Cocktail: Traditional Cuba Libre
Traditional Cuba Libre
Equipment
- Glass
- Jigger
- Lemon Squeezer
- Muddler
Ingredients
- 1 oz Gold Rum (30ml)
- 4 oz Cola (120ml)
- ½ Lime Wedge
- 2 dashes Angostura Bitters (optional)
Instructions
- In an empty Collins glass, squeeze half a lime.
- Drop the spent lime into the glass and use a muddler to mash the shell. Give the rind two or three good turns with the muddler.
- Add the ice.
- Add the rum.
- Top off the drink with cola.
- Add 2 dashes of Angostura Bitters.
Notes
Cuba Libre: Where it all started
Unlike the White and Black Russians (neither of which have anything to do Russia), the Cuba Libre was born on the island it’s named after.
As the legend goes, it was created in 1898 during, or just after, the Spanish-American war. The war was quite short, lasting only less than a year. Most pin the drink’s creation to just after the US vanquished the Spanish from the island. Most every story claims it was a group of American soldiers that first mixed up the cocktail, with some stories alleging that it was a group of Teddy Roosevelt’s Rough Riders who created the drink in the American Bar in Havana.
After mixing the rum, cola, and lime they toasted ‘por Cuba libre’ (for a free Cuba). Being that Cuba had just become and independent and sovereign country for the first time, it’s easy to imagine that everyone would have been shouting and singing ‘Cuba libre’ from every street corner and inside bar. Clearly the name stuck.
Cuba Libre: More than just rum & coke
Is a Cuba Libre just a fancy rum and coke?
Well, yes and no.
Making an authentic Cuba Libre requires the addition of lime. The acidity of the lime helps break up the sweetness of the coke, giving some much needed sour notes to the drink. Muddling the lime’s ride will help release the oils that locked, improving the taste and smell of the drink.
Bitters
You’ll also note that I’ve added Angostura Bitters to this recipe. The bitters are not at all traditional, but they help add some complexity to the taste. If you’ve invested in a bottle for your home bar, it’s a great chance to use them.
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If you’re going to order something internationally, Master of Malt has better prices.
Coke
In regards to the cola, purist will insist that Coca-Cola be used in their Cuba Libre. American Coke has been changed so many time that it’s a shell of its former cocaine laced 1898 self. Perhaps Mexican Coke, made with real sugarcane, comes closer to the real thing than the American version.
According to all the research I’ve done, Japanese Coke is suppose to still be made with real sugar, however after a quick look at a bottle I can confirm that is not true. Sadly, Japanese Coke is contains high fructose corn syrup (果糖ぶどう糖液糖). I don’t think it worth the time and effort to source from another country if you’re in Japan, so just pick up the what you can find in the supermarket.
Will a Pepsi work? The flavor will be slightly different, but it will still essentially be the same. If you prefer one over the other, go for it. I’m not willing to die on the hill for sugar water.
Rum
Finally, we have the star of the show; the rum. Don’t just go reaching for whatever rum is in front of you. A diehard will insist that a Cuban rum be used. So, a Cuba Libre should ideally be made with Bacardí Gold Rum. I have a particularly hard time finding Bacardí Gold Rum in Japan, and it’s not worth the import prices. I can however find añejo rums (añejo is Spanish for aged). Gold rums are aged, but some añejo rums might be classified as dark rums. Without going too deep down the rabbit hole, any gold rum or añejo rum should do work just fine.
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