘Coffea’. The two most commonly grown species are ‘Coffea canephora’ (also known as ‘Coffee robusta’ and ‘Coffee arabica’ (which is the type grown in Jamaica). Once ripe, coffee berries are picked, processed and dried. The seeds are then roasted, undergoing several physical and chemical changes. They are roasted to varying degrees, depending on the desired flavor. They are then ground and brewed to create coffee [drink]
Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee is a classification of coffee grown in the Blue Mountains of Jamaica. 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. In addition to its use for brewed coffee, the beans are the flavor base of Tia Maria coffee liqueur.
Sources
Duperly, Adolphe, Adolphe Duperly “Daguerian Excursion in Jamaica" (1844)
Senior, Olive, Encyclopedia of Jamaican Heritage. St. Andrew, Jamaica: Twin Guinep Publishers Ltd., 2003