Caipirinha
Caipirinha is a sour, citrus and refreshing cocktail made with Cachaça, with moderate flavor complexity.
Ingredients
- 1 lime (cut into 6 pieces)
- 20 ml 2:1 simple syrup (or 2 tsp sugar)
- 70 ml cachaça
- Plenty of ice
Method
- Trim the ends off the lime, cut it into six wedges, and place them skin-side down in a rocks glass.
- Add the syrup (or sugar) and muddle gently — too much force pulls oil from the peel and makes the drink bitter.
- Fill the glass with ice.
- Add the cachaça and stir with a bar spoon, pulling the lime up from the bottom.
- Top with a mound of crushed ice. A lime wheel on the rim is all the garnish you need, if any.
FAQ
What is in a Caipirinha?
A Caipirinha is made with 1 lime (cut into 6 pieces), 20 ml 2:1 simple syrup (or 2 tsp sugar), 70 ml cachaça and Plenty of ice.
When should you serve a Caipirinha?
A Caipirinha fits a barbecue, the beach, a party, a hot day, easy prep, a classic and a Brazilian table.
What can I use instead of cachaça?
Cachaça is a Brazilian cane spirit. Without it, the drink is no longer the same recipe. An unaged rhum agricole is the closest stand-in; white rum is a last resort and will taste different.
What is the bartender tip for a Caipirinha?
The white pith doesn't make a caipirinha bitter — the peel oil does, when you crush too hard. Lots of ice keeps the drink concentrated: the more ice, the less dilution. 2:1 syrup dissolves better than granulated sugar; if you use teaspoons of sugar, muddle well before adding ice. Don't peel the lime.