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Photo Credit: www.supercocktails.com
When most people think of cachaça, they immediately think of Caipirinhas. Caipirinhas (pronounced k-EYE-pir-een-yas) are the national cocktail of Brazil. Cachaça is the national spirit of Brazil. Caipirinhas are a relatively simple drink to make and only consist of three ingredients: cachaça, fresh lime and sugar. Even with three ingredients, there are many different variations on how a Caipirinha can be made such as whether to use lime wedges or lime wheels, the exact muddling time, what kind of sugar to use (granulated, sugar cubes, simple syrup) and whether or not the cocktail is shaken or stirred. If rum is used instead of cachaça, the drink is called a Caipirissima. If vodka is used instead of cachaça, the drink is called a Caipiroska.
Caipirinha
4 lime wedges (1/2 of a fresh lime, cut into 4 pieces)
1 oz simple syrup
2 oz cachaca
Lime wheel for garnish
Add the lime wedges and simple syrup to a mixing glass. Muddle ingredients together. Add ice. Shake for five to ten seconds. Pour the entire contents of the mixing glass into a rocks glass and garnish with a lime wheel.
You might notice some differences between the recipe listed above and the instructional video. The first difference is that in the video, the drink is built in a rocks glass, not a mixing glass. Whether the drink is built in the glass it’s served in or in a mixing glass is a personal preference. As a working bartender, I tend to build most of my cocktails in a mixing glass first and then add the drink into the glass it will be served in. Sometimes, building a cocktail can get messy. I want to make sure the cocktail that is delivered to the customer is not only pleasing to the palate, but also pleasing to the eye.
Or what about the use of granulated sugar instead of simple syrup? I personally prefer to use simple syrup because simple syrup dissolves easier inside the cocktail than granulated sugar does. The key to making delicious cocktails is balance. If the granulated sugar isn't dissolved all the way into the drink, the drink will be unbalanced, causing some sips to be a whole lot sweeter or more bitter than others.
Also, notice how in the video the model uses her hands to scoop ice into the cocktail she’s making? Every working bartender knows that one should NEVER use their own hands to scoop ice into a customer's cocktail. Using ones hands to scoop ice is considered unsanitary. It’s also not a good idea to use a glass as an ice scoop either. Glass is the same color as ice. If the glass breaks, it’s hard to visually tell the difference between ice and the broken glass. A metal or plastic ice scoop or a clean mixing tin should always be used to scoop ice.
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Other “Classic Cocktail” Articles:
Mint Julep
Manhattan
Margarita
Moscow Mule
Daiquiri
Mai Tai
Bloody Mary
Martini
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