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The Most Popular Booze in Brazil: Cachaca
For those of you who don't know, Cachaca is the most consumed liquor in Brazil (Brazilians consume 3 gallons- or 12 liters- per capita, annually).
1.3 billion liters of Cachaça are produced each year. Only 1% of this production is exported (mainly to Germany).
It's much like a rum; the key difference is that almost all rums are distilled from molasses (a byproduct of sugar production) whereas Cachaca is distilled from fresh-pressed sugarcane juice. It tends to be lighter and sweeter because of this, although there are other methods involved in production (as with all liquors) that will also seriously affect the spirit's character.
Anyway, since the Mojito is my favorite cocktail, I wanted to try it with Cachaca instead of White/Silver Rum. But first, I thought I'd try it in its native state- as the base for the most popular Brazilian cocktail: the Caipirinha.
To make this drink, fill a rocks glass with ice. Now, halve a lime. Quarter one of those halves. Drop these quarters (of 1/2 of the lime) into a separate mixing glass or shaker. Add 1-2 teaspoons of sugar. Muddle well (muddling is done using a piece of wood that resembles one of those miniature Louisville Sluggers). You want to make sure you extract the juices of both the lime and its rind. Now add the ice from the rocks glass into the mixing glass and 2 to 2.5 ounces of Cachaca. Shake all the ingredients together. Now pour this final mixture back into the rocks glass and drink. This drink is particularly unique in the cocktail world because it's one of the only drinks to retain the original lime (for juices) ans original mixing ice in the final glass for drinking.
In order to try this drink, I did some research. Leblon Cachaca is in a 5-way tie as the third highest scoring Cachaca by the BTI (Beverage Testing Institute) in the last five years; however, I found some personal reviews online that indicated Leblon is the "Bacardi of the Cachaca world." Is that true? Is Leblon derided in Brazil? How do you guys perceive it in Brazil?
They had a bottle for $29 at the Raley's (it's the only Cachaca sold in my town), so I bought it. Keep in perspective: here, I can get a bottle of Grey Goose at the food superstore for $27. So this bottle cost me $2 more than Grey Goose.
Now, my question to my Brazilian brothers:
1) How much do you pay for Leblon? (I'll tell you how much I pay for Jack Daniels when you're done).
2) If you had one Cachaca to recommend to me, what would it be?
3) What's the most popular brand of Cachaca there in Brazil?
4) What's a Cachaca that although it isn't necessarily "the best" or whatever, you can find on the top shelf in any Brazilian bar?
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"Sage advice to follow: if you have to ask questions about any drug or drug mimicker, you should not be thinking about using it."
- Terumo
Last edited by Madmick : 12-19-2007 at 11:15 AM.
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