Post #593100 by arriano on Thu, Jun 9, 2011 8:31 PM

Hi, I’m back, whether you wanted to read any more about this Cuba Libre experiment or not.

I discovered that my local beer making supply store, Home Brew Mart, carried 2 oz packages of citric acid so I bought one.

EXPERIMENT #3

Using what I’d learning in previous attempts, this was tonight’s recipe:

• 2 2/3 oz Sugar Syrup
• 1/2 oz Fresh Lime Juice
• 1/4 oz Pure Vanilla Extract
• 1 drop Agwa Coca Leaf Extract
• 1 dash Fee Bros. Lemon Bitters
• 1 dash Fee Bros. Orange Bitters
• 1/4 oz Cinnamon Syrup
• 1/8 tsp Corriander
• 1/8 tsp Nutmeg
• 1 1/2 tsp Citric Acid

Stirred this concoction up and let it chill in the fridge for about an hour. When I took it out, I stirred it again and added:

• 10 oz Club Soda

Again testing against a glass of Mexican Coke, my formula tasted a bit too limey. To balance it out a bit, I added:

• 1/4 oz Cinnamon Syrup
• 1/4 oz Pure Vanilla Extract

This made it better, but it was still a bit too limey and now too sweet. I think the addition of Cinnamon Syrup has added too much sugar. I think the Sugar Syrup needs to be dialed back to maybe 2 ¼ oz., or maybe even to 2 oz. I then determined that the additional lime flavor is probably OK. In a Cuba Libre you would add a squeeze of lime, and with this recipe you simply wouldn’t do that. Just use the lime as a garnish.

So this weekend my plan is to attempt to make a Cuba Libre from scratch with some Havana Club 7 Años (I’ll need the dark rum to help color my drink). Stay tuned.