Calling all Cubanos!

So i've been toying with the idea of making a "Cuban Beer," I'm pretty sure that there aren't any indiginous cuban brews so i've been thinking about throwing some cuban fruits/vegetables into a light hybrid beer. Here are some thoughts, not all are endemic to Cuba though:

• Mamey
• Mamoncillos
• Platanos - Plantains
• Tamatindo - tamarind
• Guayaba - Guava
• Mango
• Limon - Lime

And although this is more of a South American plant, i'd love to make a beer with some yerba mate. It is used in the soda "Materva." This is straight from Wiki:

"The infusion called mate is prepared by steeping dry leaves (and twigs) of yerba mate in hot water, rather than in boiling water like black tea. It is a slightly less potent stimulant than coffee and much gentler on the stomach.

The flavor of brewed yerba mate is strongly vegetal, herbal, and grassy, reminiscent of some varieties of green tea. Many consider the flavor to be very agreeable, but it is generally bitter if steeped in boiling water, so it is made using hot but not boiling water. Unlike most teas, it does not become bitter and astringent when steeped for extended periods, and the leaves may be infused several times."

Any ideas would be great!

Dave

 

Well, evidently most of the idigenous cuban beers are, like in the rest of the world, lagers. And from my reading they evidently suck.

Here's an example of the suckiness...
http://www.cubamania.com/cuba/archive/index.php/t-13365.html

Evidently a lot of them nowadays are also joint ventures with inbev...

So whatever you make, couldn't be any worse

Seriously though, plantains would be interesting to try. THere's a couple of threads on here about doing African Beers, brewed with Banana's and Sourghum I believe.

Here's one of the Cuban Brewerie's website...
http://www.cervezacristal.com/ourBeer.html

I will say the best part of the website is this pic;

 

I concur! It's nice to know that they got their advertizing set . I actually got off the phone with my abuela and she mentioned that in Cuba they would make Garapiña, which is a pineapple stripped of most of its meat, mixed with sugar and water to be left to ferment in a jar . This is starting to sound like a "LandHoney thread" in the making.

 

You are right I believe, Rum is king in Cuba. Plantains, Yuca and Name are some of the abundant crops there all of which would certainly furbish you some starch for conversion I believe. You could let the Plantains become ripe (Maduro) and add some Guanabana in there No clue how it would taste though. You should be able to get all of those ingredients really cheap in FL.

 

They make a similar beverage in Puerto Rico, iirc.

 

True, i know half of the ingredients i listed i can buy right off of calle ocho

 

While not Cuban styles, my Cuban friends enjoyed my guava wheat and the Mango in my recipe pulldown

And I get them right off the trees

 

It looks tasty and tropical :rockin:

 

or how about a cafe cubano/cafecito inspired stout?

 

Ham and Pork Beer.

(a semi inside joke)

 

I def. know that i can do that. Cuban coffee is STRRRRRONG so i'd have to put a miniscule amount like an ounce or two

Carne de Puerko . Go on...

 

Somebody's about to get pork roll'd!

 

Why did i ask . Yuri, you shouldn't market yourself like that on the internet .

 

Few ideas for the cuban brew.

1. Yerba Buena (mint like herb used in the mojitos)

2. ginger

3. guanabana

GOOD LUCK.

 

That would be better if the bacon was cooked.

mmmmmm, bacon.

 

Although not really related, SWMBO and I held a party last year featuring cuban food and I wished that I had cuban-themed beer to go along with it. Instead of trying to make clones of beer that is brewed in Cuba, I was more thinking about inflecting traditional styles with slight "Cuban" twists. For example, steeping fancy tobacco and adding it to a stout. Or something involving pronounced rum flavors, either through piloncillo or light molasses or both.

Of course I never got around to trying any of this.

 

Sounds interesting. Thanks for the ideas

 

Need to revive this!

I am cuban in Boston (grew up in PR) and Im currently making an ale with Hierba Buena and will add some Guava...lets see how ti comes out. I def wanna start using more Hierba buena, as I have a ton in my apartment. And thats the best smelling mint there is.