On my very first trip to Lisbon in 2006, I discovered a sweet, herby liqueur and promptly fell in love with it. And with Lisbon, of course. After being bottled, the liqueur is distributed to Portugal, and to all foreign markets which make up about 25% of the sales. Meanwhile, a law forbidding the claim of medical properties for liqueurs came into force, the alcoholic beverages were no longer qualified as medicinal. The young man from the North took this opportunity and started producing the nectars independently, with the same craftsman’s processes, in a small factory. Although the origin of the caipirinha is officially unknown, there are several unproven stories on how this drink came to be!

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Elisa Shoenberger

His work has been featured in several magazines, and he recently wrote the cover story for Bar Business. With his active participation in the United States Bartenders Guild, New York Chapter (USBGNY) he has spent the past four years developing and solidifying relationships in the industry, affording him the opportunity to work with many of the most respected names in the business. The liqueur is still produced and bottled at Quinta do Meiral, according to the original secret recipe, by double distillation of 13 different aromatic seeds, herbs and spices. During the maceration, the secret recipe of 13 spices, plants and aromatic seeds is blended with alcohol of agricultural origin. If you loved it or not, depends on how it was prepared. Hopefully, you loved it and are looking to replicate it at home. In that case, I’ve got you covered with a traditional caipirinha recipe that would please even the snobbiest caipirinha purist! Today, the average production capacity of the factory is 30,000 bottles a day. A decade ago the capacity was 10 times less!

After being weighed out and mixed, the plants and herbs are mixed with alcohol, and remain in maceration for a minimum of about twenty to twenty five days. The resulting contents are then twice distilled in copper alembics. [1] However, if your experience was not the best, please don’t run for the hills! Give my recipe a try. I would love the chance to change your mind! 😉 What is Caipirinha? Touch – Give them a little squeeze. They should be firm but feel plump when gently squeezed. If they don’t give in to your touch, they are under-ripe. If they are too soft, they are too ripe.

Muddle just enough to release the lime juices. Don’t worry if the limes are not completely macerated! You don’t want to risk ending up with a bitter caipirinha! That goes for your limes! They have to be very juicy, or they won’t produce much liquid when muddled and your caipirinha will be just a sweet shot of cachaça! Sweet, alcoholic and herbal aromas with a hint of anise and thyme, on the nose. On the palate, it is a very smooth, soft and sweet liquor, having 22% alcohol content. It is like syrup, with notes of anise, orange and caramel.

Cut the limes in half, lengthwise. (Photo 2) Stand the halved limes up and slice lengthwise in quarters. (Photo 3) Since caipirinhas are made with such few ingredients, it is important that you choose the best ones available. Aroma – Smell the limes. A ripe lime will smell, well, lime-y! The ones that are not ripe will not have a strong smell.Once the alcoholate is ready, it is then added into a mixture of alcohol, sugar and water. This mixture is then tested to ensure it fits the secret recipe’s parameters. The liqueur is still produced by double distillation of 13 different carefully selected aromatic seeds, herbs and spices. LIMES –Choose Persian limes over Key limes. They are larger and juicier, and therefore will yield more juice per fruit. Calculate 1 1/2 to 2 limes per drink.

If you don’t have an ice machine that produces crushed ice, place your ice cubes in a resealable bag, and smash with a meat tenderizer or rolling pin until the ice is crushed. (Photo 7) You could also crush the ice using a blender or food processor. Take each quarter, one at a time, and hold it upright by the skin side. Then, slice down through the pith (that white, spongy section at the center), removing and discarding it. (Photo 4) However, even though it is made with only 4 ingredients and without any fancy equipment, they can be quite unpleasant if not prepared the right way.After being weighed out and being mixed in correct proportion, the plants and herbs are mixed with alcohol and remain in maceration for a minimum of about twenty to twenty-five days. The resulting contents are then twice distilled in copper stills. The right way to prepare a caipirinha is by layering the ingredients. Lime and sugar go in first, and get muddled to release the lime juices. Then, you add the ice and finally the liquor. Caipirinhas are made all over Brazil, with several different fruits. Among some of the most popular ones are pineapple, cashew fruit, watermelon, passion fruit and clementine. It is made from a double distillation of seeds and herbs, including mint, cinnamon, cardamom and lavender, from all over the world, including former Portuguese colonies of Brazil, Sri Lanka, and India. José reached into a wooden box and pulled out a handful of coriander seeds to show us, then a handful of mint leaves, some oregano and aniseed. Whilst he was happy to tell us which spices are used, the exact recipe remains a family secret and is known only to José and Daniel. Every week, he personally weighs out the required quantities that are used to produce around 4 million bottles of this lovely liquid every year.