Cachaça
Brazil’s national spirit, distilled from fresh sugarcane juice and the heart of the Caipirinha. Grassy and bright when young, warm and spiced with age.
About Cachaça
Cachaça (say it “ka-SHAH-sa”) is a Brazilian spirit made from fermented fresh sugarcane juice. Under Brazilian law it must be bottled between 38 and 48% ABV, and a small amount of added sugar, up to 6 grams per litre, is allowed. Anything sweeter has to be labelled as sweetened.
Sugarcane reached Brazil in the 1530s, and cane spirit followed soon after. Production was banned by the Portuguese Crown in the 1600s, but it was legalised again on 13 September 1661, which Brazil now celebrates as Cachaça Day.
The big difference from most rum is the raw material. Rum is usually made from molasses, while cachaça uses cane juice, which gives it a fresh, grassy, slightly funky character. Cheaper industrial cachaça comes from column stills and tastes cleaner and more neutral, while artisanal “de alambique” bottles are made in pot stills and have far more flavour. Aged cachaça rests in wooden barrels of up to 700 litres, sometimes native Brazilian woods such as amburana, and picks up vanilla and spice.
The Classic Serve
Classic Caipirinha, serves 1
- 50ml cachaça
- 1 lime, cut into 8 wedges
- 2 tsp caster sugar
- Crushed ice
Method
- Add the lime wedges and sugar to a sturdy short glass and muddle gently to release the juice without crushing the pith.
- Pour in the cachaça and stir briefly so the sugar starts to dissolve.
- Fill the glass with crushed ice, give it one more stir and serve straight away.
Tips for Buying and Using Cachaça
- Match the style to the job. Unaged (branca or prata) cachaça is the one for cocktails, as its grassy brightness cuts through lime and sugar. Save aged bottles for sipping.
- Look for “de alambique”. This means the spirit was made in a pot still, and it usually brings more flavour than a bargain column-still bottle.
- Check for sweetening. Bottles labelled “adoçada” contain added sugar well above the standard allowance. In a Caipirinha, extra sweetness throws the balance off.
- Go easy on the muddling. Pressing too hard releases bitter oils from the lime pith. Press until the juice runs, then stop.
- It is not a straight swap for rum. The two share a lot of DNA, but cachaça is more vegetal. Substituting changes the drink, which is why a Caipirinha made with rum has its own name.
Popular Variations
Caipirissima
The Caipirinha made with white rum in place of cachaça. Smoother and rounder, but less grassy.
Caipiroska
Vodka stands in for cachaça. A cleaner, lighter drink, popular wherever cachaça is hard to find.
Batida
Cachaça shaken or blended with fruit juice and often condensed milk. Passion fruit and coconut are the classic versions.
Fruit Caipirinha
Muddle strawberries, passion fruit or pineapple in with the lime for a fruitier take on the original.
How to Serve
Glass: A sturdy short tumbler or rocks glass that can take muddling. Aged cachaça suits a small tulip or snifter, served neat.
Ice: Crushed ice for a Caipirinha, as it chills fast and dilutes the drink slightly. Unaged cachaça can also be served neat and cold, or over one large cube.
Batching for a crowd: Muddle the limes and sugar in a jug, add the cachaça, and pour over ice glass by glass rather than pre-diluting, so the drinks stay punchy.
Related Database Entries
Explore the spirits and cocktails closest to cachaça: