Bucanero: the taste of Cuba

This is my first post in this community and I wanted to start with the #beersaturday challenge.

In Cuba, we have a saying: "you love your mother-in-law like you love beer...cold and foaming at the mouth". And here we drink beer very cold, "sweating".

It's a saying I've heard since I was a child (I'm 32), especially from my aunt Martha (the aunt who taught us all to drink). Family parties were held at her house, a charcoal-grilled pig on a spike was set up, a domino table was set up and a cooler full of ice with beers in it; you just had to lean over and grab one. Havana Club rum was a must at those parties (but that's not the point).

The thing is that in Cuba there is more than one beer: Cristal, Mayabe, Cacique, Bucanero... Some of them have native names, a tribute to our heritage. Of all of them, my favorite is Bucanero.
I have tried Spanish, Dutch, Caribbean, and even Chinese beverages, but... no way! Nothing like that one.

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Non of the images in this post are mine

Pirates in the Caribbean

Cuba is the largest of the Antilles, the key to the Gulf; an archipelago in the middle of the Caribbean Sea; precisely because of its location it was the object of constant attacks by pirates, corsairs, and filibusters. Hence, as in many other islands in this region, its two major ports were surrounded by walls and fortresses that guarded the entrance to its bays: San Pedro de la Roca (Santiago de Cuba) and San Cristóbal de La Habana (Havana). There are several stories on this subject, among which Jacques de Sores' attack on the village of San Cristóbal stands out.

Of course, there were also the buccaneers, kind of pirates, and privateers with a patent to defend the colonies. This is where the name of the beer comes from. Produced by Cervecería Bucanero S.A. since 1997, Bucanero has two lines: Bucanero and Bucanero Max (premium beer, the only one of its kind in the country). Of all of them, Bucanero has the strongest flavor, the one that represents "the taste of Cuba".

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In the role of Beer Sommelier

In my family, we drink beer and rum from an early age (we are not raised as alcoholics, but a self-respecting Cuban family has to know how to drink). Some opt for rum, others for beer. I am on the latter team; I prefer them strong and bitter.

Unlike its near twin, Cristal Bucanero has a "deep amber color, created from natural ingredients, superior malt and of course, Cuban sugars, which give it a robust flavor." At 5.4% alcohol (Bucanero) and 6.5% for Bucanero Max. [1]

Unfortunately, due to certain drastic changes in the country's economy, neither Bucanero nor Cristal can be found in domestic markets. However, they are sold abroad, even under the name of Cubanero. To obtain them you have to do it from the black market (or as we say, from behind the curtain). Ironic, isn't it?

17 beers in one go

I was in my second year of university and I lived with my partner in the province of Holguín, we used to go out on weekends, the time I had free after finishing my schoolwork. That day, we decided to stay at home and roast a pork profile (barbecue), and to go with it, we bought beer. In his family, everyone preferred Cristal, which is softer and golden in color, so in order not to leave me out, two of the 5 cases they bought were Bucanero.

My partner's stepfather, who knew my taste for beer, decided to test my stamina and challenged me to drink a case (24 beers) between the two of us, to see who would get dizzy faster. Poor guy! The challenge didn't last long, he ended up drunk with bottle number 7 and I drank the rest without feeling it. Since then, no one has ever again questioned my taste and resistance to beer.

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🍻🍻Happy Saturday and enjoy your beer🍻🍻

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