Glass of Caipirinha with Ice
(click to enlarge)

Caipirinha


Brazil   -   Caipirinha
Makes:
Effort:
Sched:
DoAhead:  		 1
**
10 min
No		 This is the most popular cocktail in Brazil, made using their national potion, Cachaça. It is made one at a time, not in pitchers, but is quick.

1/2
1
2
ar
-----
1

T
oz

---

Lime (1)
Sugar, granulated (2)  
Cachaça (3)
Ice cubes
-- Garnish
Lime slice
Make   -   (15 min)
  1. Select a 10 ounce Whisky Glass, and a tall Highball Glass for mudling.
  2. Take a PERSIAN LIME and cut just a little off both ends. Cut it in half crosswise. Cut one half lengthwise into 6 wedges and place them in a tall glass. Note: If your lime is quite small, add a few more wedges.
  3. In the tall glass (highball), place Lime Wedges and Sugar. Use a muddler to crush them together well, expressing all the juice and bruising the rind well to release its oils. It'll still splash a lot so use your other hand over the glass to hold the splashing in.
  4. Pour Lime mix into the Whisky Glass. Pour in the chilled Cachaça and stir well to dissolve the sugar. Fill the glass with ice cubes and serve, optionally garnished with a slice of Lime on the rim.
  5. Sip slowly, this is a "stealth drink" that can put you under the table faster than you'd think.
NOTES:

  1. Lime:

      "Lime" here means our Persian / Tahiti Limes. They are much larger than what "limes" are in most of the world - see our Key Limes. On the other hand, those I've been getting lately are undersize, so see Step-2. For more details see our Citrus pages.

  2. Sugar

      Granulated Sugar is used because the pointy crystals help breaking into the rind while muddling. Amount is somewhat variable according to your taste.

  3. Cachaça

    This is Brazil's national potion. It's made from sugar cane, as is Rum, but by a totally different process. They are not at all interchangeable. For this cocktail "silver" Cachaça (colorless) is preferred. The aged version (amber) is considered less desirable for this use. Preferably, stash it in the freezer compartment well before making Caipirinha.

  4. Comments

      This cocktail can be made shaken in a cocktail shaker with ice (after muddling), then poured into the glass. This is a useful method when your Cachaça has not been chilled. Some recipes call for extra Lime Juice - well you can't go wrong with more Lime Juice.
  5. U.S. measure: t=teaspoon, T=Tablespoon, c=cup, qt=quart, oz=ounce, #=pound, cl=clove in=inch, ar=as required tt=to taste
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