Cuba November 2025!

[Ryan]

Thanks Ryan, that was a really interesting read and you make it sound like Cuba is still well worth visiting.

There's a fine line in Cuba. Stay away from the tourist traps, generally terrible food, scams and just bad. There are some exceptions to that rule.
Also, don't think you can go and live on $5 a day for food. You can, there is 50c pizza to be had but you'll get sick, and you'll be scammed.
But you can find out where the ex-pats go and where some Cubans with money go. Then you can have a great time on $40 for two good meals a day and, honestly, $30 in a nightclub will go a long way.
One of my last pictures, that's a bottle of 11 year old Santiago rum, bucket of ice (I've never had a problem with the ice there, some have) , six colas (we like our Cubatas) , some beers and the VIP table (because we bought a bottle) for 13,000 pesos. Add another 10,000 pesos or so for tips. And that was four of us drinking for 2 hours with live music at a VIP table for less than 50 euros. The bottle of Santiago 11 alone in a cigar shop is $48. Tipping goes a long way in Cuba, especially in a place that you might revisit, staff remember and spread the word among themselves.
Instagram is a good start for what's new in Havana.
And bring mosquito repellant!
A good example of tipping. I was at the opening Partagas event, Simon was there too but at an "early-bird" table! I was down the back with a Dutch retailer who found chairs at his table for me and my American friend.
All drinks were included in the ticket price but there weren't enough servers to manage. They were good enough, just not enough of them. Tables were going thirsty. I went to the bar, got four rums, I think Cubay 10 year old, and for €5 took the bottle with me. Another €5 to a waiter brought 8 beers to our table every 20 minutes. People forget to tip when there are free bars so servers remember tipping. €10 meant the table of 8 of us didn't have to get out of our chairs or wonder where the next drink was coming from for the night. I'm not "special" and it's not rocket-science, just experience.

[liles]

Really excellent write up from both. Loved the pictures too.

I'm surprised Ryan about your comment on natural processed coffee being under appreciated by the market. I'm a bit fan of new wave speciality coffee and as a result have enjoyed a lot of light/medium roast naturals and love the fruity and funky aspect you get. I know the majority of "coffee" drinkers expect cheap over-roasted blends, but I expect that market isn't your intended audience

[Ryan]

Really excellent write up from both. Loved the pictures too.

I'm surprised Ryan about your comment on natural processed coffee being under appreciated by the market. I'm a bit fan of new wave speciality coffee and as a result have enjoyed a lot of light/medium roast naturals and love the fruity and funky aspect you get. I know the majority of "coffee" drinkers expect cheap over-roasted blends, but I expect that market isn't your intended audience

I agree with you. But there is a segment of the market that knows that beans that go through the washed process have to ripen longer on the plant than the beans going through the natural process. In my pictures earlier you'll see almost all deep red beans going into the washing / depulper. While the beans drying on the concrete pad are more green. Washed process beans are also more labour intensive as each plant has to be visited multiple times to collect the beans as they ripen to deep red. Thus more expensive to harvest, For many, more expensive = better.
I will be doing naturally processed coffee too. There are very few washing systems in Pinar del Rio, natural is much easier there.
But starting with washed-process, single origin Pinar del Rio. Then single-estate, then micro-lot. And I have just the micro-lot. One hectare where the coffee plants get even more shade than normal and take weeks longer to ripen the fruit, adding to the complexity of the coffee. It's not just marketing!
I have my roasting programme set after much experimentation. The beans will be medium dark, nowhere near 2nd crack. This will bring out the sweetness while keeping some acidity and preserve the terroir. I know that sounds pretentious. But roasted right and this coffee brings me back to Pinar del Rio every time. I think it's quite a good coffee. It has always scored in the specialty range with the (5) Q-graders in this country.

[mcdee]

Would love to have a chance to sample your coffee at some point.

[moteyi]

Thank you Ryan and Simon for taking the time to chronical your exploits - with photos an added bonus. Fascinating and very much appreciated.

Sent from my SM-S921B using Tapatalk

[Ryan]

Waiting on finalising a UK distributor. There's some interest but I have a Plan A and a Plan B.
I'll see what I can do to get samples to some forum members early in the New Year.
I think it's arriving tomorrow. Fingers crossed!

[liles]

I'd love a taste too!

Are you aiming for a filter or espresso style bean?

[Ryan]

I'd love a taste too!

Are you aiming for a filter or espresso style bean?

The roasting profile is for professional espresso machines. As my intended market is cigar lounges.
But adjust the grind and the beans will work in anything. I have it in Pinar del Rio strained through a pair of tights!
Other than the tights, I haven't tried it through a regular drip filter but, French press, aeropress, it performs well. Bialetti style Moka pots work very well and give the coffee a good crema.
I found a guy near me who is working with compostable nespresso pods. I will do a roast for that too, that will have to be darker as there is less coffee in those pods. Some lounges still have Nespresso machines and it's another product for a market.

[ha_banos]

The roasting profile is for professional espresso machines. As my intended market is cigar lounges.
But adjust the grind and the beans will work in anything. I have it in Pinar del Rio strained through a pair of tights!
Other than the tights, I haven't tried it through a regular drip filter but, French press, aeropress, it performs well. Bialetti style Moka pots work very well and give the coffee a good crema.
I found a guy near me who is working with compostable nespresso pods. I will do a roast for that too, that will have to be darker as there is less coffee in those pods. Some lounges still have Nespresso machines and it's another product for a market.

Moka pot! Music to my ears