Cuba Libre
Encyclopedia
The Cuba Libre (ˈkuβa ˈliβɾe, ˈkjuːbə ˈliːbreɪ, "Free Cuba") is a highball
made of cola
, lime, and white rum
. This highball is often referred to as a Rum and Coke in the United States, Canada
, the UK and Ireland
, where the lime juice is optional.
for Free Cuba
) was invented in Havana
, Cuba
around 1901/1902. Patriots aiding Cuba during the Spanish-American War
—and, later, expatriates avoiding Prohibition
—regularly mixed rum and cola as a highball and a toast to this West Indies island.
However, there are some problems with Bacardi's account, as the Spanish-American war was fought in 1898, Cuba's liberation was in 1898, and the Rough Riders left Cuba in September 1898, but Coca-Cola was not available in Cuba until 1900. According to a 1965 deposition by Fausto Rodriguez, the Cuba Libre was first mixed at a Cuban bar in August 1900 by a member of the U.S. Signal Corps, referred to as "John Doe
".
.
Soon enough, as Charles H. Baker, Jr.
points out in his Gentlemen's Companion of 1934, the Cuba Libre "caught on everywhere throughout the [American] South ... filtered through the North and West," aided by the ample supply of its ingredients. In The American Language, 1921, H.L. Mencken writes of an early variation of the drink: "The troglodytes
of western South Carolina
coined 'jump stiddy' for a mixture of Coca-Cola and denatured alcohol (usually drawn from automobile radiators); connoisseurs reputedly preferred the taste of what had been aged in Model-T Fords."
The drink gained further popularity in the United States after the Andrews Sisters
recorded a song (in 1945) named after the drink's ingredients, "Rum and Coca-Cola
". Cola and rum were both cheap at the time and this also contributed to the widespread popularity of the concoction.
In the American sitcom The Big Bang Theory, the character Sheldon Cooper is known to drink virgin Cuba Libres with the lime wedge included.
The Cuba Pintada ("stained Cuba") is one part rum with two parts club soda and just enough cola so that it tints the club soda. The Cuba Campechana ("straightforward Cuba") contains one part rum topped off with equal parts of club soda and cola. They are both popular refreshments, especially among young people.
A recent variation is the Coppertone which uses Malibu Rum
(rum with a natural coconut extract) and Cherry Coke for the cola component. The resulting drink smells like suntan lotion and the name is an allusion to that.
Other recent variations are the Cuba Light made with rum and Diet Coke
, and the Witch Doctor made with dark rum and Dr. Pepper.
Another variation using Dr. Pepper as the cola component and Jack Daniels
in place of white rum is known as the Dr. Jack.
Another variation of the Cuba Libre is the Cuban Missile Crisis. Compared to a normal Cuba Libre, it uses a higher proof rum, such as Bacardi 151
(75.5%).
A variation of the Cuba Libre popular in the West Indies is a “Hot” Cuba Libre which includes a splash of Caribbean hot sauce
(for example, Capt'n Sleepy's Quintessential Habanero, or Matouk's).
Some people substitute Cream Soda and spiced rum to create a bright gold drink, often referred to as a Midas
.
Another recent variation is the Venezuela Libre, inspired by the increasing cooperation between the governments of Venezuela
and Cuba. It has 1.5 USfloz of Venezuelan White Rum, 1.5 USfloz of Venezuelan Gold Rum, 3 USfloz of lemon mix, 1 lemon wedge and a dash of angostura bitters, and diet cola in place of normal cola.
In Australia
, the more popularly known drink is simply Rum and Coke or "Rumbo", which contains no lime, commonly uses a local dark rum and can be purchased in cans as a ready-to-drink. However, the combination of light rum, brown sugar and cola is commonly ordered at cocktail bars as a Cuba Libre.
In Brazil
, there is another variation, made with "cachaça
" and lemon without peeling.
In Britain
, the drink is most commonly served without the lime juice and ordered simply as a Bacardi and Coke . When the lime juice is included and rubbed around the rim of the glass it can be known as a Lou Bega
, after the popular singer.
In Argentina
, Chile
, and Spain
, Cuba Libre is also called "Ron-Cola" and "Cubata".
In Dominican Republic
, it is the most popular drink to enjoy, poured with a very generous amount of locally produced Dominican Rum (i.e. Brugal, Bermúdez, and so on.) and Coke, topped off with a slice of lime. Domincans often call "cuba libre" "mentirilla" or little lie as a joke, it all started at the end of the cold war.
In Greece Thessaloniki
, there is another variant, that consists of "retsina
" and cola, named "tumba libre". "Tumba" is the name of a neighborhood in Thessaloniki.
In the Netherlands
the drink is commonly called Baco, from the two ingredients of Bacardi
rum and cola.
In Nicaragua
, when it is mixed using Flor de Caña
(the national brand of rum) and cola, it is called a Nica Libre.
In Peru
, a variation called Peru Libre is made with pisco
rather than rum
.
In Poland
, when it is mixed using Burn
and rum, it is called a Poland Libre. This, because Burn is a popular drink to mix in Poland and the drink turns red (the color of Poland).
In Russia
Cuba Libre without the lime juice is called Rock-n-Roll Star, after a popular song that features the recipe. Any distilled spirit could be substituted for a rum in a pinch, but these variations generally do not have any specific names.
In Venezuela
the Cuba Libre Preparado ("Prepared Cuba Libre") includes a dash of gin
and a dash of Angostura bitters
.
Highball
Highball is a type of alcoholic drinkHighball may also refer to:* Highball glass, a drinking vessel* Highball Wilson , professional baseball pitcher* the British Highball bouncing bomb project from World War 2...
made of cola
Cola
Cola is a carbonated beverage that was typically flavored by the kola nut as well as vanilla and other flavorings, however, some colas are now flavored artificially. It became popular worldwide after druggist John Pemberton invented Coca-Cola in 1886...
, lime, and white rum
Light rum
Light rum , is a dry, light-bodied rum, light in color and lightly sweet in flavor. It is produced from sugarcane juice and molasses, and normally has a short aging period....
. This highball is often referred to as a Rum and Coke in the United States, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, the UK and Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, where the lime juice is optional.
History
Accounts of the invention of the Cuba Libre vary. One account claims that the drink (SpanishSpanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
for Free Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
) was invented in Havana
Havana
Havana is the capital city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of — making it the largest city in the Caribbean region, and the most populous...
, Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
around 1901/1902. Patriots aiding Cuba during the Spanish-American War
Spanish-American War
The Spanish–American War was a conflict in 1898 between Spain and the United States, effectively the result of American intervention in the ongoing Cuban War of Independence...
—and, later, expatriates avoiding Prohibition
Prohibition
Prohibition of alcohol, often referred to simply as prohibition, is the practice of prohibiting the manufacture, transportation, import, export, sale, and consumption of alcohol and alcoholic beverages. The term can also apply to the periods in the histories of the countries during which the...
—regularly mixed rum and cola as a highball and a toast to this West Indies island.
- According to BacardiBacardiBacardi is a family-controlled spirits company, best known as a producer of rums, including Bacardi Superior and Bacardi 151. The company sells in excess of 200 million bottles per year in nearly 100 countries...
:
The world's second most popular drink was born in a collision between the United States and SpainSpainSpain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. It happened during the Spanish-American War at the turn of the century when Teddy RooseveltTheodore RooseveltTheodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...
, the Rough RidersRough RidersThe Rough Riders is the name bestowed on the 1st United States Volunteer Cavalry, one of three such regiments raised in 1898 for the Spanish-American War and the only one of the three to see action. The United States Army was weakened and left with little manpower after the American Civil War...
, and AmericansUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in large numbers arrived in Cuba. One afternoon, a group of off-duty soldiers from the U.S. Signal Corps were gathered in a bar in Old Havana. Fausto Rodriguez, a young messenger, later recalled that Captain Russell came in and ordered Bacardi (Gold) rum and Coca-Cola on ice with a wedge of lime. The captain drank the concoction with such pleasure that it sparked the interest of the soldiers around him. They had the bartender prepare a round of the captain's drink for them. The Bacardi rum and Coke was an instant hit. As it does to this day, the drink united the crowd in a spirit of fun and good fellowship. When they ordered another round, one soldier suggested that they toast ¡Por Cuba Libre! in celebration of the newly freed Cuba. The captain raised his glass and sang out the battle cry that had inspired Cuba's victorious soldiers in the War of Independence.
However, there are some problems with Bacardi's account, as the Spanish-American war was fought in 1898, Cuba's liberation was in 1898, and the Rough Riders left Cuba in September 1898, but Coca-Cola was not available in Cuba until 1900. According to a 1965 deposition by Fausto Rodriguez, the Cuba Libre was first mixed at a Cuban bar in August 1900 by a member of the U.S. Signal Corps, referred to as "John Doe
John Doe
The name "John Doe" is used as a placeholder name in a legal action, case or discussion for a male party, whose true identity is unknown or must be withheld for legal reasons. The name is also used to refer to a male corpse or hospital patient whose identity is unknown...
".
- According to Havana ClubHavana ClubHavana Club is a brand of rum, made in Santa Cruz del Norte, Cuba. The brand was established by José Arechabala in 1878. After the Cuban Revolution of 1959, the distillery and company was nationalized by the Cuban government; subsequently, the Arechabala family left for Spain, then emigrated to the...
:
Along with the MojitoMojitoMojito is a traditional Cuban highball.Traditionally, a Mojito is not very strong and made of five ingredients: white rum, sugar , lime juice, sparkling water and mint. The original Cuban recipe uses spearmint or yerba buena, a mint variety very popular on the island...
and the DaiquiriDaiquiriDaiquiri is a family of cocktails whose main ingredients are rum, lime juice, and sugar or other sweetener. There are several versions, but those that gained international fame are the ones made in the El Floridita bar in Havana, Cuba....
, the Cuba Libre shares the mystery of its exact origin. The only certainty is that this cocktail was first sipped in Cuba. The year? 1900. 1900 is generally said to be the year that cola first came to Cuba, introduced to the island by American troops. But “Cuba Libre!” was the battle cry of the Cuba Liberation Army during the war of independence that ended in 1898.
Popularity
This drink was once viewed as exotic, with its dark syrup, made (at that time) from cola nuts and cocaCoca
Coca, Erythroxylum coca, is a plant in the family Erythroxylaceae, native to western South America. The plant plays a significant role in many traditional Andean cultures...
.
Soon enough, as Charles H. Baker, Jr.
Charles H. Baker, Jr.
Charles Henry Baker, Jr. is an author best known for his culinary and cocktail writings. These books have become highly collectible among cocktail aficionados and culinary historians. -Biography:...
points out in his Gentlemen's Companion of 1934, the Cuba Libre "caught on everywhere throughout the [American] South ... filtered through the North and West," aided by the ample supply of its ingredients. In The American Language, 1921, H.L. Mencken writes of an early variation of the drink: "The troglodytes
Caveman
A caveman or troglodyte is a stock character based upon widespread concepts of the way in which early prehistoric humans may have looked and behaved...
of western South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
coined 'jump stiddy' for a mixture of Coca-Cola and denatured alcohol (usually drawn from automobile radiators); connoisseurs reputedly preferred the taste of what had been aged in Model-T Fords."
The drink gained further popularity in the United States after the Andrews Sisters
The Andrews Sisters
The Andrews Sisters were a highly successful close harmony singing group of the swing and boogie-woogie eras. The group consisted of three sisters: contralto LaVerne Sophia Andrews , soprano Maxene Angelyn Andrews , and mezzo-soprano Patricia Marie "Patty" Andrews...
recorded a song (in 1945) named after the drink's ingredients, "Rum and Coca-Cola
Rum and Coca-Cola
“Rum and Coca-Cola” is the title of a popular calypso. Originally composed by Lord Invader and Lionel Belasco, it was copyrighted in the United States by entertainer Morey Amsterdam and became a huge hit in 1945 for the Andrews Sisters, spending ten weeks at the top of Billboard's U.S...
". Cola and rum were both cheap at the time and this also contributed to the widespread popularity of the concoction.
In the American sitcom The Big Bang Theory, the character Sheldon Cooper is known to drink virgin Cuba Libres with the lime wedge included.
Recipe variations
A recent variation is the Coppertone which uses Malibu Rum
Malibu Rum
Malibu Rum is a flavored rum made with natural coconut extract, possessing an alcohol content by volume of 21.0% . The brand is owned by Pernod Ricard and it is made in Canada.-History:...
(rum with a natural coconut extract) and Cherry Coke for the cola component. The resulting drink smells like suntan lotion and the name is an allusion to that.
Other recent variations are the Cuba Light made with rum and Diet Coke
Diet Coke
Diet Coke is a sugar-free soft drink produced and distributed by The Coca-Cola Company. It was first introduced in the United States on August 9, 1982, as the first new brand since 1886 to use the Coca-Cola trademark...
, and the Witch Doctor made with dark rum and Dr. Pepper.
Another variation using Dr. Pepper as the cola component and Jack Daniels
Jack Daniels
Jack Daniels may refer to:* Jack Daniel , founder of the whiskey company** Jack Daniel's, brand of whiskey* Jack Daniels , Major League Baseball outfielder...
in place of white rum is known as the Dr. Jack.
Another variation of the Cuba Libre is the Cuban Missile Crisis. Compared to a normal Cuba Libre, it uses a higher proof rum, such as Bacardi 151
Bacardi 151
Bacardi 151 is an over-proof rum. The 151-proof liquor has an alcohol content of 75.5%, compared to the usual 35%-40%.Due to its high proof, it is typically used as a component in cocktails...
(75.5%).
A variation of the Cuba Libre popular in the West Indies is a “Hot” Cuba Libre which includes a splash of Caribbean hot sauce
Hot sauce
Hot sauce, chili sauce or pepper sauce refers to any spicy sauce made from chili peppers and other ingredients.-Ingredients:There are many recipes for hot sauces - the common ingredient being any kind of peppers. A group of chemicals called capsaicinoids are responsible for the heat in chili peppers...
(for example, Capt'n Sleepy's Quintessential Habanero, or Matouk's).
Some people substitute Cream Soda and spiced rum to create a bright gold drink, often referred to as a Midas
Midas
For the legend of Gordias, a person who was taken by the people and made King, in obedience to the command of the oracle, see Gordias.Midas or King Midas is popularly remembered in Greek mythology for his ability to turn everything he touched into gold. This was called the Golden touch, or the...
.
Another recent variation is the Venezuela Libre, inspired by the increasing cooperation between the governments of Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
and Cuba. It has 1.5 USfloz of Venezuelan White Rum, 1.5 USfloz of Venezuelan Gold Rum, 3 USfloz of lemon mix, 1 lemon wedge and a dash of angostura bitters, and diet cola in place of normal cola.
Local variations
The drink's name has evolved somewhat in both Cuba and the United States, where some choose to refer to it as a Mentirita ("a little lie"), in an opinionated reference to Cuban politics.In Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, the more popularly known drink is simply Rum and Coke or "Rumbo", which contains no lime, commonly uses a local dark rum and can be purchased in cans as a ready-to-drink. However, the combination of light rum, brown sugar and cola is commonly ordered at cocktail bars as a Cuba Libre.
In Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, there is another variation, made with "cachaça
Cachaça
Cachaça is a liquor made from fermented sugarcane.It is the most popular distilled alcoholic beverage in Brazil. It is also known as aguardente, pinga, caninha and many other names...
" and lemon without peeling.
In Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, the drink is most commonly served without the lime juice and ordered simply as a Bacardi and Coke . When the lime juice is included and rubbed around the rim of the glass it can be known as a Lou Bega
Lou Bega
David Lubega , also known as Lou Bega, is a German musician of Italian and Ugandan descent, and is famous for his song "Mambo No. 5 ". This song is a remake of the Perez Prado instrumental from 1949...
, after the popular singer.
In Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
, and Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, Cuba Libre is also called "Ron-Cola" and "Cubata".
In Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
, it is the most popular drink to enjoy, poured with a very generous amount of locally produced Dominican Rum (i.e. Brugal, Bermúdez, and so on.) and Coke, topped off with a slice of lime. Domincans often call "cuba libre" "mentirilla" or little lie as a joke, it all started at the end of the cold war.
In Greece Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki , historically also known as Thessalonica, Salonika or Salonica, is the second-largest city in Greece and the capital of the region of Central Macedonia as well as the capital of the Decentralized Administration of Macedonia and Thrace...
, there is another variant, that consists of "retsina
Retsina
Retsina is a Greek white resinated wine that has been made for at least 2000 years. Its unique flavor is said to have originated from the practice of sealing wine vessels, particularly amphorae, with Aleppo Pine resin in ancient times. Before the invention of impermeable glass bottles, oxygen...
" and cola, named "tumba libre". "Tumba" is the name of a neighborhood in Thessaloniki.
In the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
the drink is commonly called Baco, from the two ingredients of Bacardi
Bacardi
Bacardi is a family-controlled spirits company, best known as a producer of rums, including Bacardi Superior and Bacardi 151. The company sells in excess of 200 million bottles per year in nearly 100 countries...
rum and cola.
In Nicaragua
Nicaragua
Nicaragua is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean...
, when it is mixed using Flor de Caña
Flor de Caña
Flor de Caña is a brand of rum distributed by Compañía Licorera de Nicaragua which is headquartered in Managua, Nicaragua.-History:...
(the national brand of rum) and cola, it is called a Nica Libre.
In Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
, a variation called Peru Libre is made with pisco
Pisco
Pisco is a colorless or yellowish-to-amber colored grape brandy produced in winemaking regions of Chile and Peru. Pisco was developed by Spanish settlers in the 16th century as an alternative to orujo, a pomace brandy that was being imported from Spain...
rather than rum
Rum
Rum is a distilled alcoholic beverage made from sugarcane by-products such as molasses, or directly from sugarcane juice, by a process of fermentation and distillation. The distillate, a clear liquid, is then usually aged in oak barrels...
.
In Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, when it is mixed using Burn
Burn (energy drink)
Burn is a high sugar, high caffeine content energy drink with a citrus flavor that comes in a 8.3 or 16.9 oz can. The drink is distributed in several countries by The Coca-Cola Company.-Burn Action Sports:...
and rum, it is called a Poland Libre. This, because Burn is a popular drink to mix in Poland and the drink turns red (the color of Poland).
In Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
Cuba Libre without the lime juice is called Rock-n-Roll Star, after a popular song that features the recipe. Any distilled spirit could be substituted for a rum in a pinch, but these variations generally do not have any specific names.
In Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
the Cuba Libre Preparado ("Prepared Cuba Libre") includes a dash of gin
Gin
Gin is a spirit which derives its predominant flavour from juniper berries . Although several different styles of gin have existed since its origins, it is broadly differentiated into two basic legal categories...
and a dash of Angostura bitters
Angostura bitters
Angostura bitters, often simply referred to as angostura, is a concentrated bitters made of water, 44.7% alcohol, gentian root, and vegetable flavoring extracts by House of Angostura in Trinidad and Tobago. They are typically used for flavoring beverages, or food...
.