Cachaça is a fresh sugarcane juice spirit made in over 500 distilleries in Brazil. The caipirinha is named after “caipras,” rural folks from the countryside—a nod to the drink’s rural origins, as it was originally consumed by cane cutters and other farm workers. A simple blend of cachaça, sugar, and lime, the basic caipirinha recipe is easy to execute at home as it was conceived before complicated cocktails and bars became a “thing.” Mixing one requires no special tools or equipment, just a glass and a spoon. With that in mind, while some bartenders like to shake their caipirinhas, I don’t recommend doing so. I find that shaking tends to bruise the lime skins and release their bitter oils into the drink. Meanwhile, the cocktail becomes over-diluted, which is of particular concern when using lower-ABV bottlings that can clock in at around 40 percent or less.  

Much like the classic daiquiri—which is also based on a sugarcane spirit (rum), sugar, and lime—the caipirinha welcomes tinkering and variation through the use of additional flavors and fruits. If you’re game for some experimentation, I suggest incorporating a tropical fruit such as passion fruit, mango, or coconut. (Juices, purées, or fresh muddled fruit all work well.) Blending in coconut milk and sweetened condensed milk will result in another classic, the batida, which translates to “shaken.” But if you prefer to keep it simple, that’s great, too; think of the caipirinha as a sort of home-grown old-fashioned: all that’s required to enjoy one are the ingredients themselves—and the desire to enjoy a simple, refreshing drink.