Get your winter perked up with this simple Caipirinha Coffee recipe! You’ll create this cocktail using Brazilian cachaça, robust coffee, Demerara sugar syrup, and some fresh lime - ideal for those cold evenings.
Prep time: 1 minute
Mixing time: 1 minute
Servings: 1
Calories: 230
Ingredients
- 2 oz Cachaça
- ¾ oz Demerara sugar syrup
- 1 oz freshly brewed espresso
- ½ Lime - cut into wedges
- Crushed ice
- Lime wheel and coffee beans - for garnish, optional
Equipment
- Old Fashioned Glass
- Muddler
- Measuring Jigger
- Stirrer or Bar Spoon
Instructions
- Muddle: In your Old Fashioned glass, muddle the lime wedges from ½ Lime and ¾ oz Demerara sugar syrup together. You want to extract as much juice as possible from the limes.
- Add Cachaça: Pour 2 oz Cachaça over the muddled limes.
- Add Coffee: Add 1 oz freshly brewed espresso to the mix.
- Add Ice: Fill the glass halfway with crushed ice. Using the bar spoon, churn well to properly combine the ingredients and chill the drink.
- Garnish: Add a straw, fill the glass to the brim with crushed ice and garnish with a lime wheel and a few coffee beans. Serve immediately.
Notes
Substitutes:
- Cachaça: If you can't find cachaça, white agricole rum can be used as a substitute. For a lighter version, you can also use white cuban-style rum to make this cocktail. Those two spirits won't exactly provide the same unique flavor as cachaça, but they'll do in a pinch.
- Freshly Brewed Espresso: You can use strong brewed coffee if you don't have an espresso machine.
- Demerara Sugar Syrup: You can make your own syrup by mixing together equal parts Demerara sugar and water over medium heat. Stir well to dissolve the sugar completely and let it cool down to room temperature before using. If you can’t find any Demerara sugar, don’t worry: you can use cane sugar syrup as a substitute (either homemade or store-bought). In fact, any kind of sugar syrup or your liking works for this recipe!
Making it Non-Alcoholic:
- Cachaça Substitute: Use a non-alcoholic white rum substitute; these are available and reasonably mimic the flavor. If you can’t find any, lemonade can be a good substitute as well (in that case, you may want to increase the quantity a bit).
- Proceed As Usual: Use this non-alcoholic substitute instead of the regular cachaça, follow the original steps, and enjoy a non-alcoholic version.
Making it Vegan:
- Sugar Substitute: Ensure you're using vegan sugar (some sugars are processed using bone char); unrefined organic sugars are usually the safest option Alternatively, use a plant-based sweetener like agave nectar.
What is a Caipirinha Coffee?
A Caipirinha Coffee is a cocktail made of Cachaça, lime, Demerara sugar and freshly brewed espresso. This unique blend combines the robust flavors of Brazil’s most popular spirit with the rich depth of coffee to create a refreshing yet potent drink.
The process for making this cocktail is simple but does require some precision in balancing the distinct tastes. The key lies in ensuring that neither the potent flavor of Cachaça nor the boldness of coffee dominates too much over each other.
What is a Caipirinha Coffee made of – The ingredients
The following items are required for a Caipirinha Coffee recipe:
- Cachaça: A Brazilian spirit made from sugarcane juice, it adds a distinctive flavor to the drink.
- Freshly Brewed Espresso: This concentrated coffee form provides a robust flavor and caffeine kick.
- Demerara Sugar: It sweetens the drink and complements the cachaça and espresso flavors with its rich sugar cane flavor.
- Lime: The juice and zest add a refreshing citrus note, balancing the sweetness and bitterness.
