The Caipirinha

[birder53]

Finally tried my muddler! The photos in "The Craft of the Cocktail" of the CAIPIRINHA were enough to inspire me. I tried the Caipirinha Cherry, made with four pitted sour cherries in addition to the following. I used the Amerani Fabrini cherries. This is a great warm weather drink.

2 oz. Cachaca

1 oz. Simple Syrup or tsp. of sugar

1/2 Lime quartered.

Place lime quarters in the bottom of mixing glass, add the syrup and muddle extracting the juice and the oil in the skin from the lime quarters. Chill a rocks glass with cracked ice. Add Cachaca to the mixture in the mixing glass and dump the ice into the mixing glass and shake well. Pour the entire contents of the mixing glass back into the chilled rocks glass and serve.

[beans]

I wub my muddler.

I think my cocktail life would be quite dull sans muddler.

But don't limit yourself to the classic recipe. Variations are quite lovely -- a Caipiroska (vodka), Caipirissima (rum) or mojitos anyone?

Experiment with other fruits too! Kiwis, strawberries, mangoes, bananas, apricots, pineapple and pears all so make up some fantastic Caipirinhas as well.

What brand cachaça are you using birder53?

typos

and to add: Don't forget ginger works wonderfully in a Caipirinha too!

Edited May 2, 2004 by beans (log)

[Behemoth]

Oh seductive bitch godess Caipirinha, how you lure with with your siren song and tart-sweet wiles and then toss me aside, leaving me to wake up dazed on the livingroom floor the next day. Surprisingly hangover free, though, in your favor...

For one Caipi, I muddle a whole lime, in 1/8ths, with demerara sugar until the sigar dissolves. The granules help scratch up the lime peel, plus brown sugar tastes nicer, IMO. Once I did it with key-lime lookin' things someone brought back with them from mexico. That was even better, if one could imagine such a thing were possible.

[birder53]

I wub my muddler.

I think my cocktail life would be quite dull sans muddler.

But don't limit yourself to the classic recipe. Variations are quite lovely -- a Caipiroska (vodka), Caipirissima (rum) or mojitos anyone?

Experiment with other fruits too! Kiwis, strawberries, mangoes, bananas, apricots, pineapple and pears all so make up some fantastic Caipirinhas as well.

What brand cachaça are you using birder53?

typos

and to add: Don't forget ginger works wonderfully in a Caipirinha too!

I found only one brand - Pitu. These are definitely drinks for home! After I can't coax another drop to drink out of the glass, I sucked each piece of lime clean and scooped up the pieces of cherry with my finger DeGroff's book has several versions and many other muddled drinks to tempt me. Your list of fruits is inspiring! As far as the ginger - about how much would you use for one drink?

[beans]

birder53 -- I can only get Pitu as well, but I understand from my dearest, wild Northern Irishman that Germana is a lovely cachaça.

When I've added ginger, it has only been a wee chard or two. A little seems to go a long way.

Behemoth -- Nice tribute. Great avatar, BTW.

[beegew]

Ah, caipirinha, you seductive, slurpy, summer delight! Although our peeTU! (as we call it, the name now also replacing most scornful exclamations. i.e.:"This tastes like crap! PiTU!") has to come on a plane from N.J. with my best friend, we cherish every bottle. My brother is a coffee trader who spends a great deal of time in Brazil, and taught me to mash quartered limes with superfine sugar (another hard to come by item), then pour the Pitu into the mash. He said they actually make a powdered caipirinha mix down there, that, in a pinch here, powered limeade is a suitable sub. BLech! No worries there ~ we always have handfuls of limes just waiting to be smushed for the cause, and an empty pitcher looking for limes.

[johnnyd]

Behemoth -- Nice tribute. Great avatar, BTW.

Indeed, except for the hangover part. What vitamins are YOU taking? Cachaca knocks me the f$ck out, but... but... I loff eet soo much! Saving my last inch for 5/5 feast.

BTW: Some little keylimes are available, called "Susie" packed in McKenna TX, grown in Mexico. Heavily seeded but awesome flavor makes up for it. Domino superfine for the sugar.

Cheers!

[birder53]

Behemoth -- Nice tribute. Great avatar, BTW.

Indeed, except for the hangover part. What vitamins are YOU taking? Cachaca knocks me the f$ck out, but... but... I loff eet soo much! Saving my last inch for 5/5 feast.

BTW: Some little keylimes are available, called "Susie" packed in McKenna TX, grown in Mexico. Heavily seeded but awesome flavor makes up for it. Domino superfine for the sugar.

Cheers!

Does Domino make a superfine brown sugar??

[Eric_Malson]

Ah, caipirinha, you seductive, slurpy, summer delight! Although our peeTU! (as we call it, the name now also replacing most scornful exclamations. i.e.:"This tastes like crap! PiTU!")....

And indeed you should call it that, as there is an accent on the "u" (Pitú).

"Pee-too" means something else ENTIRELY in Portuguese! (yes, it's something normally unmentionable in polite company, although I routinely do it anyway....mention it, that is....ok, I'll shut up now....)

[johnnyd]

Does Domino make a superfine brown sugar??

Maybe their demerara(sp?), but hey, why not put a mortre and pestle to it for a minute or two? Hmmmm!! not a bad idea.... I surprise myself sometimes...

[beegew]

"Pee-too" means something else ENTIRELY in Portuguese

..and I shudder to think what that is, glad I never said it. (OR will, more likely, phone the little brother and ask. ) Dangerous language, that Portugese ~ one little syllable goes astray, and piTU!

[gus_tatory]

a canadian beer company (don't know which one, as i only did a consumer survey on it) is soon to be marketing a beer with cachaca and lime in it. it could be good super-cold on a summer day, and if it's not too sweet.

[bigbear]

I kinda like it easy on the muddling. Squeeze the pieces of lime into the glass before throwing them in and muddle gently with the sweetener. I find that the oils from the skin can make it too bitter.

[Cachaca_Dave]

2 oz. Cachaca

1 oz. Simple Syrup or tsp. of sugar

1/2 Lime quartered.

←

I've said it before here on egullet but what the heck....It is important to balance the drink - in this case another teaspoon of sugar or 2 is needed. 2 ounces is a pretty large drink and as a caipirinha purist I believe sugar syrup to be forbidden! The key is to use superfine sugar (not powdered) and to remove the white core out of your lime. The ratio is 1.5 oz cacahaca, 1/2 a lime, 2 tsp. superfine sugar. The devil is in the details.

I want to thank my mentors in Brazil (all the cachaca producers who I meet with) for showing me exactly how to make a perfect caipirinha. I'll always remember asking one producer "tell me how you make the best caipirinha" and he started by saying; "Well I go into my backyard and pick some limes off the tree" Clearly he has an advantage, but this caipirinha formula above is about as perfect as you can get.

Oh also - there are about 4 types of limes here in the USA found in groceries, the most common are Mexican (round and fragrant) and the Tahitian (lemon shaped but green). Go for the Tahitian, it's the same as those found in Brazil. (go for firm fruits that are not mushy).

[ThinkingBartender]

All Brazilians make their Caipirinhas differently, so it is impossible to be a Caipirinha purist.

1. Crushed ice or Cubed Ice is fine, though shaving ice from big blocks of ice is more original.

2. Any type of sugar you like (white granulated sugar, white sugar cubes, demerara, brown cubes, gomme sirop, demerara syrup etc etc)

3. Cachaca (unaged, aged)

4. Muddle a fresh lime for drink, don't pre-cut lime chunks the day before.

5. Straws or no straws. Maybe even a spoon, so you can continue squashing the lime pieces while drinking.

6. Make sure the lime itself is fresh, and was not frozen during transit.

Cheers!

George

Edited October 19, 2005 by ThinkingBartender (log)

[Cachaca_Dave]

I've found that most Brazilians make their caipirinhas pretty close to what I described. When I say I'm a caipirinha purist I mean that I intend to make it as close to the way I was shown in Brazil by numerous cachaca producers. I think that here in the US there is an over abundance of drinks "caipirinha" that have nothing in common with the drink other than the action of muddling. So it is important to set a standard to have people at least get the basic drink right before they start to experiment.

When you make the drink with crushed or shaved ice - are you shaking it? I find that shaved or crushed ice can make the drink very watery very quickly.

As far as the sugar goes - superfine is the same granularity as the sugar found in Brazil, table sugar is much too coarse and will not dissolve well. The other sweeteners sound interesting but I was disgusted when someone told me that they make their caipirinha with equal (nutrasweet).

And with regard to aged cachaca in a caipirinha, I have mixed feelings about that. 2-3 years and a they become bit too woody for cocktails (in my opinion).

In total agreement with you - fresh limes are as critical as good cachaca. Which brand do you prefer?

[ThinkingBartender]

I never shake drinks with crushed ice, unless they are meant to be extra diluted (some people's Daiquiris are made this way). Stirring the crushed ice and ingredients is the best way to mix them.

No-one complains of their Mint julep being too watery with crushed or Shaved ice. Or do they?

In London, Limes can be Mexican or Brazilian, depends on the supplier, though i am sure you can specify when you order them.

Cheers!

George

[Alchemist]

i've never heard of shaking with crushed ice. I will do a short gentel shake with regular cubes if I'm pouring onto crushed ice so as not to introduce room temp liquid to crushed ice which seems to blow any wash line and instantly dillute the cocktail.

I shake my caip- drinks (Roshka, ect.) thrice with the cracked ice then roll into the glass. I don't know if one would consider this educated ice, but it seems wicked smart to me.

I am starting to really love the way cracked ice behaves. With the variety of sizes, you have some ice melting instantly, mellowing, and chilling the drink then larger bergs who see you through the end of the cocktail. Also I like the way it looks. So charmingingly rustic, yet a hint of proffesionalism (it's not easy to hand crack ice).

[M.X.Hassett]

I can only imagine the key seems to be proper sized cubes. Could you elaborate on the "Roshka"

[Alchemist]

Quite right, cant start with bad ice and turn it into nice cracked or crushed ice. Kold-Draft RULES!

You must excuse the slaughter of forthcoming Portuguse. A caiparina is cachaca, caiproshka(russian) is vodka, caiprina(tilda) is with rum (YUMMM!).

Sinse this discussion, was started about muddlers, can I say that PUG muddlers are gods gift to bartenders.

[M.X.Hassett]

Thanks, rum = yummm / vodka = ummm

[Alchemist]

I agree, with the general sentiment, but maye we can think of the Roshka as a gateway cocktail. If you can go from a razberry Roshka, to a raz Rissima, to a regular Rissima, maybe we can impress some one with a new experiance.

[M.X.Hassett]

Ahhh but is there a caip with gin

Yes I agree with bringing people to a level of higher quility cocktails wholeheartedly.

[Alchemist]

Ahhh but is there a caip with gin

Yes I agree with bringing people to a level of higher quility cocktails wholeheartedly.

←

Caip with gin would be a gimelet "bon femme". Or something.

[M.X.Hassett]

Yes it is still early for me is the "good woman" gim the one with the addition of suger

Edited October 20, 2005 by M.X.Hassett (log)