Brazil's national cocktail is so refreshing and delicious! Ask your liquor store to order Cachaca for you if they don't stock it, there's no substitute.
As a Brazilian myself, I prepare Caipirinha in a slightly different way: the ingredients are still the same (although you can substitute the cachaça for dark rum - it will then be called "Caipirissima"). You should crush the sliced lime (unpeeled, please!) and the sugar in a glass, mix in the cachaça (or rum) and a few ice cubes. As for the comments on using either limes or lemons, I can assure you that what is sold in the US as lime is exactly what Brazilians call "limão Tahiti". So, go with the lime!
Read Moreas a Scotsman who has been to Brasil on many occasions- here is my take - 1. Yes limes only please. 2. Cane sugar only, unrefined if possible. 3. Im sure its great with pineapple and many other things but then it aint a Caiparinha. 4. No matter how good the cachaca, or how well you follow the recipe or how good the company is - it'll never ever ever taste the same as it does in a bar anywhere in Brasil with the samba music blaring and the beautiful multicultural crazy clientel all around you - so do yourself a favour and go visit the most beautiful, hospitable and downright loco country in the world! and Yes Scotland runs a very close second- we just don't get the weather :)
Read MoreAs a Brazilian myself, I prepare Caipirinha in a slightly different way: the ingredients are still the same (although you can substitute the cachaça for dark rum - it will then be called "Caipirissima"). You should crush the sliced lime (unpeeled, please!) and the sugar in a glass, mix in the cachaça (or rum) and a few ice cubes. As for the comments on using either limes or lemons, I can assure you that what is sold in the US as lime is exactly what Brazilians call "limão Tahiti". So, go with the lime!
Being a Brazilian myself, I must say that our original recipe for Caipirinha takes lemon (Tahiti lemon), not lime. One more hint: I know this could be hard for you to find in the USA, but try using the artesanal Cachaça, not the industrial one. If you have more than a few drinks, the industrial Cachaça (Velho Barreiro, Ypioca, 51) will probably give you a headache and a hangover the next day. A good quality Cachaça (artesanal), won't! Cheers from Brazil!!!
This drink is stunning, and believe me being brazilian myself I can assure you that caipirinha is made with lime and not lemon!!! Shame on the brazilians who said it's made with lemon :(
as a Scotsman who has been to Brasil on many occasions- here is my take - 1. Yes limes only please. 2. Cane sugar only, unrefined if possible. 3. Im sure its great with pineapple and many other things but then it aint a Caiparinha. 4. No matter how good the cachaca, or how well you follow the recipe or how good the company is - it'll never ever ever taste the same as it does in a bar anywhere in Brasil with the samba music blaring and the beautiful multicultural crazy clientel all around you - so do yourself a favour and go visit the most beautiful, hospitable and downright loco country in the world! and Yes Scotland runs a very close second- we just don't get the weather :)
What a terrific cocktail. No driving afterward, though! it is potent...superfine sugar makes it even better.
This drink tastes like heaven in a hot summer afternoon.. but you need three ou four teaspoons of sugar, a inch of pineaple juice and the ice should be crushed.. Enjoy!
Very simple and straightforward recipe! Only problem is that some brazilians always insisted in mix up the things and translate "limão" as "lemon", what is completely wrong: "Limão"(the green fruit) is lime, and "lima" (the yellow one) is lemon, in portuguese. I believe that thousands of poor american citizens were instructed the wrong way on caipirinha recipe. Blame on brazilians bad english knowledge (I`m one of them - but I do not confuse "vital" things like that...). One more thing: caipirinha is made of lime, sugar and cachaça on the rocks. Everything else is not caipirinha. Period!
Add an extra teaspoon of sugar. I make double batches and muddle the sugar and lime.
Nothing beats this on a hot day! I was in Rio for 10 days last year and had caipirinhas at a dozen different locations. Never saw a lemon. They were ALWAYS made with lime.
Being Brazilian I do assure you that Caipirinha is just great! I agree with the other reviewer who said that one should use lemmon instead of lime. Also, it would be better to use cachaça but there is a variation of this drink with vodka( it's called caipivodka) that is also quite nice. If you want to do something diferent you can use other fruits as well ( here it is quite common to use it also done with passion fruit). Cheers!
Way too little sugar in this recipe. I use a rounded tablespoon. You want enough sugar to saturate the mix. There should be a little granulated sugar at the bottom of the glass once it is all stirred together. Sugar should be ground into the lime. I use a mortar & pestle. You want to bruise the peel of the lime to bring out the zest. I pour the lime and sugar into a glass with crushed ice, rinse the mortar with cachaca, and stir it into the glass. Wow! Best ingredients? As one reviewer says, good cachaca. Brazilian limes, way better than those I get in the States. And, O Samba.
As a Brazilian I've made many caipirinhas professionally. You definitely want to go with a Handcrafted/Artesnal Cachaca. I always use Cachaca São Paulo. No hangover and excellent quality with a competitive price. The half lime should be cut into cubes muddled with the sugar, add ice then the Cachaca. The secret is in the shake. If your caipirinha looks like a carbonated drink you have made an excellent one. Enjoy.
This is my favorite drink too, but I made a little different: I doubled the amount of lime and sugar, mash them together in a glass and it's very important to peel the limes otherwise it will taste too strong. Then add the ice and I used vodka instead of cachaca, just a preference.
In case anyone is interested or diabetic this can be made with Splenda as well. Not an issue to toy with the amount of Lime or sweetener to taste This is a very good basic recipe. Have also heard of substituting Vodka and calling it a Caipirosky.
I had one at a Brazilian restaurant and loved it, so of course had to make it at home. The cachaca is very strong so I need to work on this recipe a bit yet.
Use good quality cachaca. There is no real mix to speak of, so use lots of ice and sip as the ice melts. Fabulous on a hot day. I found the amounts of sugar to lime were just right: not too sweet, not too tart.
Whoa baby! I made these for ladies' weekend at the cabin to have with pulled pork. I put them in shot glasses to start and am so glad I did! These taste a lot like lemoncello, but more tart not so sweet. I will make again and want to mix in club soda for a refreshing summer beverage without ALL the kick!
I made as written and then ended up adding more sugar to it to help cut the bite. It was really refreshing and tasty!
I had never heard of this drink until someone had brought us the Cachaca and told us we had to try it. Very simple recipe, easy to make and very tasty. I used American limes, really good!
Super basic and all you need for a perfect cocktail. **Limes are essential; lemons aren’t ever used! Lemons are not readily avail in Brazil (&South America) Peel and all are thrown into a glass and broken down quickly with ice using a pestal.
made a batch of these for a World Cup party thanks to a recommendation from a Brazilian coworker. It has been our cocktail of choice ever since. Simple and delicious!
The best!
Finally found the rum needed to make these but it was so worth it! Excellent cocktail
