Classic Cocktail Of The Month: Caipirinha

Ever spirit has its quintessential cocktail that accompanies it: gin, the Martini; rum, the Daiquiri; tequila, the Margarita, and so on. For cachaca, that cocktail is the Caipirinha. A cocktail that is believed to out date the Martini, Daiquiri, and Margarita, the Caipirinha essentially is a cachaca sour that dates back over two hundred years. Like many cocktails that old, the Caipirinha was constructed in order to round out the sharp edges of the harsh cachaca of the time.


Finally seeing popularity outside of its home country of Brazil, the Caipirinha, along with cachaca, is now becoming a popular drink in many bars.



Caipirinha

- 2 oz Cachaca

- 1 oz Lime Juice

- 2 Teaspoons Raw Sugar

- Cut a lime into eighths and add 5/8 to the bottom of a rocks glass

- Muddle Lime to extract lime juice and oils

- Add Sugar and spirit to rocks glass

- Mix Cachaca, lime, and sugar until sugar is almost entirely dissolved

- Top with crushed ice and churn drink with bar spoon

- No Garnish necessary

Caipirinha

This month's twist on our classic, The Kiko (named after my favorite guitarist from Brazil), doesn't stray too far from the original.  The simple addition of a flavored syrup, and a dash of bitters adds a new layer to this Brazilian classic.

Kiko

- 2 oz Cachaca

- 1 oz Lime Juice

- 1/2 oz Blueberry Rosemary Syrup

- 1 Dash of Bittermens Tiki Bitters

- Cut a lime into eighths and add 5/8 to the bottom of a rocks glass

- Muddle Lime to extract lime juice and oils

- Add syrup and spirit to rocks glass

- Mix Cachaca, lime, and syrup until sugar is almost entirely dissolved

- Top with crushed ice and churn drink with bar spoon

- Garnish with lime, and a rosemary sprig

* Blueberry Rosemary Syrup
- 1 Cup Blueberries
- 1 Cup Sugar
- 1/2 Cup Water

- Add all ingredients to sauce pan on low-medium heat
- Let syrup simmer for approximately 30 minutes
- Macerate berries while stirring syrup
- Let cool
- Strain out seeds with fine mesh strainer
- bottle and store in fridge