Cuba Libre

Cuba libre, a very cuban drink.

Cuba is famous for many of its treasures. From the climate itself, the beauty of the landscape, the beaches, the sun, the warmth of its people, its tobacco and its rum.
But the nation is also put on the world stage by a drink whose preparation and tasting has reached other continents. I am referring to Cuba libre, a cocktail that identifies the island anywhere in the world.
Mixing Cuban rum with cola, lemon juice, and ice, the drink doesn’t appear to have a precise date of birth, although there are several assumptions.
As everything in this world, it has its history and curiosities. We invite you to get to know it and when you visit Cuba you ask for it in any of the bars or hotels, it is a simple recipe that every bartender knows and can to prepare.

How did Cuba Libre come about?

There are many stories that are woven around the Cuba libre, a very popular and preferred cocktail among Cubans and foreigners. Although the stories differ on some points, almost all agree on the fact that it happened more than a hundred years ago when the North American intervention and the Neo republic.
The first refers to the opening of a bar called The American Bar located on Calle Neptuno, between Consulado and Prado, in Havana. It was a place opened by two Americans and exclusively for US soldiers and civilians who worked in government offices in Cuba.
They say that one afternoon, in August 1900, a captain with the surname Russell ordered a drink whose mix was Ron Bacardi and Cola. Unusual for what they were used to, it caught the attention of the soldiers who at that hour were sharing drinks in the bar.
They asked the bartender for a round for everyone and they loved it. When toasting, a soldier proposed to do so with the battle cry that had inspired Cubans during the war of their independence: For Free Cuba.
Other stories say that it was not in a bar but in full celebration after defeating the Spanish troops and some say that its roots are in the bush with the drinks called agua mona, frucanga, ponche mambí or sambumbia.
The truth is that with more than a hundred years of life it is very popular and preferred worldwide and very easy to prepare.

How do you prepare?

The preparation is very simple because you only have to mix cola with rum and a little lemon juice. The most basic recipe is to put several ice cubes in a glass, add 1 ½ ounces of light white rum and finish filling the glass with cola.
Finally, add a few drops of lime, preferably, although in the absence of this you can use the lemon and garnish with a slice of the same citrus. To prepare it you can also use any of the aged rums, but the correct thing is to use a light White rum.
The rules of the cocktail bar say that it must be served in a tube glass, but the custom of serving it in narrow and low glasses has already spread.

A famous and well-known drink.

The drink gradually became famous and became known in other countries, for example in 1940 the American female trio The Andrew Sisters, popularized the song “Rum and Coca Cola”, which honors the consumption of the drink to enjoy moments of relaxation.
It is known by many names around the world. In Argentina it is known as Cuba Libre, in Chile, in addition to its original name it is called roncola and in Mexico it is called Cuba.
In Spain it is known as Cuba Libre although some call it cubata. And curious is the fact that a drink was also created there, the España Libre, which uses brandy instead of rum.

Free Cuba all over the world.

Free Cuba began as a battle cry, then as a drink and then as a musical group, cafes, restaurants and other places, we invite you to meet them.

Qva Libre, a musical group.

Popular Cuban musical group emerged in the year 2000 that promotes the fusion of various rhythms such as funk, pop, song and hip hop. They carry the name Qva free and they dress and display an image that is especially pleasing to youth: bright yellow in their large colorful hats, sunglasses and other accessories identify them.
They have fixed spaces in various places in Havana where they appear and let us enjoy topics such as When you say you love me, For being with you, Women, You are Reason and among many others.
They have collaborated with renowned artists on the world stage, including Decemer Bueno, El Chacal, Olga Tañón and Yomil and El Dany.

Cuba Libre Restaurants.

A chain of Restaurants in several cities in the United States also carry the name of Cuba Libre. There, traditional Cuban food, varied offerings and a setting with Latin music are served.
They are located in Philadelphia, Washington, Orlando and Atlantc City. They have full hours on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, you can book in advance to guarantee a table because they are very busy places.

Cuba Libre Bar.

The name Cuba libre identifies some bars in the world. One of them is located in Saint Petersburg and the other in Mexico City. Cuban food and other regions such as traditional food from Mexico and the United States are served in Saint Petersburg. Open every day until late at night, you can book for breakfast, lunch or dinner. There is free Wifi service and you can pay with cash or credit cards, they accept MasterCard and Visa.
In the Cuba Libre Bar in Mexico City, there is a cozy and perfect outdoor space to enjoy the show with the performance of live bands with varied music in English and Spanish.

Cuba Libre Nice Latin Bar in France.

It is a Theater that is located in the Maritime Alps where courses of salsa, bachata, zumba, ballroom and classical dance, hip hop, oriental dance and more are taught.
Cuba Libre Cafeteria in Trinidad
A cafeteria is also named Free Cuba. It is located in Cuba, in the city of Trinidad. There you can enjoy excellent gourmet coffee and other drinks. It is located at Calle Cristo, Trinidad 62600.

Cuba Libre Beach & Bar in Macedonia.

Macedonia is a country located in the southeast of Europe, there is another one of the bars called Cuba libre. It is located near the beach, with a musical atmosphere, while they provide food and drink.

Cuba Libre Dance Club Argentina.

In Argentina there is a Dance Club called Cuba libre. There you will feel like on the Caribbean island because the decoration resembles the Cuban landscape. You can enjoy good music and drink the Cuban cocktail, as the recipe indicates.

Cuba Libre Club Poznan in Poland.

It is a very popular club, with two dance floors, one for Latin music and one for megahits. It includes a smoking-only room and they teach in another room, twice a week for free.

A respectfull drink.

The Cuba Libre cocktail is as recognized as the Mojito and the Daiquirí, that’s why it was also the protagonist of an event where the largest free Cuba in the world was prepared.
It happened at the XXII Pan American Cocktail Championship, where a group of Cuban bartenders made a gigantic 540-liter cocktail, mixed in a huge glass located in the lobby of the central Hotel Habana Libre, headquarters of the regional fight.
The cocktail, which required 144 bottles of Havana Club rum. To prepare it took about 30 minutes and bartenders from Spain, the United States, the Dominican Republic and Uruguay intervened, among other representatives from 16 countries.
When visiting Cuba, be sure to try one of the most authentic drinks on the island, a symbol of the nation.