Cervecería La Tropical's Manny Portuondo on reviving Cuba's first beer brand in Miami
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Manny Portuondo joined chef Michael Beltrn on Pan Con Podcast to talk about Cervecería La Tropical and the 23 year build up to its grand opening in Miami. [photo: Nicolás A. Jiménez]
After 23 years, the brewery Manny Portuondo has dreamed of opening is a reality. It took patience, passion, and some legal battles with the Cuban government, but Cervecería La Tropical — Cuba’s first beer brand — has been revived in Miami with an investment from Heineken.
On this episode of Pan Con Podcast, Manny and Mike talk about the history behind La Tropical beer, how the brand’s current form takes cues from and interprets its own Cuban legacy, the brand’s significance to the Cuban community in Miami, cultural preservation and why he chose to partner with Heineken — one of the world’s largest brewers — to bring his vision to life.
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Images provided by Cervercería La Tropical
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