- 1
Cut a whole lime into 8 small wedges and place into a double old fashioned glass.
- 2
Add the sugar directly over the lime.
- 3
Muddle firmly but not aggressively, pressing to extract the juice and oils from the lime skin without shredding the pith.
- 4
Fill the glass with cracked ice.
- 5
Pour the cachaça over the ice.
- 6
Stir well to fully integrate all ingredients.
- 7
Top with a little more cracked ice if needed and serve.
The quality of the lime muddle makes or breaks a Caipirinha - press firmly enough to release the juice and essential oils from the peel, but stop before you bruise the bitter white pith. Cachaça made from fresh sugarcane juice (rather than molasses) is what gives this drink its grassy, funky character that sets it apart from a daiquiri.
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