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Cocktail History
The Caipirinha (pronounced kai-pe-REEN-ya) is a classic cocktail that was created by farmers in the 1800s in São Paolo, Brazil. It’s traditionally made by muddling lime wedges with simple syrup and mixing both with cachaça, a type of Brazilian rum made from sugarcane. Although most popular in South America, the recipe made its way to the United States during the rubber boom in the early 1900s when Americans often traveled to Brazil to tap rubber trees for the latex sap used in tire-making.
Cocktail Ingredients
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:
Cachaça: This is a type of rum made in Brazil from sugarcane juice, yeast, and water. We used Leblon Cachaça because it’s fruity and smooth. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Lyre’s Non-Alcoholic White Cane Spirit in place of the rum.
Simple Syrup: This is a sweetener made with white sugar and water. We made ours at home using Alex’s stovetop recipe.
Lime: This is a round, green, and sour citrus fruit.
Lime Wheel: This is a lime slice that has been cut into a circular shape.
Bartending Tools
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:
Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. We used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Paring Knife: This is used to cut citrus into slices or wheels. We used the OXO Good Grips 3.5 Inch Paring Knife.
Muddler: This is used to muddle ingredients. We used the HQY Stainless Steel Cocktail Muddler.
Bar Spoon: This is used to stir ingredients. We used the Barfly Stainless Steel Teardrop Bar Spoon.
Tasting Notes
The Caipirinha features the aroma of sour citrus followed by the initial taste of the cachaça balanced by sugar and sweet and sour flavors on the finish.
Our Opinion of This Cocktail Recipe: We both thought the Caipirinha had a candy sweetness similar to a boozy iced lime soda, making it the perfect refresher on a warm, summer day. Overall, it’s a very good and very simple drink that’s worth the praise it gets.
Which of our palates is yours most like?
Find out if your palate is most similar to Alex’s or Kendall’s by answering five questions.
Which of our palates is yours most like?
Find out if your palate is most similar to Alex’s or Kendall’s by answering five questions.
Recipe
This cocktail recipe was adapted from The Art of Vintage Cocktails by Stephanie Rosenbaum.
Cut lime into four slices.
Add lime slices pulp side up to a lowball glass.
Drizzle simple syrup over limes.
Muddle gently for 5-7 seconds.
Add cachaça and cracked ice to glass.
Stir for 5-10 seconds.
Garnish with lime wheel.
Ingredients
Directions
Cut lime into four slices.
Add lime slices pulp side up to a lowball glass.
Drizzle simple syrup over limes.
Muddle gently for 5-7 seconds.
Add cachaça and cracked ice to glass.
Stir for 5-10 seconds.
Garnish with lime wheel.
Make It a Mocktail: Use Lyre’s Non-Alcoholic White Cane Spirit in place of the rum to try a booze-free version of this drink.
Shop Glassware & Tools
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More Citrus Cocktails
If you like this citrus-flavored cocktail recipe, here are a few others we’ve tried that you may enjoy:
Gin & Sin: A gin cocktail made with orange juice, lemon juice, grenadine, and an orange twist
Maiden’s Prayer: A gin and rum cocktail made with triple sec, Meyer lemon juice, and a lemon blossom
Rosemary Gin & Tonic: A gin cocktail made with grapefruit shrub, lime juice, grapefruit tonic water, grapefruit slices, and rosemary sprigs
Blood Orange Sour: A gin cocktail made with blood orange juice, triple sec, lemon juice, and a blood orange wedge
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