San Francisco plays host to the Sagatiba Master Bartender Class

November 10, 2:20 PMBartender ExaminerKathleen Neves

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Global Brand Ambassador, John Gakuru of Sagatiba hosted the Sagatiba Master Bartender Class in San Francisco on November 5th at the Palace Hotel. The event brought together bartenders, bar managers, bar owners and many other industry professionals for the purpose of educating attendees on what exactly cachaça (ka-shah-sa) is, how its made, how its distilled and its versatility in mixing a variety of cocktails.

What is Cachaça?

Cachaça can be a great conversation starter between bartenders and customers. Cachaça is often compared to rum because they’re both are a by-product sugarcane. The biggest difference between the two spirits is that rum is made from molasses. Cachaça is made from sugarcane juice. Bar customers may not be familiar with the premium cane spirit. Cachaça is very versatile, making it easy to serve with a mixer or in a sophisticated cocktail. It’s not a new spirit, but its recent serge in popularity over the last few years has made it the third most consumed white spirit in the world, right behind vodka and soju. Each year, Brazil produces over 1.3 billion liters of cachaça, 99% of which is consumed domestically. That means only 1% of the cachaça Brazil produces is distributed outside of the country.

Tasting Notes

During the tasting portion of the class, attendees got the chance to taste both products in the Sagatiba product line: Sagatiba Pura and Sagatiba Velha. There was also a comparison taste test between Sagatiba and other popular brands of cachaça such as Fifty One, Ypioca Crystal, Cabana and Leblon. Attendees were encouraged to taste any one of the featured other brands and decide for themselves the notable differences in taste and quality.

Sagatiba Pura is light and has a crisp cane flavor and aroma. The color is clear. The nose is subtle and clean with a hint of fresh cut sugarcane. The taste is smooth and layered with a long finish. It’s lightly sweet and spicy.

Sagatiba Velha is golden in color. The nose consists of honey, butterscotch and tropical plantain. The taste is banana nut and spice with a whiskey finish. The whiskey finish is due to spirit being aged in American oak casks for three years.

Mixability

To demonstrate the versatility of Sagatiba, a number of cocktails were sent out for attendees to sip on during the Master Bartender Class. The first drink served at the event was the Sagatiba Classic Caipirinha. The Caipirinha is the national cocktail of Brazil. According to John Gakuru, the best way to make a Sagatiba Classic Caipirinha is by following a few easy steps. First, cut a half of a lime into four wedges and add into a mixing glass. Secondly, add two spoonfuls of liquid cane sugar (simple syrup). Using simple syrup instead of granulated sugar will create a more balanced drink because the syrup will dissolve easier into the drink. Next, muddle the limes and simple syrup in the mixing glass. Add cachaça and ice. Give the mixing glass a short shake, just to mix all of the ingredients together. Dump all of the contents of the mixing glass into a rocks glass. Add a touch more ice before serving.

The second drink attendees sipped on at the event was a Saga 7, which is simply Sagatiba Pura and Seven-up, served on the rocks. The third drink served at the event was the Bikini Martini which featured Sagatiba Pura and passion fruit puree, At the end of the event, John himself mixed up his variation of the traditional Brazilian drink, a Batida, made with pumpkin. There was also a variation of a Hemingway Daiquiri featuring Sagatiba available for attendees to taste.

Be sure to visit the Sagatiba website for more information on the company’s product line, drink recipes (even for the drinks featured at the event), blog and how to access the Sagatiba iPhone application.

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