Caipirinha
A Brazilian classic of cachaça muddled with lime wedges and sugar over cracked ice: tart, fresh and fairly strong.
- 27.3% ABV
- Built in the glass
- 2 min
- Rocks glass
- sour
- citrusy
- refreshing
- strong
- IBA official cocktail · Contemporary Classics
about 1.4 standard drinks (US, 14 g of alcohol). Estimated after dilution with ice.
Ingredients
- 1LimeOne whole lime, cut into small wedges.
- 4 teaspoonsWhite sugar4 teaspoons of white cane sugar. Fine sugar dissolves faster while muddling.
- 2 ozCachaçaA Brazilian spirit distilled from fresh sugarcane juice.
Ice: Crushed ice
Method
- Cut one whole lime into small wedges and put them in a rocks glass with 4 teaspoons of white cane sugar.
- Muddle gently to release the juice without grinding the peel too hard.
- Fill the glass with cracked ice.
- Pour in 60 ml of cachaça.
- Stir gently to combine everything. Serve without garnish.
Tips
- Cut out the white pith at the center of each lime wedge, and muddle gently: hard pressing on the peel brings out bitterness.
- Made with vodka instead of cachaça, the same recipe becomes a Caipiroska.
History
The Caipirinha is considered Brazil's national cocktail. Its exact origin is unclear: it is often said to come from the state of São Paulo in the early 20th century, possibly as a home remedy made with lime and cachaça. The name is a diminutive of caipira, a word for a person from the countryside.
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