Raspberry caipirinha

This raspberry caipirinha is a bright and fruity twist on the classic Brazilian cocktail. It's quick and easy to make, and perfect to sip on a warm day.

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I've long been a fan of caipirinha's, often considered the national drink of Brazil. Despite having a good friend who is Brazilian it was actually a Scottish friend who introduced me to them.

One night in London we were deciding where to go next and a nearby Brazilian bar was suggested. The place was loud and bustling - all Brazilian music, of course, and even live capoeira. I'm not sure I was even given a choice on what to drink by my friend, but I certainly didn't complain. Anything with lime is a good start with me, and I instantly enjoyed.

What's in a caipirinha?

A caipirinha is a simple mix of lime wedges muddled with sugar, then cachaça added and plenty of ice. Some shake it before pouring it over crushed ice, or you can mix it in the same glass. Either way, you typically leave the lime wedges in there.

Cachaça is a distinctly Brazilian spirit, made from fermented sugarcane juice. It comes both in unaged (clear) and aged versions, and is the most popular spirit in Brazil.

It has some similarities to rum but uses just sugarcane juice rather than molasses. While this is the most well known drink that uses it, you'll find it in other cocktails and can use it much like rum.

These days you'll find many variations on the classic cocktail. The most common is a caipirovska that uses vodka instead of cachaça. You'll also find various fruits added, just as in this raspberry variation and my strawberry caipirinha.

One of the things I love about this version is it's so colorful. Raspberries also muddle really easily, so it's very easy to make and there's no do-ahead prep. 

The only slight drawback is it's a drink with 'bits' in it, some that you'll want to drink (the raspberries) while others you don't (the lime). If you prefer, you can strain the drink before you pour it over ice to avoid that. If you do, just make sure you muddle the raspberries well to get as much flavor out as possible.

You could, alternatively, make a raspberry syrup but that feels far too organized for me for this. Quick and easy, even if you need a spoon to get the tasty raspberry pieces out the bottom 🙂 Plus, there's something therapeutic about that muddling.

Caipirinhas are already that great combination of easy, strong but with a wonderful fresh lime flavor. Add to that some bright fruity goodness, and this raspberry caipirinha is sure to be a summertime staple.

Try these other fruity cocktails, perfect for summer:

• Frozen pineapple daiquiri
• Maracuya sour (passion fruit pisco sour)
• Grilled peach mojito
• Blackberry bourbon smash
• Spicy watermelon margarita
• Batida (another popular Brazilian cachaça cocktail)
• Plus get more cocktail recipes in the archives.

See some of my favorite cooking tools and ingredients in the Caroline's Cooking Amazon store.  In many locations, you can have wine, spirits and more delivered to your door with Drizly.

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