How to Make a Caipirinha in Your Party Machine
Brazil is known to many for it's beautiful tropical beaches, warm weather, party-loving population and coffee production. But coffee isn't the only thing people drink in the populous South American country. Caipirinha is the national cocktail of Brazil, and its residents love it. Consider making your own take on this simple, strong and sweet drink that is fairly rare in the U.S. with your frozen concoction maker.
What is a caipirinha?
Made with sugar, lime, ice and liquor, a caipirinha isn't too different than a margarita. But where Mexico uses its local liquor, tequila, Brazil uses cachaça.
Cachaça is a hard liquor made from the juice of sugar cane. It's similar to rum, as both are made from sugar cane, but the manufacturing processes differ. Cachaça is the main ingredient in a caipirinha and one of the most popular liquors in Brazil.
This popular Brazilian drink is the perfect tropical cocktail no matter where you are.
The drink likely came from an old flu remedy of lime juice, honey and garlic. It eventually evolved into a cocktail by ditching the garlic and lime for ice and sugar, which made it more pleasant and tasty, along with some alcohol for a kick.
How to make your own
Some bars in the U.S. and Europe make this Brazilian cocktail, but why not try to make your own? Often they're served in large, communal pitchers, so they're perfect to make in your party machine and share with your guests. Here's what you'll need to make a frozen caipirinha:
- 9 ounces or 6 shots of cachaça
- 7 tablespoons brown or raw sugar
- 4 tablespoons lime juice
- A hint of grated ginger
- Cut limes
- Ice
Pour your cachaça, sugar, ginger and lime juice into your party machine's blender and load your ice reservoir. Next, hit the switch and watch as your margarita machine shaves the ice and blends this South American cocktail to perfection.
Caipirinhas are perfect for sharing with guests.
Grab three Old Fashioned or rocks glasses and muddle a few lime wedges in the bottom of each. Then simply pour your frozen caipirinha into each glass - this recipe serves three. Garnish with an additional lime wedge and serve with a straw.
Although caipirinha is defined as having lime in it, there are variations on the cocktail. You can make cachaça and fruit drinks, where you replace lime with other fresh tropical fruits, like kiwifruit, pineapple or mango.
Your fellow Parrotheads at Margaritaville® Cargo remind you to enjoy your frozen concoctions responsibly and obey all drinking laws.