Brazil's National Cocktail: the Tasty, Refreshing Caipirinha

The great thing about the extremely beach-ready Caipirinha is that making it is about as easy as, well, a day at the beach. You take half a lime, slice it up into wedges, muddle it in a glass with two teaspoons of sugar, pour cachaça on top, add ice, stir, and don’t forget to wear sunscreen.

As for that base spirit: Cachaça is a Brazilian liquid distilled from sugarcane juice—not unlike rhum agricole, but a little softer. It’s widely available.

Here’s the easy-as-pie way to use it in a Caipirinha:

Ingredients |

  • 2 oz cachaça
  • Half a lime, cut into wedges
  • 2 tsp sugar

Method |

  • Muddle lime wedges and sugar
  • Pour cachaça on top, add ice, and stir