10bestlogo

  • 10bestlogo

  • Awards
  • Arts & Culture
  • Food & Drink
  • Trip Planning
  • City Guides
  • Home

SEARCH: by place + food, budget, style, hotel, attraction, etc

SEARCH
10BEST: Trusted Travel & Lifestyle Advice
  • facebook share
  • twitter share
  • google plus share
  • pinterest share
  • stumble upon share
  • linkedin share
  • Flipboard
graphic

Most Popular 10Best Lists

  • #
    Las Vegas: 10 Fun and Free Things to do in Las Vegas
    View This List
  • #
    Las Vegas: 10 Fun and Free Things to do in Las Vegas
    View This List
  • #
    Fort Myers: Quench Your Thirst and Appetite for Fun in Fort Myers
    View This List
  • #
    Orlando: New Additions & Venerable Classics in Orlando: the Best of the Theme-Park Capital
    View This List
  • #
    Tampa: Explore a Host of World-Class Beaches, Just a Short Drive from Tampa
    View This List
graphic

Most Popular 10Best Articles

  • #
    Want to go to Westworld for real? Head to Nevada
    View This Article
  • #
    10 beautiful views from a New Zealand train
    View This Article
  • #
    How to experience Las Vegas like a millennial
    View This Article
  • #
    Road Trip: 10 Must-See Spots Along the Oregon Coast
    View This Article
  • #
    How to experience Las Vegas like a millennial
    View This Article
 
10bestlogo
facebook twitter instagram pinterest
  • About 10BEST
  • 10BEST Local Experts
  • Sitemap
SHOW MORE INFORMATION
  • Food & Drink
  • //
  • Beer & Breweries
Save This Page +

Hatuey Beer: Cuban Tradition in Florida

Bacardi family hires brewmaster to re-create award-winning Cuban beer in south Florida

June 15, 2012 // By Libby McMillan

By Libby McMillan
June 15, 2012

 

The name Bacardi often brings rum to mind.  But the Caribbean gave birth to a wonderful pale ale, courtesy of Bacardi, in the year 1926.  The origins of Hatuey Beer make for a fascinating story.

Bacardi - the largest family-owned, privately held spirits company in the world - was 62 years old when Enrique Schueg had an idea concerning beer.  Schueg, the son-in-law of the Bacardi founder, hired a German brewer to help the family open a new brewery in Cuba.  The goal:  a delicious premium beer.  

By the next year, Bacardi's new Santiago, Cuba brewery was putting the cap on its first batch of Hatuey beer.  Inspired by Cuban flavors and traditions, Hatuey was named for a Taino tribal leader of the 16th century who hailed from nearby Hispanola. 

Scheug had pulled together the perfect team for Bacardi's newest brand.  Hatuey was an instant success and won a gold medal at an important exposition in 1927.   A legendary beer was born.  Three years later, the Bacardi family sent one of their own - a young Joaquin Bacardi - to Copenhagen to learn the art of craft brewing.  THey correctly ascertained that his Harvard degree in chemical engineering made him the perfect choice for Brew Master. 

Hatuey Beer, made and distributed in South Florida — Photo courtesy of BacardiThe brewery grew with beer's success, and in 1947, the family opened Cerveceria Modelo in Havana.  Cerveceria Central went online six year later, and by 1960, 12 million cases of Hatuey were rolling off the production line.  What started as a great idea now had over 50% of the Cuban beer market.  

Today, you can still enjoy the legendary taste of Havana, even if you're American.  The new Hatuey is available to Americans visiting the sunshine state.  The Bacardi family and executive team decided to re-create their award-winning pale ale, which is now produced in the U.S. and only distributed in South Florida.  Small-batch brewing holds each batch to only 800 cases.  

This legendary beer offers craft beer lovers a masterful flavor profile, paired with an impressive heritage.  A golden colored ale, Hatuey is light-bodied; has a carefully balanced mix of mild hop bitterness and gentle sweetness; and has a cool, crisp finish.  It pairs well with light foods like salads, seafood and chicken.  Hatuey's also delicious with bratwurst, Vermont cheddars and mild English cheddars.  Choose a light citrus dessert for the perfect complement.

Bacardi is now based in Hamilton, Bermuda.  Hatuey is produced in the Miami neighborhood of Coral Gables, home to University of Miami.  Just a few miles away lies Little Havana, the heart of Miami's thriving Cubano population.        

 

x

Next Up

10Best: The Rich History of Bacardi

Read More »


About Libby McMillan

A longtime travel journalist, Libby chose her beautiful city after a nationwide search for a new hometown. Greenville's amazing downtown, four mild seasons, varied terrain, friendly residents and countless nearby waterfalls made it a winner.

Libby previously spent 20 years in Florida, what she calls “the only place in the world where you drive north to reach the South.”

An avid college football fan, Libby has deep ties to the University of Oklahoma but graduated from rival Texas. She’s lived in Austin, Boston, Nashville, San Francisco and Captiva Island, Florida, including 4 happy years on a houseboat.

Read more about Libby McMillan here.

Connect with Libby via: Twitter | Google+ | Pinterest | StumbleUpon


Share

Facebook
Twitter
Google Plus
Pinterest
StumbleUpon
LinkedIn
Flipboard
×

×