# Article: Visiting a coffee farm in Cuba



## Glenn (Jun 14, 2008)

You can view the page at http://coffeeforums.co.uk/content.php?411-Visiting-a-coffee-farm-in-Cuba


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

Welcome back !


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## Glenn (Jun 14, 2008)

Thank you. It's much colder back here than in Cuba where we didn't really dip below 28c and had early 30's most days.

Scattered showers and the odd thunderstorm livened things up a bit too.

Our private guides were amazing and showed us the real Cuba - not the touristy parts.


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## Spazbarista (Dec 6, 2011)

Cheers Glenn. I went there about 15 years ago. Went to Vinales too, which is heart of the tobacco growing area. I called in to a ranch and arranged with the farmer to take me out in the mountains the next day, in horseback. We spent a bit of time riding through coffee plantations and would pass by locals roasting up their own supplr in a frying pan on a fire.

Is the food still terrible?


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## Glenn (Jun 14, 2008)

The food is much improved. Not a gourmet foodies dream but certainly better than many developing countries.

Locals still have rations. Tourists can afford to pay rates for imported products.


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## Spazbarista (Dec 6, 2011)

I tended to eat in private houses where there wasn't such a dearth of decent ingredients such as fresh fish and vegetable. What amazed me was the total lack of seasoning.


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## Phil104 (Apr 15, 2014)

Welcome back Glenn - and in time to see the All Backs fight their way into the final. Fantastic photos as ever&#8230; and presumably the brewed you drank was via that well used stove top.


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## Glenn (Jun 14, 2008)

It sure was. The water was filtered through a large rock (out of shot).

We tried it natural and sweetened like the locals prefer (coffee pre-mixed with cane sugar they also harvest).

Natural tasted better but the sweetened version was interesting. No milk is needed (as it is still rationed and not readily available).


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## hotmetal (Oct 31, 2013)

Great pics Glenn. I just favourited (is that a word now?) the vintage taxi and the grower with his harvest. Sounds like a fantastic trip.


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## Glenn (Jun 14, 2008)




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## Phil104 (Apr 15, 2014)

Puts our experiments with water and other Forum interests in brewing coffee into perspective although I can't see a Cuban influenced coffee shop opening in the UK anytime soon. That rooster looks like it owns the place - certainly very camera friendly.


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## GroundwireCoffee (Feb 3, 2016)

Interesting article, this looks like a great adventure!


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## Phil104 (Apr 15, 2014)

I know this is an old (but timeless thread). I was wondering if anyone has been there recently? A work colleague just has and because she knows about my coffee passion, like Glenn and spazbarista she visited a farm in Vinales and the farmer was willing to sell her some roasted beans (lovingly packaged in a plastic bottle). It's an interesting roast and looks like the beans were roasted over an open fire. Is this generally the method of choice? Surprisingly, they produced a drinkable pour over - caramel and chocolate, although I wouldn't have wanted too much more. She said that most of their coffee production goes to Japan and they have to meet quotas for bean production.


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## tongdung (Apr 3, 2019)

"It sure was. The water was filtered through a large rock" haha


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## Соffее (Apr 21, 2019)

thanks for pics







visit Cuba is my dream


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