CAFE BLUE | CHANGING THE CAFE SCENE IN DULUTH
For someone who practically spends half the day at the cafe’s working online, I love it when new spots pop up in the Duluth area where I live. This is only if they are offering something new and exciting (not the 100th boba spot).
That said, while I have been driving back and forth on Satellite Blvd., I kept seeing Cafe Blue before it was open and was wondering what kind of cafe this would be. Randomly passing by, I finally saw the open sign and figured I would just grab something while finishing up a project and try their coffee.
Great Atmosphere
The atmosphere of Cafe Blue is very rustic and homely. It has a unique feel with lots of dark wood tables, brown leather seats, and vintage style lights. The classy piano jazz and vintage style wall decor brings in a classy and comforting feel. Not only that but the chairs that are here are comfortable. I know this sounds strange, but many cafes do not have comfy chairs.
You can tell that the owner did not spare much expense on making sure that the guests here had a comfortable experience. I began quickly to notice the huge roaster in the back but did not know what kind of coffee I was drinking until I got my first drink.
Love at First Sip
I ordered an oat milk latte with cinnamon (no sugar). Sitting down and trying this drink threw me off. Again, as someone who drinks coffee at multiple cafes constantly, I could tell this coffee was on another level (like another planet) than the typical cafe I’ve been to.
I couldn’t focus on my project without getting more info about these beans so I began to roam around and ask questions (possibly looking crazy to the workers). What I began to find out is that this cafe is serving one of the rarest coffee in the world – Jamaican Blue Mountain No 1 Coffee.
Blue Mountain No. 1 Coffee
This is all thanks to the owner, Daniel Yi (pronounced “Lee”), Daniel was originally working on a few construction projects in Jamaica and was connected to a friend who was part of the ministry of agriculture in Jamaica. With this business and import knowledge he – by chance – got the right to export Jamaica’s #1 coffee bean to other countries.
With help from friends of his, he eventually understood the system of exporting the coffee outside Jamaica and also gained the trademark of the name “Blue Mountain.”
That said, when you see the name “Blue Mountain” connected to Jamaican coffee beans, you know that it’s coming from Daniel’s channel.
He then contacted coffee importers I Korea and introduced them to the Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee. They loved the taste and most Koreans know their coffee well. Due to the large market, it opened many doors for the exporting of Blue Mountain No. 1 beans. If you know Korea, they love coffee with over 40k coffee shops in their country alone.
Later on, after developing the export in Korea, Daniel sought to open his coffee shop in America. This normally, would not be easy if you did not have the direct rights to the Blue Mountain No. 1 coffee. For instance: Columbian coffee beans normally sell for $10/KG but Jamaican Blue Mountain No. 1 Coffee goes for $40/KG. That said, making a coffee shop with affordable pricing using the rarest bean in the world takes a special connection. Luckily the owner Daniel Yi is that connection.
The goal of Cafe Blue is to introduce this type of coffee to more people to enjoy as well as build up over 250 cafes nationwide starting with Cafe Blue in Duluth.
What Makes it So Special?
For reference, there are 3 top beans in the world for coffee: Jamaican Blue Mountain No 1, Hawaiian Kona Extra Fancy and Yemen Mocha Matari. Each of these has lower grades but those names are the top grades. That said, you can go to Costco and see “Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee” but it will be a blend of low-grade beans mixed with non-Jamaican beans. There are 5 different categories of Jamaican coffee but No. 1 and No. 2 are the highest grades with the only difference between the 2 being the size of the bean.
The government of Jamaica has to certify if the coffee bean is No. 1 and they do this by literally checking every bean separately. Because of this, only 1200 tons/year are grown, checked and sold. This also is because the little space the beans have to grow. Its called blue mountain due to being grown 3500-5000 feet on the Blue Mountain Volcanic soil in Jamaica.
Fresh Taste Roasted In House
“When I taste the Jamaican coffee, I loved the incredible taste. I cannot drink any other coffee so I wanted to open my own store in America with an affordable price. “ Daniel Yi
Of the 1200 tons that are exported worldwide, 12 tons of that come to the US as green coffee beans and are roasted every 2-3 days at Cafe Blue. This gives it a freshness of taste that you’re not going to taste in neighboring cafes (trust me, I’ve tried). You’re getting a high value – high-quality bean that is city roasted in house. When you look at that value in other restaurants, a cup of this coffee typically can cost 15-30.00. Here at cafe blue, you’re getting it for less than 6 bucks (unless you’re like me and customize it).
Its good that it is city roasted in my opinion. That means it’s not going to have that burnt and bitterness you get from French-style roasts or Starbucks. This allows you to really enjoy the full body of the coffee and walk away with an Americano that doesn’t taste like cough syrup. I can say this is the best cup of coffee you’re going to have in Gwinnett. I already deemed this the best coffee experience I’ve had in Gwinnett (check it out on Yelp).
With a cozy atmosphere, amazing staff and the best quality coffee you can find in the area: this place can’t help but succeed and has made it to our top 10 list at Georgia Foodies! You deserve it to yourself to try this place out!
