Get ready for fall with this simple Rabo de Galo recipe! It's a warming mix of cachaça, red vermouth, Cynar and lime for those chilly autumn evenings.
Prep time: 1 minute
Mixing time: 1 minute
Servings: 1
Calories: 219
Ingredients
- 1⅔ oz Cachaça
- ¾ oz red Vermouth - sweet Vermouth
- ⅓ oz Cynar
- Ice cubes
- Lime or orange twist - for garnish, optional
Equipment
- Old Fashioned Glass
- Measuring Jigger
- Stirring Glass
- Cocktail Strainer
- Stirrer or Bar Spoon
Instructions
- Prep Glass: Fill an Old Fashioned glass with ice cubes. Give it a stir to chill it and set it aside.
- Add Cynar: Pour ⅓ oz Cynar into the mixing glass.
- Add Vermouth: Measure and add ¾ oz red Vermouth.
- Add Cachaça: Finally, add 1⅔ oz Cachaça to the mix.
- Add Ice and Stir: Fill the mixing glass with ice. Using a bar spoon or a long stirrer, stir well (for about 15-20 seconds). Give it a taste and stir a bit more if you feel like more dilution is necessary.
- Strain: Take the Old Fashioned glass and use the cocktail strainer to remove any excess water inside. Add more ice if necessary and strain the drink into the ice-filled glass.
- Garnish: Garnish with a lime or orange twist (express the lime zest on top of the drink and then place it on the rim of the glass or drop it directly inside) and serve immediately.
Notes
Substitutes:
- Cachaça: If you don't have cachaça, you can use white agricole rum as a substitute. It won't have the same unique flavor profile as cachaça, but it will still make a tasty cocktail.
- Red Vermouth: Any kind of sweet or red vermouth can be used to make this cocktail. Feel free to experiment with different vermouths of your liking!
- Cynar: You can try using another amaro (bitter liqueur) as a replacement for the Cynar. Our suggestions would be to try first with Punt e Mes, Averna or Fernet Branca.
Making a Pitcher of Rabo de Galo:
- Scale: To make a pitcher that serves 8, multiply all the ingredients by 8. That would be 13 oz of cachaça, 6 oz of red vermouth and 2½ oz of Cynar.
- Mix: In a large pitcher, combine the cachaça, red vermouth and Cynar. Add ice and stir well. Give it a taste and stir again if you feel like more dilution is necessary.
- Serve: Strain to remove the ice, serve immediately into ice-filled Old Fashioned glasses and garnish with a lime or orange twist. If you have some leftovers, be sure to keep it in the fridge (make sure no ice cubes are left inside) in an airtight container as vermouth is prone to oxidation when kept at room temperature.
Making it Non-Alcoholic:
- Cachaça Substitute: Use a non-alcoholic cachaça or white rum substitute; these are available and reasonably mimic rum's flavor.
- Red Vermouth Substitute: Opt for a non-alcoholic red vermouth substitute; these are usually widely available in liquor stores.
- Cynar Substitute: Opt for a non-alcoholic bitter aperitif, or simply omit the Cynar and substitute it with 2 dashes of Angostura bitters; the final drink will indeed chemically contain a drop of alcohol, but won’t make you intoxicated at all. Depending on your reason for not drinking alcohol and your degree of tolerance on the topic, this can also be a suitable option.
- Proceed As Usual: Use these non-alcoholic substitutes instead of the regular ingredients, follow the original steps, and enjoy a non-alcoholic version.
Making it Vegan:
Good news! The Rabo de Galo is already vegan-friendly. Make sure to use vegan sugar (if you're making your simple syrup), and check that your cachaça and vermouth brands don't use animal products in their processing methods.What is a Rabo de Galo?
A Rabo de Galo is a cachaça-based cocktail made of cachaça, red vermouth and Cynar. This Brazilian drink is pretty simple to make and is an accessible choice for beginners or anyone looking for a quick and easy cocktail to prepare. The name “Rabo de Galo,” which translates directly into English as “rooster’s tail”, or “Cock-Tail”, has become synonymous with Brazil’s vibrant drinking culture over time.
What is a Rabo de Galo made of – The ingredients
These are the ingredients you need to create a Rabo de Galo:
- Cachaça: This is the primary spirit in a Rabo de Galo. It’s a Brazilian liquor made from fermented sugarcane juice, providing the cocktail with its distinctive, earthy & robust flavor.
- Red Vermouth: This ingredient adds a sweet and aromatic complexity to the drink. It balances out the strong taste of Cachaça and gives the cocktail a rich, deep color.
- Cynar: Cynar is a bitter Italian liqueur made from artichokes and a blend of botanicals, imparting a complex and slightly herbal bitterness to cocktails.
- Ice Cubes: Ice cubes are essential for chilling the cocktail and diluting the strong flavors slightly, making it more palatable.
- Orange or Lime Peel: Used as a garnish, it adds a subtle citrus aroma that complements the vermouth’s sweetness and enhances the cocktail’s overall sensory experience.
