Cachaca, Brazil national spirits!!
A small note: The standard brand one sees served in the U.S. and Europe is "Pitu" (prawn, hence the logo). Pitu is just about the worst brand served in Brazil; it goes for about a buck a bottle, literally. A step up is "51", "A good idea!" according to their advertising.
The history of cachaca is intertwined with brazil history. Production began around the mid 1600’s when Portuguese settlers implemented the sugar industry in Brazil. Plantation owners served distilled spirits to their slaves after noticing the increased vigor and other positive effects of those who consumed it.
Later it was used in the slave industry as currency. Only later it was introduced on the table of the most influential aristocratic families. During brazils fight for independence in the 19th century, the "pinga caliente" became a symbol of resistance towards Portugal domination. Today, Brazil has than 4000 brands of the brazilian liqor and produzes more than 1.3 billion liters of the bevirage per year. The most famous brands are:
· Caninha 51
The best way to taste this alcoholic drink is to go to a local cachacaria where you can taste many flavours, types and mixtures of it. Cachacarias are like cervejarias, it’s a restaurant, where different brands of brazil's national bewerage are on the menu. There are allot of ways to make this famous brazilian spirit.
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