What is a Cafe Cubano

FROM OUR FARMS TO YOUR CUP
COFFEE JOURNEY

What is a Cafe Cubano?

– A Complete Guide –

There is a new worldwide coffee trend on the horizon.

And, it’s coming from Cuba.

Many of us appreciate our daily cup of coffee.

The empowering dark liquid has become an essential part in many of our daily lives.

Besides giving us a very helpful boost for the day. Coffee also comes along with many great health benefits.

Indeed, coffee makes us happier and may even let us live longer.

No matter where you are going these days, you will encounter a rich coffee culture.

Various new coffee creations are continuously further enriching our already very colorful coffee world.

Delicious versions of lattes, macchiatos, espressos, cappuccinos and many more are now part of today’s menu.

The Cafe Cubano is not a total stranger to most coffee enthusiasts.

Quickly, it’s finding its way into many coffee shops and minds of coffee lovers worldwide.

But very little is still known about the Cafe Cubano for most people.

Here is everything you need to know.

Actually, the Cafe Cubano goes under several names.

People also refer to as Cuban espresso or Cuban coffee. Furthermore, common names are cafecito, Cuban pull and Cuban shot, as well.

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Regardless of which term is being used in your region. They all do have the same origin and key ingredient in common.

Typically, the Cafe Cubano is a type of an espresso. And, of course, as it name suggests, people invented it in Cuba.

Despite many political and economic struggles to overcome. The Caribbean nation has a very rich and proud coffee history to look back onto.

More specifically, the nation’s favorite coffee drink refers to an espresso shot, which is sweetened.

Traditionally, Cubans would use natural brown sugar as sweetener. Coffee makers will skillfully whip the sugar with the first and strongest espresso drops.

Commonly, you are using dark roasted finely ground coffee beans.

Until this day, the Cafe Cubano remains a prominent social and cultural activity in Cuban-based communities all over the world.

Recently, the rest of the coffee world is increasingly appreciating its distinct flavors more and more as well.

In very short terms, coffee enthusiasts would describe the drink as following.

What tequila is to alcoholic beverages. This would be the Cafe Cubano to the coffee world.

You do not sip on it.

It is a shot. Therefore, you gulp it quickly.

The daily morning ritual of a Cafe Cubano for many Cubans is strong. And, that’s exactly how it is supposed to be.

History of Cafe Cubano

In 1748, Spanish settlers introduced the first coffee plant in Cuba.

However, it took until the 1790s until coffee farming developed into a proper industry. This was actually thanks to French refugees.

During the Haitian Revolution, in which former slaves eventually managed to form an independent state, many French colonists and other parties fled to nearby Cuba.

As a result, a lot of well-established coffee cultivation methods and business structures migrated this way over to Cuba the same time.

Until this day, most cultivated plantations are spread throughout Cuba’s mountainous regions.

Finally, in the mid 19^th century, coffee and its industry grew to match sugar in economic importance.

Especially the local coffee consumption exploded around the same time. Coffee more and more played an important role in many Cuban peoples’ lives.

The today’s Cafe Cubano established itself as the standard form of coffee.

Quickly, drinking it became the coffee norm on the entire island.

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A Trend Was Born

Cuba as such and in size is quite a small nation.

Therefore, its rise as coffee nation to the top was even more astonishing.

By the 1940s, Cuba and its eager farmers already produced enough coffee to export as well. In fact, it became the top global coffee exporter for over a decade.

It reached its record of 60.000 tons of coffee in 1960-61.

However, historians agree that the simultaneous Cuban Revolution of 1959 reversed its further growth progress.

The newly formed nationalized economy rapidly decimated the island’s coffee industry again.

Nonetheless and despite its decline, the Cafe Cubano remained an integral part of Cuban culture.

How to Drink it Right

In its home country, many Cubans are drinking Cafe Cubano multiple times a day.

During breakfast, it is traditionally consumed in small quantities alongside pan tostado. This means no other than typical toasted Cuban bread.

Furthermore, it is equally common to have a Cafe Cubano after lunch and dinner as well.

Often times, you would drink a glass of water before. This will help cleansing your palate. And, you can fully taste the coffee’s unique flavors.

Importantly, the Cafe Cubano is first and foremost a drink from the people for the people.

Therefore, it is not surprising that it is common to drink while socializing with friends and family.

If you would enter any traditional Cuban household. You can actually expect to get a cup offered.

Out of these reasons, the Cafe Cubano enjoys a uniquely special status as a leisurely drink in the Cuban society. It assists you to rest, mingle with people and appreciate life.

Whereas, in many other countries coffee sometimes has a more functional role. In fact, many people consume coffee to help them getting through their busy daily lives.

A Cafe Cubano is rather there to slow down things a bit.

Relax, let’s have a cup and let life start after again.

That’s the ultimate mantra and message of a Cafe Cubano.

How to Make it Right

Traditionally, coffee makers brew a Cafe Cubano in a cafetera moka. It is a basic stove-top espresso maker of Italian origin.

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Now, the first few drops of coffee are especially important for the correct making.

Typically, you are adding them to a cup of demerara sugar. Demerara s a special and local type of raw cane sugar. It usually comes in large grains, has a crunchy texture and pale brown color.

As next step, you are vigorously beating everything until it turns into a light brown mixture. You will end up with a thick espuma, which is the foam.

In contrast, regular and mechanical espresso shots commonly produce the crema that rests on top.

Whereas, the espuma uniquely arises from this very characteristic sugar-espresso mixture during the brewing process.

Eventually and when you completed the brew. Your brew coffee is simply poured onto the sugary mixture.

Quite magically, the espuma will rise to the top of your cup.

Overall, your drink will be much darker and stronger than many other coffees.

Variations of Cafe Cubano

Most coffee shops or restaurants will serve the traditional Cafe Cubano in ceramic demitasse cups.

You can also find them in styro-foam or plastic cups as well. Mostly, walk-up window vendors, called ventanitas, will use them.

In addition, there also exist Cafe Cubano versions in much larger quantities.

Typically, a colada is a combination of 4 to 6 shots in one taller cup, for example. Now, this big cup will certainly be a real ‘eye-opener’. I personally can assure you of that.

Furthermore, many people of course also like to add and top it with steamed milk. The common name for this version would be cortadito. It probably refers to the famous Spanish cortado coffee version.

Furthermore, a café con leche refers to a tall mug containing much more milk than coffee. In other parts of the world, this coffee version is mostly known as café latte or simply latte.

The Modern Cafe Cubano

Not to sound disrespectful in any way. But, the modern Cafe Cubano is something of a shadow version of its pre-revolutionary form.

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As we learned already, the Cuban revolution also indirectly triggered a sharp decline in Cuba’s coffee production.

In addition, the United States enforced an embargo on the island’s nation for many decades. This made trade with most of the largest global economies almost entirely impossible.

Due to the economy’s slow growth in the years following the revolution. The socialist government was forced to cut costs on peoples’ coffee rations within the own country as well.

The regular distribution of pure coffee ceased. People were no longer able to freely buy it.

Instead, citizens could receive a monthly mixture of ground coffee and chicharo. Chicharos are a type of local peas.

Additionally, when yearly coffee harvests were poor. Due to economic restrictions or bad weather catastrophes. Cuba started importing cheap Robusta beans then.

As an unfortunate consequence, the coffee’s former rich flavors diminished. Cuba’s overall coffee quality involuntarily had to take a step back.

Nowadays, the biggest Cuban immigrant communities live in the neighboring United States.

When migrating, also the Cafe Cubano traveled with them. Even after, most of the traditional roasting and brewing processes have remained the same.

In 2011, an American conglomerate purchased two of the oldest and most well-known Cuban coffee brands.

Maybe you heard of either Café Bustelo or Pilon already.

Both coffee companies mostly rely on Arabica beans these days. They import their coffee beans coming from worldwide source markets, rather than Cuban ones.

The modern Cafe Cubano certainly lives on and grows in popularity.

But its ingredients and origin may not just only lie in Cuba anymore.

Cuba and Coffee – The Future of The Original Cafe Cubano

Can the original Cafe Cubano and its homeland survive the test of time?

What kind of future lies ahead for the Cuban coffee industry?

In order to find answers, we need to investigate current but also past circumstances, first.

The Cuban Coffee Farm

As we learned already, Cuban coffee is predominantly grown in its mountainous regions.

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This is actually the case almost anywhere in the world. Good quality coffee prefers certain tropical climates and higher altitudes, in general.

In Cuba, there are three important, main coffee growing regions.

It is the Sierra Maestra mountains in the east and the Pinar del Rio region in the west. And, the Escambray region in the central parts of the islands is significant as well.

Most of the export coffee comes from Sierra Maestra. On the other hand, the Escambray mountains mainly supply the local nation’s market.

If you ever get the chance to explore any of these regions. Please, give it a go. It is simply breathtaking.

But be aware, even if only fours away from Havana, which is Cuba’s capital. The roads to get to the Escambray mountains, for example, are still a real challenge.

The Struggle Continues

Many market researchers would summarize today’s Cuban coffee industry with two terms.

Its main struggles are outdated technology and production techniques.

With the collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s. Cuba rapidly lost 80% of its former export trade market.

Unfortunately, the resulting poverty in many peoples’ lives also had a huge impact on Cuba’s overall agricultural infrastructure.

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Even until this day, the situation has not really improved much.

Most harvesting and processing methods are outdated and inefficient. For example, some coffee farmers dry their coffee cherries on exposed patios.

They then perform the depulping all of coffee cherries on their balconies or verandas as well.

The depulping process is the method of removing the cherry flesh from the inner coffee beans.

It may be beautiful to watch on these patios. But it’s extremely inconsistent in quality and quantity.

Cuba’s Coffee Industry

Eventually, basic farming techniques lead to a lower overall productivity rate.

As an entire industry, you are ending up with high post-harvest losses.

This is also a reason, why Cuba is currently importing 70 to 80% of its domestic food requirements.

Cuba, as a state, owns around 80% of the entire farm land.

It leases most of it to local farmers and cooperatives. The rest is owned by more independent small-scale farmers.

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All farmers must provide almost all of the entire production to the government. As a matter of fact, Cuban coffee mostly remains a state-owned industry.

In addition, the government will also determine all official selling prices. However and since 1994, farmers have also been allowed to sell some surplus directly to the public as well.

Despite this change, the overall profitability is usually not enough for any farmer.

Consequently, it becomes very difficult to further invest any money in possibly better equipment or education.

Quite interestingly though, during the period of the Soviet Union, Cuba received all fertilizers and pesticides from it. After its collapse, the supply chain collapsed.

By default, the Cuban agriculture became more and more organic then.

Challenging Times

The Cuban coffee industry faces several internal and external challenges.

For once, there is the island’s political isolation. One could also argue the same for its geographical location.

Being an island in the middle of the sea can make trading naturally more challenging.

Plus, the coffee plantations are difficult to reach. Most are located in quite remote mountainous areas.

All of this makes efficient coffee logistics of transporting and marketing difficult.

But unfortunately, the coffee industry’s challenges do not end here.

The Carribbean climate is another important factor to mention. People experience very frequent storms and hurricanes in this region.

Heavy rainfall, droughts and even occasional earthquakes further add up to it.

For a nation such as Cuba, there is no real organized damage control in place. Only little money would be accessible for any grand repair expenses.

Therefore, a very badly timed storm can have serious impacts on the entire food industry.

How to Move Forward

How can Cuba regain some of its former success?

Maybe it should not only into the future. But Cuba could also learn from its successful past the same time.

Cuba’s history proves it. The nation has great potential to become a great producing country again. And, coffee can be one of these quality products.

Even the own home market has huge potential for the coffee industry already. Its people love coffee and their Cafe Cubano.

However, the political obstacles unfortunately still remain until this day.

A free market with open demand and supply chains cannot develop. Yet, even smaller government investments could already create huge differences.

For example, the improvement of its inner land infrastructure can be a target point. In addition, all of the local knowledge and its resources can be combined.

A pro-active and equal exchange of ideas would be ideal.

In an act of respectful togetherness, greater things could be achieved again.

The country, its people and their delicious coffee are very much worth the effort.