“Cuba libre” – shouted the American soldiers, when they were on Liberty Island at the beginning of the XX century, rising the hand up and holding this cocktail. According to one version, this is when this drink was invented.

Probably, someone could make it up even earlier, but the problem is, there was no Coca-Cola in Cuba. Just imagine: rum is, but there is no Coke.

Basically, the only difference between a regular Rum and Coke, and this cocktail is lime (and its juice). In the majority of recipe variations – the lime is optional, but in my opinion, the taste is bland without it. If you don’t want or just can’t add lime for some reasons, you can replace it with lemon, the taste would be different, but still good.

In the original recipe, they use light rum, but I think with a dark one it tastes even better. That’s why when I’m cooking this cocktail – I use the one I have at hand, and most often it’s the dark one.

What You Need to Cook Cuba Libre or Just Rum and Coke

INGREDIENTS:

60 ml (4,1 tbsp) of rum
120 ml (8,1 tbsp) of Coke
½ of lime
Ice

EQUIPMENT:

Citrus press/juicer (not necessarily)

How to Make Cuba Libre or Just Rum and Coke: Step-by-Step Instructions🔪

STEP 1.

Take a tall 300-400 ml glass (1,5-2 cups) and fill with ice in half.

STEP 2.

Cut the lime in 4 parts, for 1 serving we’ll need half of them. Squeeze a juice from 2 quarters to the glass and drop there the same lime slices which we just squeezed too.

STEP 3.

Pour rum (60 ml (4,1 tbsp)

) into the glass with ice.

STEP 4.

Add 120 ml (4,1 tbsp) of Coke to the same glass (surprising, isn’t it?). Mix carefully.
Done!

As a result, we’ve got an original Cuba Libre (if using the light rum, of course), but I think, the exact proportions are not necessary here. You better try to adjust the ratio of strong (rum), sweet (Coke), and sour (lime), until you find the perfect balance for yourself.