Try out this simple Strawberry Caipirinha recipe! The mix of cachaça, fresh strawberries, lime, and cane sugar makes it an ideal cocktail for spring.
Prep time:
2 minutes
Mixing time:
1 minute
Servings:
1
Calories:
216
Ingredients
- 2 oz Cachaça
- ½ oz cane sugar syrup
- ½ lime - cut into wedges
- 2-3 fresh strawberries
- Crushed ice
- Extra strawberry and/or lime wedge to garnish
Equipment
- Muddler
- Old Fashioned Glass
- Measuring Jigger
- Bar spoon
Instructions
- Prep Strawberries: Remove the stems and cut the strawberries into halves.
- Muddle: In your Old Fashioned glass, muddle the lime wedges, ½ oz cane sugar syrup, and strawberries together.
- Add Cachaça: Pour 2 oz Cachaça over the muddled fruit.
- Add ice: Fill the glass halfway with crushed ice. Using the bar spoon, churn well to properly mix the ingredients.
- Garnish: Add a straw, fill the glass to the brim with crushed ice and garnish with a strawberry and/or lime wedge. 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.
- Lime: If limes are not available, lemons can be used instead. The taste will be slightly different but still delicious.
- Strawberries: If fresh strawberries are not available, you can use strawberry purée or juice (preferably unsweetened) as a substitute. Another option would be to use strawberry syrup instead of cane sugar syrup to get the strawberry taste without sweetening the drink too much.
- Cane Sugar Syrup: You can use any kind of sugar syrup to make this drink. To make it at home, simply dissolve one part of powdered sugar of your choice into one part of warm water. Store-bought simple syrup or even strawberry syrup will work as well.
Making a Pitcher of Strawberry Caipirinha:
- Scale: To make a pitcher that serves 8, multiply all the ingredients by 8. That would be 16 oz of cachaça, 4 ounces of cane sugar syrup, 4 limes, 16-24 strawberries, cut in half.
- Mix: In a large pitcher, combine the lime wedges, sugar, and strawberries. Muddle them together until they are well combined. Then add the cachaça and stir well.
- Serve: Using a ladle, pour the mixture into Old Fashioned glasses (make sure to include some strawberries and lime wedges into each glass). Add a straw, fill with a generous amount of crushed ice, and serve immediately. You can add a lime wedge and/or half a strawberry on top of each glass as a garnish as well.
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: Some sugars are processed using bone char, which is not vegan. To ensure your cocktail is vegan, use organic sugar or agave nectar as a substitute. These are processed without animal products and will keep your drink 100% vegan.
What is a Strawberry Caipirinha?
A Strawberry Caipirinha is a cachaça-based cocktail made of fresh strawberries, lime, sugar, and cachaça. This fruity drink is a variant of a well-known Brazilian cocktail, the Caipirinha. Adding strawberries gives this classic cocktail a sweet twist, making it an ideal choice for those who prefer their drinks on the sweeter side.
The Strawberry Caipirinha is relatively easy to make: the process involves muddling the strawberries with sugar and lime to release their juices and flavors, then adding cachaça and ice. However, getting the balance right between lime’s tartness and strawberries’ sweetness might require some practice.
What is a Strawberry Caipirinha made of – The ingredients
You will need these ingredients to concoct a Strawberry Caipirinha:
- Fresh Strawberries: These add a sweet, fruity flavor to the cocktail, giving it a vibrant red color.
- Lime: The juice provides a tangy contrast to the sweetness of the strawberries.
- Cane Sugar: This ingredient enhances the natural sweetness of the strawberries and balances out the tartness of the lime.
- Cachaça: A Brazilian spirit made from sugarcane, the key ingredient that gives the Caipirinha its distinctive kick.
- Crushed Ice: Used to cool down the drink and keep at the perfect temperature while also controlling the dilution level.
