Siiiiigh…the last week of summer is here. Rather than lamenting over my favorite season coming to an end, I decided to celebrate by sharing a delicious cocktail to help close out the summer right! I fell in love with Caipirinhas (pronounced: cap-a-reen-ya) on my birthday trip to Brazil. I’m a sucker for anything with lime, so this cocktail was right up my alley. With the perfect combination of tart and sweet to mask the potency of the Cachaca, these delicious drinks slip right down. After drinking a few, the sadness you may feel over the summer ending will fade away and you’ll definitely be in a celebratory spirit!

 

 

The Caipirinha is Brazil’s national cocktail. They’re main ingredient is a local liqour called Cachaca, which is derived from sugar canes. When I returned home from Rio, I was eager to recreate this delicious drink and added a few fun twists that were really yummy! Since I kicked off the season with the perfect summer cocktail, I thought it was only right that I close it out with one too! If you’re celebrating the end of summer this weekend, consider adding this Caipirinha recipe to your Labor Day plans!

 

WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

• 1 lime quartered
• 2 ½ ounces Cachaca (There really is no substitute for this Brazilian liquor. Most liquor stores carry it. Just ask them to order some if they don’t have it in stock!)
• 2 tsp sugar in the raw (you can also substitute with honey)

Fun Twists:
Coffee Caipirinha: add ½ single serve pack of instant coffee

Guava Caipirinha: add ½ of 1 guava fruit scooped

 

 

Coffee Caipirinha

 

Guava Caipirinha

WHAT TO DO:

• Add the lime wedges and sugar to a rocks glass
• If you’re making the coffee or guava version, add those ingredients now
• Muddle until limes are juiced and sugar has dissolved. (Tip: make a simple syrup with the sugar in advance – 1 part water, 1 part sugar – to speed up the dissolving process!)
• Add ice cubes to the glass
• Pour in the Cachaca
• Stir and enjoy!

This recipe yields 1 cocktail.

*House of Wend reminds you to please drink responsibly.

 

How are you celebrating the end of summer? What’s your favorite summer cocktail? Share your comments below!

 

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