Cachaça

Question 1

Where is it from?

Answer 1

Brazil. Sometimes called Brazilian rum.

Question 2

Facts relating to amount of cachaça produced.

Answer 2

Brazil produces most of world’s sugar cane.

More cachaça produced than vodka, but is nearly all for domestic market. Culturally very important in Brazil.

Question 3

Which country recognises cachaça as a separate spirits category?

Answer 3

USA. The rest of the world thinks it is rum.

Question 4

What are the five big brands and what percentage of the market do they cover

Answer 4

95% by volume, 80% by value.

Ypioca, Tatuzinho, Velho Barreiro, and Pitu.
[you take vile bodies proudly]

Question 5

What is the Portuguese legal term for cachaça?

Answer 5

‘aguardente de cana’ (cane brandy).

Question 6

General summary of cachaça production.

Answer 6

Huge industry with considerable variation within it.

• cane washed to rehydrate it, then crushed;
• commercial; individual; and wild yeasts all found;
• 20 to 30 hour fermentation;
• traditional small producers use pot stills and distil to lower strength giving the cachça a vegetal character;
• large producers use column stills and then filter and produce style like a light rum;
• immediate bottling allowed. Must be between 38 and 48%.
• 6g a litre of sugar allowed. Most producers sweeten.
• 6g to 30g allowed if labelled ‘sweetened’
• 50% of ‘aged cachça’ must have been in wood barrels of 700 litres or less for 1 year minimum
• caramel can be added