Cuba's Blue Mountain | Crystal Mountain Cubita Coffee | Brewing Recommendations for Natural and Washed Processing?

Cuba's Blue Mountain: Crystal Mountain Cubita Coffee & Brewing Recommendations

In Cuba, coffee cultivation is managed by the state. Cuba's finest coffee growing region is located in the central mountain range. Because this area produces precious minerals such as quartz and crystals in addition to coffee cultivation, it is also known as Crystal Mountain. Crystal Mountain is geographically adjacent to Jamaica's Blue Mountains, has similar climatic conditions, and its flavor profile resembles Blue Mountain coffee, making it comparable to Jamaican Blue Mountain. Therefore, Cuba's Crystal Mountain has become a point of comparison with Jamaican Blue Mountain, earning it the nickname "Cuba's Blue Mountain."

The representative coffee of Cuba's Crystal Mountain is Cubita (Chinese name: 琥爵咖啡). It holds a high reputation in the coffee industry, with Cuba's Crystal Mountain coffee ranking among the top in the world. Cubita adheres to the principle of perfect coffee, producing only single-origin coffee. Coffee beans are harvested by hand, and washed processing is used to ensure coffee quality. Cubita is like an elegant princess, possessing noble, gentle, and graceful characteristics. It offers excellent balance, with bitterness and acidity perfectly harmonized. When tasting, it provides a delicate, smooth, refreshing, and elegant sensation. Currently, Crystal Mountain Cubita coffee is synonymous with premium Cuban coffee. Cubita has become the designated coffee of the Cuban Embassy and is known as "unique Caribbean flavored coffee" and "special coffee beans among island coffee beans."

In 1748, coffee was introduced to Cuba from the Dominican Republic, and Cuba began coffee cultivation from then on. Cuba's region features fertile soil, humid climate, and abundant rainfall, making it a natural treasure for coffee cultivation. Suitable natural conditions provide a favorable environment for coffee tree growth, allowing coffee to thrive and develop here. In Cuba, coffee cultivation is managed by the state. Cuba's finest coffee growing region is located in the central mountain range. Because this area produces precious minerals such as quartz and crystals in addition to coffee cultivation, it is also known as Crystal Mountain. Currently, Crystal Mountain coffee is synonymous with premium Cuban coffee.

In Cuba, coffee bean harvesting is predominantly done by hand. During the maturity period of coffee beans, harvesting occurs approximately every half month. All Cubita coffee beans are harvested by hand, using the washed processing method to maximumly eliminate defective beans and other impurities. During or after harvesting, people sort the coffee beans, removing unripe and bad beans to ensure coffee quality. Cubans typically use two methods to process coffee beans - natural (sun-dried) processing and washed processing. The natural method is the simplest, cheapest, and most traditional coffee processing method, allowing coffee cherries to dry in the sun without fermentation. The typical drying time is about four weeks. The washed processing method allows more fruit fragrance to enter the coffee beans, thus adding a rustic fruit aroma to the coffee. Cubita coffee's raw beans are selected from pollution-free Crystal Mountain coffee beans from Cuba's high-altitude regions. All coffee beans are strictly selected according to screen sizes 17-19, resulting in large-sized, high-maturity coffee beans.

Cuba resembles a crocodile crouching in the Caribbean Sea, with its tail just brushing the Tropic of Cancer. Cubans have always been known for their passion and exuberance, yet they are also sincere and stubborn. The coffee they produce reflects these characteristics - they consistently adhere to Arab standards for washed coffee processing and maintain their unique traditional production methods.

FrontStreet Coffee's Recommended Brewing:

Dripper: Hario V60

Water Temperature: 90°C

Grind Size: Fuji Royal grinder setting 3.5

Brewing Method: 1:15 coffee-to-water ratio, 15g coffee grounds. First pour with 25g water for 25s bloom. Second pour to 120g, then pause. Wait until the water level drops halfway, then slowly pour until reaching 225g. Extraction time approximately 2:00.

Analysis: Using a three-stage brewing method to highlight the front, middle, and back-end flavors of the coffee. Because the V60 has many ribs and drains quickly, pausing during pouring helps extend the extraction time.

Flavor: Nut and toast aromas, apricot, caramel, sugarcane sweetness, maple syrup sweetness, full body, cocoa, and chocolate aftertaste.

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473