Cachaca

Question 1

Legal Definitions

Answer 1

Only produced in Brazil

Brazillian standard requires bottling at 38 to 48%ABV while the US requires bottling not less than 40%

Question 2

Name Origin

Answer 2

often called pinga, paraty, or caninha by Brazilians, also known as Aguardiente de cana, also Spanish term “Cachaza” referring to a Brandy of inferior quality

Question 3

Historical Background

Answer 3

• Portugese Explorer Pedro Alvarez Cabral on April 22, 1500
• For Centuries produced mainly for slaves, natives, and sailors (poor man’s drink)
• Today it is the third most consumed spirit in the world

Question 4

Raw Material

Answer 4

Different locally grown sugar cane

Question 5

Harvest

Answer 5

June-December are distillation months, cane fields can be harvested between 12-18 months from planting, fields are burned to prevent sharp leaves, snakes , and other dangers. Every 5 years or so the clumps are dug up for new sugarcane to be planted

Question 6

Crushing

Answer 6

sugarcane must be crushed within 24 hours of the harvest. Mill seperates the juice from the bagasse(spent solids) which is then used for fuel for boilers, animal feed, and soil fertilizer

Question 7

Fermentation

Answer 7

• Coarse filtration by gravity, removing solids, then the juice is usually diluted fir the yeast strain
• Takes place in stainless steel tanks or wooden ones
• Small scale production units use “fuba” or “fermento caipira”, natural or wild yeast mixtures(maize,rice,ineapple)
• Fermentation takes 1 to 3 days and sometimes a leavening agent is added

Question 8

Distillation

Answer 8

• Industrial Cachaca column distillation

- Alembic Cachaca traditionally distilled once in pot stills

Question 9

Aguardiente de Cana

Answer 9

bottled up to 54%ABV and may be made from treacle, the final byproduct of sugar making

Question 10

Aging-Wood Types

Answer 10

Amburana- lowers acidity, yellowish color sweet aroma
Amendoim- rare, enhances character
Arauva- slightly yellowish and delicate, adds viscosity
Balsam-Dark Brown Color
Carvalho- hard European oak
Garapa- one of the best for aging, reduces acidityand alcohol level making it smoother
Jequitiba- almost no alteration in color, softer and less acidic

Question 11

Styles of Cachaca

Answer 11

Cachaca Pura: Must not contain more than 6 grams of sugar per liter
Cachaca Adocada(Sweetended): 6-30 grams of sugar
Cachaca Envelhecida(Aged): at least one year old with at least 50% of batch aged in 700 liter barrels
Cachaca Aromatizadas(Aromatized): Infused with botanicals as well as fruit

Question 12

Traditional Enjoyment

Answer 12

• Neat
• Batida(fruit purees and condensed milk as sweetener or sugarcane syrup)
• Caipirinha the national drink made with muddles lime, sugar, served with ice