What are the coffee regions in Cuba? What does Cuban Cristal Mountain coffee taste like? How to brew Cuban coffee

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Cuba's Coffee Regions and Crystal Mountain Coffee

What are Cuba's coffee regions? What does Cuban Crystal Mountain coffee taste like? How should Cuban coffee be brewed?

Cuba, located in the Caribbean Sea, is an island nation under communist rule with its capital in Havana. Besides its world-renowned white beaches and cigar tobacco, Cuba also produces excellent coffee. Cuba has a considerable history of coffee cultivation, with José Antonio Gelabert introducing the first coffee plantation to Cuba in 1748. In 1791, during the Haitian Revolution when slavery was abolished, French colonists fled to Cuba, bringing better coffee production methods with them. Before the Castro era, Cuba's coffee industry flourished, with coffee beans once ranking first in national exports, even surpassing the essential commodity "sugar." In the mid-1950s, Cuba exported over 20,000 metric tons (22,046 short tons) of coffee beans annually, all sold at high prices, with most exports going to Europe, particularly the Netherlands and Germany. In the late 19th century, factors such as government policies and international political turmoil caused local coffee prices to plummet, leading farmers to switch to cultivating other crops.

Where is Crystal Mountain?

"Crystal Mountain" is not actually a coffee region name in Cuba; rather, "Crystal Mountain" is the highest grade in the Cuban Official Coffee Association's grading system! The Cuban Coffee Association grades coffee beans into nine levels based on grain size and flavor, with the highest being Crystal Mountain, Extra Turquino, Turquino, Altura, Montana, Cumbre, Serrano Superior, Serrano Corriente, and Caracolillo.

Currently, most coffee plantations in Cuba are state-owned. However, in 1990, the government released some land for original coffee farmers to cultivate, but current coffee production still doesn't match previous years. Crystal Mountain production is extremely scarce, and coastal areas are frequently hit by hurricanes, causing supply shortages. Cuban coffee is mainly sold to Japan and France, with Japan almost monopolizing the highest quality Crystal Mountain, making it difficult to obtain high-quality Cuban coffee.

Cuba's coffee growing areas are divided into three main regions, all cultivated on mountain slopes and canyons at elevations of 1,000-2,000 meters. The eastern region, including Santiago de Cuba and Granma, accounts for 70% of national production. The central region, including Villa Clara and Sancti Spíritus, makes up 20%, while the western region of Pinar del Río accounts for 10%. These areas provide an ideal growing environment for coffee beans, with average temperatures of 21°C in winter and 25°C in summer, moderate rainfall, evenly distributed humidity throughout the year, and deep, fertile soil. All planted varieties are Arabica, primarily Typica. In 2000, UNESCO designated the Santiago and Guantanamo coffee regions as World Heritage Sites.

Cuban Crystal Mountain Coffee Profile

Cuban Crystal Mountain coffee is a typical island bean with a clean mouthfeel and delicate flavor. It has a subtle acidity that isn't harsh, bringing out a special sweet flavor that is very charming.

Cuba is both familiar and distant - familiar because Cuban baseball teams often win world championships at various levels, distant because Cuba lies on the other side of the Earth in the scenic Caribbean Sea. Like other Cuban industries, coffee is under state production management. Cuba's best coffee production region is the Central Mountain Range (Escambray), which, besides coffee, also produces valuable minerals like quartz and crystal, hence the name Crystal Mountain. Cuban Crystal Mountain coffee production is very limited and almost monopolized by Japan's Meiwa and France's Café Legal coffee companies. Cuban Crystal Mountain coffee is a typical island bean with a clean and delicate mouthfeel, subtle acidity that isn't strong but persistent, and a finish with sweet melon and fruit aromas.

Cuban "Little Crystal" coffee beans have a more yellowish color and are slightly smaller than other Caribbean coffee beans. They are naturally washed and then sun-dried, resulting in few defective or hollow beans with high moisture content consistency.

Roasting Profiles

Light Roast - City (Aromatic)

When brewing, the coffee grounds and hot water produce a strong honey-like sweetness. The mouthfeel is smooth with a hint of minty freshness. The wheat aroma doesn't create an uncomfortable (astringent) sensation when sipped. The aftertaste leaves a refreshing feeling in the center of the tongue, like mint gum passing through. This is a good coffee with acidity that lacks sharpness.

Medium-Dark Roast

Due to the slightly lower moisture content (between Brazilian and East African beans), the beans are softer, creating a very smooth and gentle lactone flavor in darker roasts.

Dark Roast (General C)

The pure sweetness of wheat, with the sweet and fruity acidity of blueberry jam discovered in subtle notes, though it might be masked by the strong brown sugar water-like aroma. The aftertaste is a very persistent melon and fruit sweetness that spreads in your mouth.

Brewing Recommendations

Recommended Brewing Methods: Syphon, Pour-over

Grind Size: 4 (Japan's small Fuji R440)

V60 dripper, 15g of coffee, water temperature 88-90°C, grind size 4, water-to-coffee ratio close to 1:14-15

30ml water for bloom, bloom time 30s

Stages: Pour water to 120ml, pause, then slowly pour to 225ml

That is: 30-120-225g

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