The 13 September in Brazil they celebrate the National Cachaça Day, an anniversary that honors the legendary history of the sugar cane distillate and that represents the Brazilian people in a 360° way.
Cachaça Day: some curiosities about the Brazilian distillate
Cachaça is also considered America's first distillate, preceding Pisco and Rum: “There are several theories about its birth – he tells us Augusto Amaral, bartender of the Cocktail bar The Yellow Frog of Naples and Educational Manager of the Cachaça Magnífica de Faria – It is about the historical period from 1516 to 1532 and in different places. Already in 1516, in an area in the north of Brazil called Itamaracà, sugar cane was planted, brought by some Portuguese who landed in the area, but the historical records have been lost”.
The first official landing was in 1532 by the Portuguese sailor Martyr Afonso de Souza in today's St. Vincent, near Sao Paulo: “In that area – says Amaral – the remains of what were called engenhos, that is, sugar producers, who are currently under the protection of the University of São Paulo”.
Cachaça owes its uniqueness to the freshness of the sugar cane used in virgin juice, which gives it intense primary aromas. The quality of the final product is influenced by the variety of cane, the type of soil and the exposure of the field, all elements that affect its organoleptic characteristics.
Cachaça must have an alcohol content of between 38° and 48° and can contain up to 6g/l of sugar, as established by the Brazilian regulations. If the amount of sugar exceeds 6g/l (up to a maximum of 30g/l), the label must state the wording adopted, “sweetened” in Italian.
“Cachaça adoçada is one of the most popular drinks both in Italy and Brazil – says Amaral – and it is usually the industrial type, therefore the one distilled in a column”.
A curiosity that Augusto Amaral wanted to tell us is that recently, at the beginning of 2023, the Brazilian cachaça regulations established that producers who distill in pot stills must write on the label alambique cachaça, while column producers only write Cachaça.
“In column distillation there is no separation of the head, heart and tail parts of the distillate. It is a continuous and non-artisanal process, made for large productions. – says Amaral – while when we talk about distillation in a still, therefore in pot still, the whole process is linked to the human hand. The cane juice is fermented and, in artisanal distilleries, the yeast used is often produced at home in a secret mix passed down through the family. Some artisans allow spontaneous fermentation, letting the natural yeasts present in the air act on the juice, transforming it into what is called 'cane wine'. At that point, the distillation takes place”.
Let's get to the different types of cachaça starting from the branch, also called meadow, traditional or silver, which is the one that is bottled immediately after distillation or in wooden barrels “that do not release color, but modify the organoleptic part of the cachaça – says Amaral – These are neutral woods such as amendoim or ipe amarelo”.
The division continues with the armed cachaça, which ages in a wood that releases color larger than 700 liters “for a period of time that the manufacturer does not necessarily have to specify – says Amaral – Then there are the aged ones: it is defined enveloped cashew when at least 50% of the product ages for at least one year in wooden barrels of up to 700 liters; the other 50% can also be a cachaça branca, thus creating a blend”.
Finally the cachaça envelhecida is divided into premium and extra premium: “The premium envelhecida is a cachaça that ages at 100% for at least one year in a barrel smaller than 700 liters, while the extra premium ones age at 100% for more than three years in barrels of up to 700 liters. What used to be called gold cachaça is the armazenada, today this term is no longer used” clarifies Augusto.
From Caipirinha to twist on classics
Speaking of mixology, cachaça is known internationally thanks to the Caipirinha, a drink that involves the use of the Brazilian distillate together with cane sugar and lime that entered the IBA list in 2004, after the Brazilian government decided to proclaim it in October 2003 national drink. In the same year, the rules and specifications for the production of cachaça were also promulgated, which since 1994 has been recognized as a "cultural product representative of the Brazilian people".
“I usually recommend using cachaça not only for caipirinha – says Augustus – For example, you can use it aged to make a twist on the Negroni or a twist on the Basil Smash which I personally called Brazil Smash. Other pleasant discoveries were the twist on the Southside and the Bloody Mary in which cachaça takes the place of vodka”.
Here below is the recipe for Good Luck, or the twist on Augusto Amaral's Southside:
60 ml White Cachaça
30 ml fresh lime juice
15 ml liquid sugar
6 mint leaves
