Cuba | Turquino Crystal Mountain Island Coffee Typica Variety Flavor?

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Cuba | Turquino Crystal Mountain Island-Style Coffee Typica Variety Flavor | ETL, TL, AL Grade Classification?

Cuba, located in the Caribbean Sea, is an island nation under communist rule, with its capital being 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 annually exported over 20,000 metric tons (22,046 short tons) of coffee beans, all sold at high prices, with most coffee exported to Europe, particularly the Netherlands and Germany. In the late 19th century, factors such as government policies and international political turmoil caused the local coffee prices to plummet, leading farmers to switch to cultivating other crops.

Where is Crystal Mountain?

"Crystal Mountain" is not actually a coffee-growing region name in Cuba; rather, "Crystal Mountain" is the highest grade in Cuba's official coffee association grading system! The Cuban Coffee Association grades coffee beans into nine levels based on particle 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. Despite this, coffee production remains lower than in previous years. Crystal Mountain production is extremely scarce, and the coastal areas are occasionally 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 opportunities to obtain high-quality Cuban coffee quite rare.

Cuba's coffee growing areas are divided into three main regions, where coffee is cultivated on mountain slopes and canyons at altitudes of 1000-2000 meters. The eastern region, including Santiago de Cuba and Granma, accounts for up to 70% of the national total. The central region, including Villa Clara and Sancti Spiritus, represents 20%, while the western region of Pinar del Rio comprises 10%. These areas provide a quite comfortable growing environment for coffee beans, with average winter temperatures of 21°C and summer temperatures of 25°C, moderate rainfall, evenly distributed humidity throughout the year, and deep, fertile soil. All planted varieties are Arabica, primarily Typica. In 2000, UNESCO designated the coffee-producing regions of Santiago and Guantanamo as World Heritage Sites.

Cuba's best coffee is Turquino or Extra Turquino. Turquino is a coffee grade rather than a geographical name, just like Blue Mountain coffee. This coffee features pure flavor and medium-sized beans. Because it is grown at lower altitudes, its acidity is lower than many coffees grown in Central America.

The grade classification is based on coffee bean size, divided into ETL (Extra), TL (Medium), and AL (Regular). Cuban coffee beans have a rich texture and possess a strong smoky flavor, making them most suitable for blending.

Cuban Crystal Mountain coffee is a typical island-style bean, with a clean taste, delicate flavor, and mild but stimulating acidity that brings out a special sweet flavor, making it very charming.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommends Brewing:

Dripper: Hario V60

Water Temperature: 90°C

Grind Size: Fuji Royal grinder setting 3.5

Brewing Method: Water-to-coffee ratio 1:15, 15g coffee grounds. First pour 25g water for 25s bloom. Second pour to 120g water, then pause. Wait until the water level in the coffee bed drops to half before continuing to pour. Slowly pour until reaching 225g total water, with extraction time around 2:00.

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

Important Notice :

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