Caipirinha is pronounced (kye-puh-reen-ah”
The Caipirinha is the national cocktail of Brazil and one of my favorite summertime drinks.They are simple to make and very delicious but not for the faint of heart. The drink is made with Cachaça, which is made from is made from fresh sugarcane juice that’s fermented and distilled and is usually 80 proof or higher.

After 2 of these and I usually out for the count. Today I had 3 and I’m still standing surprisingly.
Ingredients:
- Cachaça (pronounced ka-shaa-suh)
- Sugar
- Lime
- Ice
Procedure:
- Quarter one half of your lime and place in a cocktail tumbler along with 2-3 spoonfuls of sugar
- Muddle the lime and sugar until the lime is juiced
- Fill the glass with ice and pour in the cachaça until the glass is full
- Shake your powerful concoction (with a shaker top over your tumbler of course)
- Once your drink is well shaken and not stirred serve and enjoy
Any of the substitutions for the cachaça will make your drink a bootlegged hot mess!
———————————————————–
Cachaça History:
Cachaça was invented by the first Portuguese settlers of Brazil, in the region around the town of São Vicente, sometime between 1532 and 1548. Workers at local sugar mills first discovered that the sugarcane juice (garapa), cooked and left standing, would “sour” (ferment) and turn into a mild alcoholic beverage. The product, disparagingly named cagaça, was consumed by slaves (plantation owners began serving the liquid to their slaves after noticing that the drive would increase vigor.), as a cheap substitute for the Indians’ cauim. Soon someone had the idea of distilling it, and thus cachaça was born.
Cachaça distilleries multiplied through colonial Brazil during the 16th and 17th centuries. Portugal eventually took notice and, in order to protect the market for Portuguese-made grappa, tried several times to outlaw the manufacture and consumption of the new spirit. In 1756, after a century of failure to suppress it, the Crown gave up and levied a tax on cachaça. This tax brought substantial revenue to the Treasury, and contributed to the reconstruction following the 1755 Lisbon earthquake and tsunami.
Currently there are more than 4,000 different brands of cachaça available in Brazil. Early in its history it was consumed mainly by Africans, peasants, and members of the lower class. As is often the case, elitists considered it a low drink, unfit for exclusivist bars and tables. However, the finer points of the product gained wider and wider appreciation, and it is now a very popular drink, considered by some to be in the same class as whiskey and wine. In the country’s largest cities there are many bars specialized in cachaça, called cachaçarias, offering hundreds of different brands, some of them very expensive. The most prized brands are produced in Minas Gerais and São Paulo. The Brazilian government and producer associations have recently acted to promote the export of cachaça. (Soure: Wikipedia)
Darius T. Williams / July 14, 2008
Looks good – but um, what’s the kiddie version like. I’m a grown man, but when it comes to drinks – um, I ain’t no grown man – lol.
Anonymous / July 14, 2008
If you are in to cachaca, you should check out some of the newer brands that you can find in the US now. They are much better than the stuff like Pitu, which used to be all that was available. I really like cuca fresca. it is an excellent cachaca and makes a super smooth caipirinha. it has a little bird on the side of the bottle so you can stir your caipirinha, just like they do in brazil.
sdg1844 / July 14, 2008
Yummy! Love Caipirinha’s. I had a birthday that is sketchy in details due to my intake of this tasty drink. LOL
The Second Sixty-Eight / July 14, 2008
Sounds tasty!
Bygbaby / July 15, 2008
DTW – Drop the bitch drinks!!! LOL!!!!
Anon – Pitu sucks but it looks like they are trying to change their image to compete with the neo brands.
When I run out of the Agua Luca I cracked tonight, I will try Cuca Fresca.
sdg1844 – Caipirinhas can & will fuck you up.!!! When we were in NYC a few weeks ago, we had dinner @ the Brazil Grill & I downed a few. The next morning Suite Suzy told me that I was crying at the table. Actually she said I was wailing & had to get me out of there ASAP. I do remember that after the 3 one I was trying not to cry. During the conversation, I started to talk about my dad & it went down from there. I know that is not the only time that I let my emotional guard down fucking around with Caipirinhas.
TSSE – Oh so very!!!!!
Bygbaby
Torrance Stephens - All-Mi-T / July 15, 2008
that looks delicious
great pic too
shea / July 16, 2008
random question:
what camera(s) do you use? i am shopping for my first slr camera on ebay. what do you suggest?
shea
Bam / July 16, 2008
Thanks so much for this recipe! My father is Brazilian and having been to Brazil and had this beverage many times I can really appreciate this post!
Now if you figure out how to make that black ice cream (I have no idea what it is called) that they have over there I am going to fall out.
I have been craving it for 5 years.
B.
Bygbaby / July 16, 2008
Torrance – Oh yeah, the bomb!!!
Shea – In reference to my camera, I use the Nikon D300 & it is my baby!!! For a budget under 1k I would highly recommend checking out these links:
Nikon D80
http://tinyurl.com/4edawn
Nikon D60
http://tinyurl.com/569t2d
http://tinyurl.com/5jgzfv
Nikon D40
http://tinyurl.com/2op2pn
Any of the above are great options but please note that the D60 is the new version of the D40. Last year I started with the D40 & slowly upgraded as my needs changed. If you get addicted to photography, the camera bodies are not expensive, it is the lenses that will kill you financially. Currently I work with the following:
– Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8G
– Nikkor 12-24mm f/4G
– Nikkor 50mm f/1.2 AI-S
– Nikkor 50mm f/1.4D
– Nikkor 85mm f/1.8D
– Nikkor 105mm f/2.8g VR Micro
– Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8G VR
– Lensbabies 3G
When you get to the point that you want to invest in some lenses, I can give some advice.
BTW I only promote Nikon because i is the best & that is what I use!!
My preferred camera dealer is B&H because they have great pricing & almost always cheaper than anyone else.
You can see more examples of my work with here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bygbaby/
I only post certain images on my blog & post everything to my Flickr page.
Bam – I am dying to go to Brazil!!!!!! I to make it Bahia one day big time. I also want to take my big body & walk down Ipanema sipping on something delicious!!!
Hmmmm, black ice cream, that sounds exotic. what kind of flavor did it have?
Bygbaby
shea / July 17, 2008
hey there, b!
thanks for sharing your insight on this with me. i really appreciate your help and have officially started by hunt.
thanks!!!
Brotha Buck / July 18, 2008
It sounds GOOD! But would probably knock me off my feet.
Ro~ / July 18, 2008
Ok, when I went to Rio in '02 I was twisted on these things at "Hello". In the morning, at the noon hour, & hell even on one of the tourista traps of one of their jewlery stores. I went to suga loaves or somethin' like that I was toasted THEN!!! So, NOW, you wanna put the recipe on your page….WTF!!! This weekend will be SUCH a blurrrrrr :O)
Ro~ / July 18, 2008
Oh HECKS yeah!!! (Ok BYG, I want to 2nd BAM’s motion about the black ice cream)I know I came back home twisted and 10-15 pounds heavier!!!
Bygbaby / July 19, 2008
SHe – No problem!!!!!!
Brotha Buck – All come on man!!!!
Ro – Hey boo!!!!!! Damn you was getting fucked up throughout the day, shit!!!!!! LOL
OK, I gotta know more about this ice cream. I did a search on black ice cream & nothing come up. Give a nigga a link!!!!!!
Bygbaby