Caipirinha With Rum

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A caipirinha with rum instead of traditional cachaça that’s easy for anyone to make at home, even with a limited bar shelf!

What Is A Caipirinha?

The caipirinha is a Brazilian cocktail that is made with cachaça, fresh limes, and sugar. Cachaça is a Brazilian liquor made from fermented sugar cane juice. While many often compare cachaça with a light rum, the flavor profiles are different with cachaça having a more grassy flavor which adds an earthy element to the caipirinha.

However, many variations of this cocktail have come about (as all good classic cocktails are riffed on) including the caipiroska, which subs vodka in for cachaça. We wanted to stick closer to the classic cocktail with our version of the caipirinha made with rum. While we know this isn’t a classic caipirinha, it makes the recipe easier for those who don’t have the bar space (or the budget) to store less common liquors like cachaça. 

Outside of the cachaça, the caipirinha is also a uniquely made drink as it requires muddling lime and sugar to make the base of the drink. This creates a different mouthfeel and flavor profile versus something like a daiquiri which overlaps greatly on ingredients (rum, lime juice, and demerara syrup). By muddling lime wedges with granulated sugar, not only do you get the fresh lime juice, but also you get the oils from the lime peel, adding a more potent and earthy flavor. 

Rum Caipirinha Ingredients

Only three simple ingredients are needed to make a caipirinha. Our goal is to keep it simple for you. And really, it can’t get much easier! Here’s what you’ll need:

• White rum – We use white rum since we almost always have it on hand. However, if you have cachaça laying around or have the bar space to get yourself the lesser known liquor, that’s even better! You can sub cachaça in one for one for the rum.
• Fresh limes – You can’t replace a muddled lime with lime juice because of the earthiness the oils in the rind provide. Lime juice will make this closer to a daiquiri than a caipirinha.
• Sugar – Sugar is also critical for the right mouthfeel We don’t recommend subbing in simple syrup here.

How To Make A Caipirinha With Rum

One of the many reasons we love the caipirinha is the ability to make it right in the final glass. No need for shakers, strainers, or other bar tools. Just a rocks glass and a muddler are required to make this classic cocktail.

Here’s how to make a caipirinha:

1. First, add the lime wedges and sugar to a rocks glass. Muddle thoroughly to juice the limes and extract the oil from the lime peel.
2. Then, add ice and rum to the glass. Stir to chill and serve!

That’s it! Two simple steps and you’ll have a refreshing, limey cocktail to sip on in no time.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Even though it’s not a “true” caipirinha unless you use cachaça, this simple version with white rum makes it easy for anyone to enjoy this Brazilian cocktail at home. This drink is proof that you don’t need a fancy home bar, tons of specialty ingredients, or even many bar tools to make a flavorful and refreshing cocktail at home.

Try our easy rum caipirinha recipe and let us know what you think by rating and commenting below!