Any Cuban coffee fans?

[Lexxxus]

I've been travelling to Cu for about 6 years now and I used to only bring back the stogies and the rum. Last trip I brought back Cubita coffee and loved it. Sorry I did not do it sooner.

Any other Cu brands people can recommend?

Is Cu coffee as tought to get in the US as cigars? Any demand for it in the US? I'm guessing it's not as hot a ticket as the cigars.

[PaleRider]

Sounds delightful. I've not had the opportunity to enjoy the pleasures of Cuban coffee. Being a total Coffee whore though. I'll have to get it on my radar! Thanks for the suggestion.!

[Kayak_Rat]

It is a good coffee. IMO it is not good enough to mess with "special import procedures". I much prefer African or Ethiopian. It is a unique coffee in and of itself and if making an order, it is worth throwing in just to try.

Do you drink it black or in Cuban fashion(light milk, sugar cane, etc)?

[uptown_cigar]

I would say it isn't really worth bringing back with you. A traditional "cuban" coffee, refers to the style. IMO, you can make a better Cuban coffee, aka cafecito, with Bustelo or Pilon, which all come out of Miami. Most Cubans will tell you that this stuff is better than what they had in Cuba. Just my $0.02 and I'm a HUGE Cuban coffee fan.

[Blueface]

It is the stuff that champions are made of.
Been having my morning Cuban coffee, along with any other time of the day I can for years.
While I do like Cubita and some of the other brands from Cuba, you will do much, much, much better with something like Pilon Gourmet.
That or Bustelo Gourmet, and if not the Gourmet, get the regular line out of any of the two.
That is what we Cubans primarily use in the states and they rock.
It is what you will find in Miami or any Cuban household in the US.

[pcozad1]

I am a bustello man.

[GoinFerSmoke]

Bustello!

[mosesbotbol]

I like Cubita as well. There's another popular brand in a brownish bag, not as powerful as Cubita but also nice.... Man, the name escapes me right now.

Cuban preference for espresso beans is much different than in Italy or USA. I don't think I could "live" off of Cubita, but a few times a getting one is welcome.

[magste]

When I was in Cuba about 10 years ago I remember us bringing home some really nice aromatic dark roasted coffee in a black bag. I think it had a picture of the island printd on it. Would that have been Cubita?

[the nub]

Originally Posted by mosesbotbol

I like Cubita as well. There's another popular brand in a brownish bag, not as powerful as Cubita but also nice.... Man, the name escapes me right now.

Cuban preference for espresso beans is much different than in Italy or USA. I don't think I could "live" off of Cubita, but a few times a getting one is welcome.

Your probably thinking of Serrano. I like it much better than Cubita. Turquino is also another Cuban brand that is sold down there.

[MindRiot]

Pilon is the way to go.

[Mister Moo]

I think there are better regional coffees, to my taste at least, than Cuban grown.

• There is certainly the the rare, more often than not imaginary*, Jamaican Blue Mountain;
• followed by the quality-variable, less rare Puerto Rican Yauco Selecto AA (absolutely stellar in a good season if you can find it - all honey and butter. When it's "on" it makes the only single-origin espresso I know which is... I dunno... landmark.)
• followed by the best from Costa Rica, Guatamala, Panama and, sometimes Nicaragua;
• or good crops from Central America in general.
• Brazil isn't exactly the region, but... man, there is restriction-free great coffee at modest prices from that neighborhood, too.

Someone who can shop very selectively/seasonally may have a very different perspective.

*JBM is the ultimate mystery to me. I've only had one sample, ever, thaqt was remotely "special" and it came from an unimpeachable source. All those bags that show up on the internet, in grocery store, in Target, in Sam's Club... wth? There aren't enough tons of certifed JBM to fill but a couple of containers a year - and that has to service the entireworld demand. C'mon. When I see JBM on a bag I am thinking "glass-topped Cohiba."

[n2advnture]

Love it!

Although I prefer Turquino and Serrano over Cubito

[SmoknTaz]

I've only had the Serrano and Cubito. I like the Serrano a little more but it still pales compared to Timmys!