One of the best known elements of Brazilian culture outside of Brazil, gringos can’t get enough of the caipirinha! But it helps to know about its origins, what it means, and how it’s made.

Popular folklore says that Queen Carlota Joaquina of Portugal invented the drink when she lived in Brazil, mixing her beloved cachaça with fruit and sugar. Supposedly, she drank incredible quantities of the liquor, and the palace had to order dozens of bottles for her each month. Later, the drink was a favorite of Brazilian writers, such as Oswald de Andrade , Mário de Andrade, Monteiro Lobato. In the 1920s, Brazilian artist Tarsila do Amaral shared the drink with friends in Paris, when cachaça was rare in Europe.

The word itself, caipirinha, comes from the word caipira, or someone from rural Brazil. Roughly translated, this drink is actually called “little redneck”!

While this cocktail is traditionally made with cachaça, crushed limes, sugar, and ice, it has become so popular that it now has dozens of variations. The Caipivodka, or Capiroska, are made with vodka, and the Caipirissima is made with rum. The Caipirão is made in Portugal from a local liqueur, and the Sakerinha is made with Japanese sake. The Caipifruta is a caiprinha made with different kinds of fruit, like kiwi, passion fruit, pineapple and mango.

Next time, we’ll take a look at some caipirinha recipes and learn how to make it!