info on Cachaca

[khoiberg]

As I've been trying to expand my portfolio and experience with "rum", I've come across cachaca. Can anyone help with:

1. Differences, if any, between rum and cachaca

2. Recommendations for cachaca

Thanks!

Kirk

[beans]

First, welcome to eG khoiberg!

Here are a whole list of discussions: Webtender Forum of Discussion

A bit more specifically: George's thread

[Don't miss George's provided URL too]

*  *  *  *

"Cachaça", "aguardente de cana", "pinga" or "caninha" are the beverages

obtained with an alcohol content of 38 - 54% v/v, from the distillation of

fermented sugar-cane juice. Sugar may be added to the beverages, at at rate of

up to 6 grams per litre. Beverages containing more than 6 grams of sugar per

litre, (and less than 30 grams per litre), will be called "sweet cachaça", or

"sweet cane aguardente", or "sweet pinga", or "sweet caninha."

Aged cachaça / aguardente de cana / pinga / caninha is a beverage containing

at least 50% of distillate that has been aged for a minimum of 1 year. Caramel

may be added for color adjustment. The total content of congeners shall not be

less than 2000 ppm, or more than 6500 ppm, on an anhydrous-alcohol basis.

Cheers!

George

And finally, a description/definition from the Drink Recipe Database and a list of a few drinks containing cachaça.

Happy reading and I hope it helps.

[Pan]

Why did I think cachaca came from cashew fruit juice? Is that question answerable?

[Ed Hamilton]

Thanks beans, for the information on Cachaca. This spirit is quite popular in South America and shouldn't be confused with rhum agricole. Even though it is distilled from sugar cane juice, cachaca is distilled to a higher proof, about 72% v/v, so it lacks the full flavor of rhum agricole. There are other differences but that is the main difference.

As for why Pan thought it was made from cashew nut juice, is beyond me. But cashew flavored cachaca sounds interesting.

[scheer]

latest news on cachaça is that is has to be distilled between 38 and 48% alc. vol. Any distillate between 48 and 54% should be names aguardiente de cana.

This is by the latest decree no. 4851 d.d. October 2, 2003, article 90 , by th Brazilian Government.

In this decree also Caipirinha is mentioned, that it must contain real cachaça, and other vaiation of sugar cane spirits coming from Brasil.

Ed

[khoiberg]

Thanks for this info and for the welcome to the Forum.

What are people's opinions of cachaca and aguardiente?

Best,

Kirk

[Ed Hamilton]

Most rums are distilled to more than 90% alcohol, except rhum agricole which is distilled to about 72%alcohol. Also most rum is made from molasses, rhum agricole is made from sugar cane juice.

I haven't run across many cachacas that are aged more than a couple of years but I haven't been to Brazil, maybe it's time to go.

[beegew]

I have several bottles of Pitu cachaca (big red lobster on the front my globetrotting brother insists is the local crayfish) in the house at this moment, one just about drained. On it's own, it is a vile spirit, guaranteed to curl hair. Or cause it to fall out completely. Avoid the unadulterated version at all costs. (WARNING Will Robinson!!)

However, poured over limes mashed with sugar, and then add ice cubes, it becomes a Caipirinha, nectar of the Gods.

And exceedingly addicting.

[carioca]

Why did I think cachaca came from cashew fruit juice? Is that question answerable?

I think because the Portugese make a nice drink in goa colony with cashew.

[John von Pey]

Why did I think cachaca came from cashew fruit juice? Is that question answerable?

Because Cacha sounds like cashew?

[Pan]

No. Evidently someone some time gave me some misinformation, but it's definitely not because of assonance.

[scheer]

recently the brazilian legislation has been changed> Everything distilled between 48% and 54% must be called aguardiente de cana/ So this is officially not cachaça.

ed

[Cachaca_Dave]

recently the brazilian legislation has been changed>  Everything distilled between 48% and 54% must be called aguardiente de cana/ So this is officially not cachaça.

←

If it's true then Pitu, 51, Ypioca and the other big brands would have to go back to being aguardiente de cana, reversing the 2001 degree that "established cachaça as the official and exclusive name for cane alcohol in Brazil"

Maybe "bottled between 48-54%"? All the big brands are distilled at much higher proofs but bottled at 39-43%.

-Dave

[Chris Hennes]

I was at the liquor store today and saw that they no have something like a half dozen different cachaças: can anyone suggest what the good ones are these days? In particular for mixing...

[evo-lution]

I was at the liquor store today and saw that they no have something like a half dozen different cachaças: can anyone suggest what the good ones are these days? In particular for mixing...

What brands were they? There are so many around it just depends what's available in your marketplace...

[Chris Hennes]

I don't recall: some I had heard of before, some I had not. Do you have a "top 5" favorites?

[nikkib]

Sagatiba all the way - its excellent, just waiting for my first delivery here in Beirut and vcannot wait!

[Paulo Freitas]

Ok, a brazilian point of view here

First of all, Sagatiba is not a chachaça, it's kind of a vodka in fact... It doesn't taste like cachaça and it doesn't smell like cachaça. Real cachaça is NOT multi-distilled. no one uses it anymore over here, really overpriced

Pitu, 51 and Ypioca are the worst brands sold over here, they can compare to the $5 dollar vodkas that you can find in grocery stores over there.

Producers have been experiment with diferent woods for the ageing process. The same brand could have diferent versions depending solely on the wood used in the cask.

I don't which cachaças are avaiable in your area, and some of them are produced exclusivelly for export, so we don't come across them here in Brazil, but one that I can recommend is the Leblon Cachaça, aged in cognac casks

[evo-lution]

Do you have a "top 5" favorites?

I've recently developed a love for Armazem Vieira which is a sensational range of Cachaca. They are aged in Brazilian wood (Grápia and Aririba-Holz to be exact) and if I remember right they have a 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 and 16 year old. The first couple of years (if applicable) is aged in the Grápia and then spends its remaining time in the Aririba-Holz. It also uses the Solera aging process.

I also really like Germana 2 year old and Leblon as already mentioned.

[Tri2Cook]

I think I'm going to add a Cachaca to my cabinet in the near future. I can get Pitu (which research has already pretty much eliminated as a choice since other choices are available), Sagatiba (which has been argued against actually being a Cachaca in this very thread) Leblon and Weber Haus Silver. So, unless the information on the Sagatiba is up for debate, it looks like it's down to the Leblon or (and?) the Weber Haus. Suggestions?

[Paulo Freitas]

This Weber Haus cachaça come from a region that never were a big producer of sugar cane, not even in the time that Brazil was a colony and it's economy depended on the sugar. Also, i can't manage to consider buying a cachaça with a german name. The sagatiba hype has faded, it's difficult to find a Brazilian bartender that recognizes sagatiba as a cachaça. If you accepts that Ciroc isn't a grappa but as a vodka made from grapes, sagatiba isn't a cachaça but a vodka made from sugar cane

I think your best bet is to stick with Leblon.

[Joakim Östlund Andersson]

Just got my hands on my first bottle of Cachaca and google didn't have too much info on it.

What can you come to expect from Nêga Fulô Cachaca?

[Tri2Cook]

I think your best bet is to stick with Leblon.

Thanks!

[Paulo Freitas]

What can you come to expect from Nêga Fulô Cachaca?

It's made here in Rio de Janeiro, but unfortunately its plant is located in one of the regions that got most affected by the recent floods that hit the state. It's made in the Fazenda Soledade by the master distiller Vicente Bastos Ribeiro and is Diageo that owns the brand, but fortunately it's still made the same way. Right now they the original Nega Fulo and two other labels, one aged in Ipê barrels and other aged in Jequitibá barrels, both indigenous trees of Brazil. They are blends of aged cachaças with bi-distiled cachaças rested in stainless steel barrels.

[brinza]

Paulo, what can you tell me about Santo Grau? I was given a bottle of it a couple years ago and I've been using it sparingly. One description I found on the web made it sound like a quality product. It's certainly intense to be sure.