Which Brazilian cocktail uses cachaça, lime wedges and sugar?

The Caipirinha is a Brazilian cocktail made with cachaça, lime wedges and sugar.

Cachaça is a Brazilian spirit distilled from fermented sugarcane juice. Its grassy, distinctive flavor separates the Caipirinha from rum-based drinks, even though cachaça and rum are both sugarcane spirits. The drink is generally prepared by muddling lime wedges with sugar, adding cachaça and filling the glass with ice.

The cocktail is Brazil’s best-known national drink and appears in many regional and international variations. Replacing cachaça with vodka creates a Caipiroska, while using other fruits produces related modern versions. These substitutions can be popular, but they are not the classic Caipirinha.

The lime peel contributes aromatic oils as well as acidity, which is why recipes commonly use wedges rather than only strained juice. Sugar balances the citrus and the robust character of the spirit.