Cerveza Parranda, de Cuba/Parranda Beer from Cuba (Esp-Eng)

Los productores de Parranda, por lo que he podido ver, están enfocados en el cuidado del medio ambiente, y para reciclar los envases han creado un sistema que consiste en una recompensa económica a quienes devuelvan las botellas. En realidad la recompensa es ínfima, casi simbólica, por lo que muy pocos la devuelven, para lograr una cifra considerable o medianamente decorosa, habría que reunir, al menos, 5 cajas de cerveza y tal como andan los precios, no lo creo.

¡Salud!

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Parranda Beer from Cuba

Hello, friend. A Saturday greeting to everyone, especially to the members of this community, beer lovers like me.

When this beer was released relatively recently, it created great expectation among Cuban drinkers and was quite a sensation. It was something new: a Cuban lager in a large, plastic, screw-top bottle with a capacity of 1500 ml (these were the first, later the smaller one appeared). Everyone wanted to try it, and so did I, of course. So I went to a store and bought one (not cheap at all) to taste it. I had to check for myself, with my own palate, what that taste was like.

I’ll tell you right now that I couldn’t finish it all at once—it was just too much. The good thing is that since it has a screw top, you can close it tightly, and it stays the same to drink later.

I got home, put it in the freezer, and when it was nice and cold, I finally drank it. I’ll tell you, at first it reminded me a lot of Cristal, but then I started to notice its specific flavor and certain characteristics. Its taste has slight citrus and floral notes that linger in the throat after each sip. It has a moderately light golden color, is refreshing and smooth. Its alcohol content is 4.8%, and it has a low bitterness score. It comes in 500 ml and 1500 ml bottles.

This is the same bottle I bought; I kept it as a souvenir, and now I use it to drink water. 🤭

Parranda is a modern beer produced in the Mariel Special Development Zone, in one of the most sophisticated breweries in Latin America. This one today is from the small bottles, 500 ml. I started drinking it from a plastic cup, but then I preferred to drink it straight from the bottle—it tastes better that way. Plus, since it was free, it tastes even better. 🤭

The pleasure of drinking beer is the same as the one we get from our little rituals. The whisper when opening the bottle or can, the soft fizz of the foam when pouring, and the mist that fogs up the glass. It’s the first sip, the one you drink eagerly, feeling bitter and refreshing, quenching your thirst and, as if by "magic," starting to release the tensions of the day. It’s a personal space to relax and forget your problems.

More than the taste of the beer, it’s the moment it represents: sharing, the conversation that stretches out with friends, the complicity of a toast to give thanks for good times. It’s a simple, tiny luxury, one of the many fleeting pleasures life gives us, enjoyed with all the senses, transforming the ordinary into a special moment of genuine satisfaction.

From what I’ve seen, the producers of Parranda are focused on environmental care, and to recycle the containers, they’ve created a system that offers a financial reward to those who return the bottles. In reality, the reward is tiny, almost symbolic, so very few people return them. To get a considerable or somewhat decent amount, you’d have to collect at least five cases of beer, and with prices the way they are, I don’t see that happening.

A significant detail is that the name "Parranda" comes from traditional carnival-like festivals held every year in the town of Remedios (Parrandas de Remedios), located in the Villa Clara province, formerly known as Las Villas. With its flavor, Parranda aims to reflect the joy, color, and Cuban identity.

This beer is well-received by people for being light and refreshing. It’s very popular and, like all beers, is consumed everywhere: at home, at parties and social gatherings, or simply among friends.

Cheers!

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