International Cachaça Day is celebrated annually on June 12. It was created to honor Brazil’s distilled alcoholic beverage, which is used to make the country’s signature cocktail, Caipirinha.
History of Cachaça
Cachaça is a strong alcoholic drink made from the distillation of pure sugarcane extract. It originated in the 16th century when the Portuguese brought sugar production from Madeira to Brazil and introduced distillation equipment for turning sugarcane into liquor. Cachaça was first produced in the early 1530s and has been incredibly popular in Brazil ever since.
While cachaça is sometimes referred to as Brazilian rum, cachaça and rum are two different beverages. The key difference is that cachaça is made from fresh sugarcane juice, while rum is made from molasses, a byproduct of sugarcane sugar production. Cachaça is typically clear or golden in color, while rum can be clear (white), golden, brown, or black. Finally, rum can be produced in any sugar-producing region, mostly but not necessarily in the Caribbean, while cachaça can only be produced in Brazil.
Types of Cachaça
Commercially produced cachaça typically contains 38–48% alcohol. It is made throughout Brazil, but the main production centers are Abaira, Cha-Grande, Monte-Alegre do Sul, Paraty, and Salinas. Since cachaça is traditionally distilled in copper stills, there are regulations that limit the amount of copper in the beverage.
There are two main types of cachaça: white (branca) or silver (prata) cachaça, which is bottled immediately after distillation, and yellow (amarela) or gold (ouro) cachaça, which is aged in wooden barrels for up to three years, though some high-end cachaças may be aged up to 15 years. Unaged cachaça is generally cheaper and is often used as an ingredient in various cocktails, while aged cachaça is typically consumed neat.
The signature Brazilian cocktail made with cachaça is the Caipirinha. It is prepared by mixing lime with white cane sugar and adding cachaça. The cocktail is served with ice in a special glass. In Brazil, Caipirinha is often paired with the dish feijoada, a stew of beans with beef and pork.
International Cachaça Day
Brazilians celebrate National Cachaça Day on September 13 to honor the legalization of cachaça by the King of Portugal in 1661 following an uprising by cachaça producers in Rio de Janeiro. However, outside Brazil, International Cachaça Day is celebrated on June 12. This date was chosen to coincide with the opening ceremony of the 2014 FIFA World Cup, which took place in São Paulo on this day. It was during this event that cachaça caught the attention of the world.
Of course, the best way to celebrate International Cachaça Day would be to travel to Brazil and enjoy the drink there, but this is not an option for many people. Some more accessible alternatives include learning more about cachaça and its differences from rum, buying a bottle of cachaça and sharing it with friends, or finding a bar where cachaça and Caipirinhas are served.