How to make a perfect Brazilian Caipirinha or Caipirinha cocktail. The caipirinha or caipirinha is a cocktail originally from Brazil that comes from the time when there were some slaves (or so it is said!) who liked to drink “garapa”, a sugar cane juice that they obtained by pressing the canes themselves. During the parties that they used to hold, they mixed it with cane sugar-based brandy, what has been the cachaça. Later it is believed that they devised the “limao shakes”, where they mixed different fruits. This one in particular was made with lime juice, which evolved to include lime pieces. Finally, with the appearance of the manufacture of ice, it became a well-known and widespread drink throughout the world.
It was also considered as a remedy against the flu that devastated the country back in 1918, so, in addition to being a tasty and refreshing cocktail, healing properties were attributed to it. The fact is that this exotic mixture comes from “caipira”, which was a term used to refer to the peasants who formerly inhabited the forests and from “curupira”, this in turn related to a mystical demon that inhabited them.
recipe information
-
- Preparation time: 5 minutes
-
- total time: 5 minutes
-
- rations: 1
-
- Category: drinks
-
- type of cuisine: Brazilian
-
- calories: 180 kcal per glass
Ingredients for the caipirinha for 1 person
-
- 120 ml of cachaça
-
- 15 ml of sugar syrup or 1-2 tablespoons of white sugar
-
- 1 lime cut in half lengthwise and without pith or white center, can be cut into quarters or left in halves
-
- 1 tablespoon lime juice (optional) and to taste
-
- Cubed ice or crushed ice (pilé)
-
- 1 slice of lime to decorate
How to make the caipirinha
We will start by dividing the lime into wedges and placing them directly in the glass, which is where the cocktail should be made directly. You can also add an extra tablespoon of the juice of a lime (optional) and to taste of each one.
We will proceed to add white sugar, 1 or 2 tablespoons depending on the sweetness that we like. Another option is to add sugar syrup (15 ml) because it dissolves much better this way.
Next we will squeeze the limes with the help of a mortar to extract the juice and that it dissolves together with the sugar.
We will add the cachaça next, 120 ml.
We remove everything well with the help of the mixing spoon.
Finally we added the ice. In this matter (originally) in any major city in Brazil, in a “street stall or a top hotel”, they do it with ice in buckets, but in most places crushed ice is used.
Finally, we decorate our cocktail with half a slice of lime and that’s it!
Quick Preparation Overview
-
- Wash the limes very well and cut them into wedges
-
- Place the lime wedges in a wide-mouthed glass and add a tablespoon or two of white sugar
-
- With a macerator or mortar, crush the lime so that it releases its juice, mixing with the sugar
-
- Add the cachaça
-
- Mix everything well with the mixing spoon.
-
- Add cubed or crushed ice to fill the entire glass
-
- Decorate with half a lime and a couple of straws
