Why Miami Coffee Culture is influenced by Cuba introduction to Miami's unique coffee culture

Miami's coffee culture is heavily influenced by Latinos. More than 60 years of Cuban immigrant history, unlike most major U.S. cities, helped create a culture in a way that enjoyed coffee. This means that if you are a roaster or coffee shop trying to enter this market, you should understand how attitudes towards beverages are shaped by that population.

Cuba's Influence on Coffee Culture in Miami

To understand how Cuba shaped Miami's coffee culture, you first need to understand how Cuban residents came to Florida. Fidel Castro's resistance to President Fulgencio Batista in 1959 led to the Cuban Revolution. This started a massive exodus of millions of Cubans. Many settled in Florida because of its familiar climate, proximity to the island, and Hispanic population.

Those living under Castro faced many challenges, including nationalization of food production, forcing them to register rations. During this time, food was often depleted or made unsustainable by the United States embargo and the collapse of the Soviet Union, which prevented food imports into Cuba.

Because of rationing, each citizen can drink only four ounces of coffee a month. To make this small amount of coffee last as long as possible, roasted chickpeas are added to ground coffee and eaten in small amounts. Cubans who emigrated to Miami brought this method of coffee preparation, and despite some adjustments, coffee can still be enjoyed in this way throughout Miami today.

What makes Miami's coffee culture different?

Cuban immigrants brought their unique way of brewing coffee to Miami-helping shape its coffee-drinking culture and making coffee consumption a social activity, not just drinking itself, but gathering with others.

Martin Mayorga is a local resident who recently opened coffee roasting and processing facilities in the area. "Coffee is ingrained in our culture here in Miami," he said. It's part of our childhood [and] legacy…Miami has led the way in the social aspects of coffee consumption for decades…The social aspects of coffee are very strong and still are."

The social aspects of coffee consumption were undoubtedly influenced by the experiences of people under Castro. As a result, it consumes less of the type and quality of coffee and more of the socializing that occurs when drinking coffee and bringing people together. Even those who prefer specialty coffee drink coffee prepared in this way in social settings.

Social coffee is so common in Miami that in 2013, PR firm JLPR fought to make 3:05 p.m. in Miami the official Cafecito drinking time. The campaign aims to unite Cuban coffee culture and build an online community around it because "Windows on Cuban restaurants are primitive Social networks... Sharing Colada is a friendship and solidarity."

How Miami Residents Drink Coffee

Although coffee consumption in Cuba focuses on socializing rather than coffee, the beverage enjoyed usually has a number of characteristics.

For starters, they are usually made with low-quality dark roast coffee and served with margarine or espumita. Both of these characteristics are related to the Cuban method of coffee preparation and the beverage that people regularly drink today. As in Cuba, coffee can be prepared at home using a Moka pot, or it can be enjoyed openly at a local ventanita, or taken out of the window in the area.

Espumita mimics the appearance of espresso coffee. Usually, espresso coffee is a coffee fat created when ground coffee is extracted at high pressure in a coffee machine. But Cubans without access to the equipment were forced to improvise. Aerated foam can be created by stirring small amounts of sugar and coffee. After pouring the coffee, it transfers to the cup, while phytoplankton float on top of the drink.

Hot drinks

Residents of Miami consume a variety of coffees, and the three coffees that Miami's Latino community typically likes to drink are Colada, Cortadito and Cafécon Leche.

Colada

The Colada is also known as Café Cubano or Cuba espresso. It is a strong and sweet drink that includes dark roasted double espresso, lots of sugar and espumita fillings. Traditionally, it is served in small coffee cups. Although Colada is strong, its bitterness is balanced by sugar and espumita.

Cortadito

Cortadito (or "small cut") is made from half coffee and half milk, similar to macchiato coffee because the amount of milk used varies from person to person. Milk can be replaced with diluted milk (most of the water has been removed) to make a thick, strong drink. Condensed milk can also be used instead of milk to make a rich, dessert-like drink.

Conleche Cafe

Cafécon Leche translates as "coffee with milk". However, it differs from milk-and-coffee combinations like cappuccino because it uses steamed milk instead of milk foam. Cafécon Leche contains two cups of coffee, which are also heavily steamed with milk and sugar. You can ask for clarito (light color) or oscurito (dark color), some people add a little salt to it to enhance flavor.

Coffee shops or roasters looking to enter the Miami market or increase their market share should recognize the long history behind these beverages and their preparation. While these coffees are often made with low quality roasts and do contain specific social habits, that doesn't mean there aren't places where specialty coffees can be used.