Caipirinhas

Citrusy, Refreshing, and Addictive

On a hot summer day, Caipirinhas, the national drink of Brazil, is my-go to drink. My first taste of this refreshing cocktail was made by a friend who considered them his specialty. His version is still the one I make today.

A caipirinha is a cocktail made with cachaca, lime, and sugar. Cacacha is a brizilian rum made from sugarcane with it’s own distinct taste. Most rums use molasses in the distilling process. Cachaca is distilled directly from the sugarcane. It’s usually very light in color. There are aged versions with an amber color, but, for caipirinhas, the clear works fine. Cacacha can be found in most Liquor stores.  Cacacha is not always kept with the rums. You might have to ask for where it is. The key really is the limes, and you need a good juicy lime to make fantastic caipirinhas. If your limes are small and not plump, you may need more than a whole lime.

Making Caipirinhas

My friend taught me his way of remembering how to make them, just remember 1, 2, 3.  That’s 1 lime, 2 spoons of sugar, and 3 shots of cachaca. To make these caipirinha special and the secret to give these a little pop, you need one more ingredient: just a splash of ginger ale. so really it’s 1, 2, 3, 1. The only equiptment you need is a tall glass or a cocktail shaker, and something to use as a muddler. A muddler is a wooden or metal utensil shaped similar to a baseball bat. It should have a thicker end to mash and grind, or to muddle up ingredients in the bottom of a glass. Muddlers can be found in many liquor stores or specialty cooking stores. The end of a wooden spoon also works, if you can not find one.

Muddling the lime with the sugar is what makes a caipirinha, it’s the oil from the lime peel that brings out the flavor, and is an important step.  The recipe here is for a large Caipirinha that fits into a highball glass, I’ve seen versions that are served in a smaller glass, but, this is the size I prefer.

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To Make Caipirinhas:

• 1 juicy lime
• 2 heaping spoonfuls of sugar
• 3 shots (1.5 oz each) of cachaca
• 1 splash ginger ale ( 1.5 oz or so.) please don’t use diet. You’re using sugar anyway
• Enough crushed Ice to fill the glass

Cut the lime into quarters and place in the bottom of the cocktail shaker or large glass. Spoon in the sugar, and using the muddler, grind together the sugar and the lime to extract the juice and some of the oil from the peel. Don’t be gentle, you should really work at it to get all the juice, and it should take you a minute or so. The sugar should also start to dissolve.

Add the shots of cachaca and plenty of crushed ice, topping it off with a nice splash of ginger ale. Gently shake or stir. Pour everything into your serving glass. That’s all it is.

You can adjust the amounts to your liking, but I’ve found this to be the perfect size and strength.

I hope they become your new addiction!