Caipirinha: classic recipes & variations

The Caipirinha is Brazil's national cocktail — cachaça muddled with fresh lime wedges and sugar, then served over crushed ice in the same glass. Muddling the lime with sugar pulls oil from the peel, giving it a depth a simple sour can't match. Swap the cachaça for vodka and it's a Caipiroska; for rum, a Caipirissima; or muddle in seasonal fruit for endless riffs.