How to Make the Caipirinha – Brazil’s Most Iconic Cocktail

📖 Ingredients (1 serving):

• 2 oz (60 ml) Cachaça (the ONLY real spirit for a Caipirinha)

• 1 fresh lime

• 2 teaspoons white granulated sugar (traditional Brazilian style)

• Ice cubes or crushed ice

🍋 Garnish:

• Lime wheel or lime wedge

🛠️ Equipment Needed:

• Old fashioned / rocks glass

• Muddler

• Knife + cutting board

🍹 Instructions:

1. Prepare the lime

   • Cut the lime into 8 wedges.

   • Remove the bitter white pith center if possible (optional but recommended for smoother flavor).

2. Add to glass

   • Place lime pieces in the bottom of a rocks glass.

   • Sprinkle the 2 teaspoons of sugar directly over the lime.

3. Muddle gently

   • Press the limes just enough to release the juice and essential oils from the peel.

   • Do not over-muddle — bitterness comes from smashing the peel too aggressively.

4. Add the cachaça

   • Pour 2 oz cachaça over the muddled lime mixture.

5. Add ice & stir

   • Fill the glass with ice (cubed or crushed).

   • Stir well to dissolve sugar and integrate flavors.

6. Garnish with a lime wedge.

Serve right away. Caipirinhas are never shaken — they are built directly in the glass.

✨ Tips for the Perfect Authentic Caipirinha:

• Use Brazilian Cachaça (not rum — rum makes it a different drink).

• Organic or Demerara sugar also works — but the original is plain white sugar.

• For easier blending, you can stir longer — the sugar dissolves step-by-step as you sip.

• Do not substitute lemon — Caipirinha uses LIME. Always.

✅ Flavor Profile

Bright, citrusy, sweet-tart, bold, and ultra refreshing — balanced between sugar, lime oils, and the crisp vegetal kick of cachaça.