Name: Caipirinha
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 10 min
Yield: 1
Ingredients: 1 lime (cut into 4 wedges); 1 tablespoon granulated sugar ((or brown if desired)); ice cubes; 3 tablespoons cachaça

Caipirinha is a famous thirst quenching drink made from lime, sugar, ice, and a rum-like spirit, cachaça. It’s the naughty Brazil’s national cocktail… cheers to that!

Just as Mexico with its Margarita and Cuba with its Mojito, Brazil also has a national cocktail drink: Caipirinha! It is made with mashed lime and sugar, ice, and a shot of cachaça.

Just like white rum, cachaça is made from a sugarcane-derived product, but it has a stronger flavor and aroma because its distillation process retains more impurities.

ABOUT CAIPIRINHA COCKTAIL

The word caipirinha is the diminutive of caipira, which means “hillbilly”. But the cocktail is most referred to ‘little countryside drink’ rather than the class of person.

Its origin is still not certain yet associated with that of cachaça.

HOW TO MAKE CAIPIRINHA DRINK

To make this caipirinha recipe, add lime and sugar into a small glass.

Then, mash them together using a pastle, muddler or a wooden spoon. Fill the glass with ice and add the cachaça.

DISHES THAT PAIR WELL WITH CAIPIRINHA

One thing I know, caipirinha is perfect to accompany feijoada (black bean and pork stew)– Brazil’s national dish.

Moreover, cod cakes (bolinho de bacalhau), churrasco (Brazilian barbeque), picanha (top sirloin cap), grilled pork chops and other meats like these barbecue pork ribs.

Caipirinha is so popular in Brazil that it is widely available in restaurants, bars, and many households… As well as its variations!

CAIPIRINHA VARIATIONS

Oh, yeah! There are many variations of this drink as follows:

Caipifruta – consists of cachaça, crushed fresh fruits, sugar, and crushed ice. The most popular fresh fruits used to create this drink are tangerine, kiwi, passion fruit, pineapple, lemon, grapes, mango, cajá, cashew fruit, açaí, and strawberry caipirinha.
Caipisake – sake is substituted for cachaça. It is commonly made with strawberries or kiwi.
Caipiroska or Caipivodka – made with vodka instead of cachaça.
Caipiríssima – prepared with rum instead of cachaça.
Caipirão – made using a liqueur from Portugal, Licor Beirão, instead of cachaça.
CaipirItaly – Campari is substituted for cachaça. It is a variation from Italy.
Caipinheger – variation made using Steinhager.

Because I do not drink, mine is made with crushed fruit(s), sugar substitute (granulated), crushed ice, and most important sparkling water. It is the light and virgin version of the drink.

CAIPIRINHA INGREDIENTS/SUBSTITUTIONS

You can replace lime for almost any fruit… and use a sugar sub instead of sugar.

If you don’t find cachaça, use vodka or white rum.

OTHER DRINK RECIPES:

5 from 6 votes

Caipirinha

Caipirinha cocktail is a famous thirst quenching drink made from lime, sugar, ice, and a rum-like spirit, cachaça. It's the naughty Brazil's national drink... cheers to that!

Course Drinks

Cuisine Brazilian

Keyword caipirinha, caipirinha cocktail, caiprinha recipe, cocktail recipe, drink recipe, how to make caipirinha

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes

Total Time 10 minutes

Servings 1

Calories 170 kcal

Author Denise Browning

Ingredients

1 lime cut into 4 wedges
1 tablespoon granulated sugar (or brown if desired)
ice cubes
3 tablespoons cachaça

Instructions

Place lime and sugar into a small glass. Mash the two ingredients together using a pastle, muddler or a wooden spoon. Fill the glass with ice and add the cachaça.

Recipe Notes

A wide variety of fresh fruits can be used in place of lime. In the absence of cachaça, vodka can be used, making a caipiroska.

Nutrition Facts

Caipirinha

Amount Per Serving

Calories 170 Calories from Fat 9

% Daily Value*

Fat 1g2%

Saturated Fat 1g5%

Sodium 2mg0%

Potassium 68mg2%

Carbohydrates 19g6%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 13g14%

Protein 1g2%

Vitamin C 20mg24%

Calcium 22mg2%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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