A caipirinha is a traditional Brazilian cocktail that is made with a mix of muddled limes, sugar, crushed ice, and cachaca. Cachaca, pronounced cachaza, is a popular Brazilian sugar cane liquor, similar to rum and aguardiente.
A favorite summertime cocktail, the caipirinha is one of the most refreshing drinks you can mix up. It's the perfect introduction for anyone new to cachaça and an excellent way to explore and compare different brands. Plus, it can serve as inspiration for many other tasty drinks.
Ingredients
2 ounces cachaça
1/2 of a fresh lime, cut into quarters
1 to 2 teaspoons superfine sugar
Directions
Place the lime pieces and sugar in the cocktail shaker and crush with the muddler. Add cachaça and a handful of ice; shake well and pour, unstrained, into a rocks or old fashioned glass.
Special Equipment
Cocktail shaker, cocktail strainer
Tips
Superfine (or caster) sugar is a better choice for cocktails because the finer crystals dissolve more easily. This is particularly useful in a cocktail like a caipirinha, which doesn't have a lot of liquid or hard-core mixing.
Don't worry about hunting down a specialty sugar. It's very easy to transform ordinary sugar into superfine sugar with a food processor or blender.
Use the recommended range of sugar to customize the cocktail's sweetness to your taste and the cachaça you're pouring. Some cachaças are sweeter than others, and quite a few are aged, so there are times when less sugar creates a better drink.
Though not traditional, simple syrup is a good substitute for superfine sugar; use about 3/4 ounce of syrup. Agave nectar and honey syrup can also act as the sweetener.
Whether you’re a professional bartender or a home mixologist, our selection of bartending kits will definitely interest you. From drink-specific kits that make great gifts to Wine Openers, we’ve got it all.