Welcome to The B&B Speakeasy Drink of the Month for June 2012!
CACHACA
CACHACA
Thanks to your votes in the DOTM suggestion thread, Cachaca has been nominated as the DOTM for June.
As summer approaches and the warm weather makes its way to most of our backyards this spirit feels like a perfect fit. Made from fermented and distilled cane juice, Cachaca (ka-SHAH-sa), sometimes called Cane Rum or Brazilian Rum, is Brazil's most popular spirit. Cachaca has been around since the 1800s in Brazil, but it has become quite popular around the globe in recent years. It's most often enjoyed as the featured spirit in Brazil's national cocktail, the Caipirinha, however there are a number of exotic cocktails that feature Cachaca.
There are a handful of well known and widely distributed brands that should be available in the $20-$30 range somewhere nearby. You may find both white and gold varieties are available at your local spirit house. Gold Cachacas are typically aged in wooden casks and lend themselves very nicely to sipping.
I'm hoping you'll grab whatever bottle of Cachaca strikes your fancy and report back to this thread with your initial impressions, tasting notes, and pics!
Before you go running out to pick up a bottle, you'll need a shopping list so you can mix a tasty and refreshing Caipirinha when you get back.
There are differing opinions on the "perfect" Caipirinha, but this easy recipe will get you started:
Cut half a lime into slices or chunks. Throw them in a rocks glass.
Sprinkle a heaping teaspoon of granulated white sugar over the lime chunks.
Muddle the lime and sugar.
Add a heavy 2 oz pour of Cachaca, a heaping dose of ice, and stir.
Garnish with a wedge or slice of lime if you choose.
Adjust ratios to your unique tastes.
There you have it.
Simple. Different. Refreshing.
Hope you enjoy.