How much caffeine is in Cuba Cubita Espresso?

Each 1–2 oz shot (30–60 ml) serving contains approximately 65 mg of caffeine. For comparison, a standard 8 oz cup of brewed drip coffee contains around 95 mg. Actual content varies with dose, water temperature, and contact time.

What temperature should I use for Cuba Cubita Espresso?

Target 92°C (198°F). Below this range the cup tends toward sourness and thinness from under-extraction; above it, bitterness rises faster than sweetness.

How long should Cuba Cubita Espresso be extracted?

Extract for 25–35 seconds using Moka Pot with Demerara Froth, at a ratio of 90g per litre (espresso ratio), prepared at Fine-Medium. Time and ratio move together: a heavier dose generally wants a shorter contact time.

Why does my Cuba Cubita Espresso taste bitter?

Bitterness almost always indicates over-extraction. Shorten the contact time, lower the water temperature slightly, or grind coarser. Change one variable at a time so you can tell which one was responsible.

Who should avoid Cuba Cubita Espresso?

Caffeine sensitivity: moderate-high; the sweet preparation can mask the caffeine strength. Sugar intake: the espumita adds 1–2 teaspoons of demerara sugar per cup. Pregnancy: limit to one cuban espresso per day per EFSA 2015 guidance. This is general educational information, not medical advice — consult a qualified healthcare professional about your own circumstances.

Reviewed Aug 2026

Specialty Coffee · Cuban highlands, Cuba

Cuba Cubita Espresso

Name: How to Brew Cuba Cubita Espresso
Prep time: 3 min
Cook time: 1 min
Total time: 1 min
Yield: 1–2 oz shot (30–60 ml)
Cuisine: Cuban highlands, Cuba
Ingredients: 4.1 g whole coffee beans, freshly roasted, ground fresh for espresso; Filtered water for the machine, ideally 75–150 ppm total hardness

Cuba’s iconic sweet espresso with a caramelised demerara sugar crust (espumita), made from dark-roast Cuban Arabica with full body and chocolatey depth.

Cuban coffee, known as cafe cubano or simply cubanito, is made by frothing demerara sugar with the first drops of espresso (the espumita) to create a sweet, caramelised crema layer.

Sensory profile

Comparative scale

sweetnessVery high

acidityLow

bitternessHigh

bodyVery high

aromaVery high

You should taste

How it unfolds

Aroma → Palate → Finish

AromaBefore and as you sip

No distinct note recorded here — the aroma reads as pronounced rather than carrying a nameable character of its own.

pronounced aroma

PalateWhile it is in the mouth

pronounced sweetness

FinishAfter you swallow

pronounced body

Where it sits

Stronger than 219 of the 345 other drinks in the catalogue, and weaker than 124.

That is 65 mg in a 1–2 oz shot (30–60 ml) serving — a concentration of 144.4 mg per 100 ml. The scale above ranks whole servings, and servings differ in size, so a larger drink can sit further right while being weaker cup for cup.

CupCura editorial estimate. No public food database has measured this preparation, so this figure is our own and is not independently sourced.

What people say

Reviews and photographs from people who have actually drunk this. Everything here has been read by a moderator before publication.

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Gear for this drink

Fellow Ode Brew Grinder Gen 2

Direct-drive motor with 64mm stainless steel flat burrs engineered specifically for pour-over, drip, and cold brew clarity.

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Specialty Coffee

Cuba Cubita Espresso

Sensory profile

You should taste

How it unfolds

Where it sits

What people say

Fellow Ode Brew Grinder Gen 2

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