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Cachaca is a strong alcoholic beverage made by Brazilians from fermented sugar cane juice. The strength of this drink can vary from 38 to 50 degrees. Cachasa in Brazil has the status of a national strong alcoholic drink.
Kashasa for the Brazilian is more than alcohol, it is a symbol of the country. Just like vodka for a Russian or champagne for a Frenchman. On September 13, 2009, the President of Brazil even signed a decree on the national holiday of Casasa.
About 95% of Brazilian cachaca is consumed within the country itself, with more than half during the Rio de Janeiro Carnival. This alcohol is used by Brazilians in the amount of more than 1,5 billion liters per year, which corresponds to 7,5 liters per capita in the country. Cachaca is a drink for the poor and middle class, well-off Brazilians prefer European alcohol.
This exotic name in our country has become known recently and is still not very popular. It is not easy to buy Cachasa in a trade network, more often it is purchased through a network of online stores. This state of affairs is associated with small quotas of alcohol imports from Brazil.
History of creation
The history of the creation of cachaca has more than 400 years. The beginning of the manufacture of this drink coincides with the beginning of the colonization of the territory of modern Brazil by the Portuguese. In the sixteenth century, they brought dark-skinned slaves here, with whom the original recipe of this drink came from Africa, where sugar cane had been grown for centuries. Slaves harvesting this reed, noticed that the juice from its trunks in the sun begins to roam quickly, turning into a drink that improves mood.
The master planters noticed that their slaves were drinking and cheering, and began to use this drink as a reward for good work. This swill had an unpleasant smell and disgusting taste. Actually, the Portuguese began to produce Cachaca with the help of moonshine distillers, driving the fermented juice, which significantly improved the taste and aroma of the drink.
The most popular in Brazil, this drink has acquired in the seventeenth century. At the same time significantly reduced the use of Portuguese port wine. Mercantile conquerors introduced a number of bans on the manufacture of this Brazilian drink. But, since this did not reduce its consumption and did not increase sales of port wine, the Portuguese government lifted a ban on the production of cashes, but imposed heavy taxes on it, which led to the rapid filling of the treasury.
Types and trademarks
Cachasa in Brazil today is made everywhere. According to the method of manufacture, there are two types of it:
- Facade or craft channel. This type of alcohol is made by local people in an artisanal way. This drink is used more often within the country.
- Industrial. It is made at plants with observance of all standards and norms. Available for domestic consumption in the country and for export.
According to the production technology of cachaca it happens
- Fresh (white, silver). Bottling of this drink is made immediately after distillation.
- Mature (golden). In the manufacturing process after distillation, the maturation of the beverage is carried out in wooden barrels.
- Tinted The finished product is tinted with natural dyes, caramel or special wood extract.
According to the requirements of the Brazilian legislation, it is possible to assign the status of a sustained cachase only if two conditions are met:
- It must ripen in wooden barrels with a volume of no more than 700 l for at least one year.
- The bottle must contain at least 50% of this aged beverage.
When aged, cachaca in wooden barrels over the course of 3-7 years has been assigned premium status to it, and ultra-premium status over the course of 15 years. For the manufacture of barrels for this drink use wood Brazilian trees (Arariba, imburana, cedar, oak).
Trade marks
The most popular brands in the world are:
- Pete;
- Hermann;
- Canina 51;
- Paduana;
- Vale Bareiro;
- Old 88;
- Muller.
Cachaca from other countries
Since Brazil has not achieved recognition by the world trading community of exclusive copyrights for the production of cachaca, this drink is produced in many countries in Latin America. The reasons for the mass production of this drink are:
- favorable conditions for the cultivation of raw materials – sugar cane;
- ease of obtaining juice from cane and its large output;
- simplicity of the process;
- short term for production;
- low cost of industrial production of the drink.
Cachasa is produced on an industrial scale in Panama, Costa Rica, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico. However, connoisseurs of this drink consider this cacha, made in Brazil.
How to make
Like many other strong alcoholic beverages, cachaca is produced by fermenting the raw material – cane juice with further distillation. There are three fractions in the distillate of this alcoholic beverage:
- “Head”;
- “Tail”;
- “Heart”.
The first two fractions in the production process of cachaça are selected and used to make drinks of low price value. The “heart” fraction is the most valuable, and only it can be called a real cachaça.
High-quality fasend (artisanal) cachaça is produced in a natural way, therefore it is valued above industrial. Currently in Brazil there are more than 40 thousands of small producers of such a drink, but the volume of their production is small, so they do not go for export.
In the production of the fazend type of drink, there are several successive stages:
- For its manufacture use selected sugar cane, assembled by hand. It is very important that the reed is as mature as possible, since the dangerous methyl alcohol will be released from the juice of the green stalks.
- From the collected cane squeeze the juice using primitive mechanisms (wind or water mills, hand presses).
- After filtering, the juice is poured into wooden barrels and left for independent fermentation on the street. Some manufacturers add old mash or yeast to the juice to speed up fermentation. This fermentation lasts from 18 to 48 hours.
- Fermented juice is distilled through a copper cube.
- Distillate is poured into glass containers or sent to ripen in wooden barrels.
Different artisanal manufactures have different recipes for making this alcoholic beverage. Some manufacturers add bran, cornmeal, rice, grain, soy or other ingredients to cane juice, and they also age the drink in barrels of fruit trees, almonds, chestnuts to give it a special touch.
The long production cycle and high labor intensity are the reasons why one fadend cachaplan maker produces no more than 200 liters of traditional alcoholic beverage per year.
Application in folk medicine
Cashasa does not possess any special beneficial properties. However, it can be used as an alcohol base for the manufacture of various medicinal tinctures. The properties of such tinctures depend on the ingredients used for their manufacture.
Orange tincture
This tincture has tonic and soothing properties. To make it, you need to take 0,5 kg of oranges, 1 kg of sugar, 0,5 l of cash. Oranges, together with the peel, are crushed to a state of gruel, mixed with sugar, add alcohol and boil until sugar is completely dissolved. After cooling, the tincture is ready for use. Take it in 50 ml twice a day after meals.
Such a tonic is shown:
- after serious illnesses and operations;
- with asthenic syndrome;
- in depressive and apathetic conditions;
- to increase physical stamina.
Nutty tincture
A positive effect on the work of the gastrointestinal tract and regenerative properties on liver and spleen cells is possessed by tincture of kashasa on green walnuts. To make it, you need to take 10 pieces of green walnuts, 1 liter of alcohol and 0,8 kg of sugar. All the ingredients are mixed and, shaking daily, insist for two weeks in a dark place. Take this tincture inside before eating 1 tbsp. spoon.
Acceptance of this drug inside recommended when:
- gastritis;
- enteritis;
- atony of the gallbladder;
- biliary dyskinesia;
- cholelithiasis;
- hepatitis;
- ulcerative processes in the stomach and intestines;
- spleen inflammation.
For external use, Cachasa can be used as a disinfectant, antiseptic, hemostatic and wound healing agent.
Harmful properties
Cachaca is a strong alcoholic drink, so it should be consumed in moderation. In acute overdose of this drink, symptoms of intoxication appear:
- nausea and vomiting;
- dizziness;
- unsteadiness of gait;
- tremor of the fingers;
- blurred vision and hearing;
- neurological disorders;
- loss of consciousness down to coma.
With chronic abuse of Cachaca, alcohol dependence can develop and the liver, spleen, heart, and brain can be affected.
The use of this alcoholic drink is contraindicated in children, pregnant and lactating women, people with kidney disease, metabolic disorders and endocrine pathologies.
Cooking application
Kashasa is consumed both in pure form and in the form of a variety of cocktails. Brazil has its own way of drinking this alcoholic beverage. It is drunk from special 50-gram glasses – martellino. The drink is delayed a little in the mouth, and after swallowing, they have a slice of lemon or lime. In its pure form, inside is usually used seasoned kashas.
White cachaca is often used to make various cocktails. The most popular cocktail based on this national Brazilian alcoholic drink is Caipirinha, which means “hillbilly” in Portuguese. This cocktail was created on the beaches of Capacabana.
Caipirinha cocktail
To make it, you need to take 4 slices of lime or lemon and two teaspoons of sugar, which must be crushed at the bottom of the glass for a cocktail. Then about 30 ml of cachaca and a couple of ice cubes are poured into a glass. Drink a cocktail through the tube.
Interesting facts about Cachaca
Cachaça in Brazil has many folk names. It is called “fire water”, “holy water”, “water of life”, “opener of hearts”, “tiger breath”, “clear eye”.
In order for the authorship of Cachaca to belong to Brazil, many regulatory measures have been taken by its government. So, in 2001, this alcoholic beverage was given the status of the official national alcoholic beverage of Brazil. The Brazilian government in the 2003 year prepared and sent to the World Trade Organization packages of documents recognizing cachaca and a cocktail based on it – Caipirinha, the intellectual property of Brazil. This issue has remained unresolved to date.
One of the famous Brazilian producers Dias de Ouro adds 23 carats of gold leaf to the drink bottle to increase sales of its ultra-premium Middas Cachaça.
Conclusions
Cachaca is a traditional Brazilian strong alcoholic beverage made from sugarcane juice. This drink has a 400-year history. According to the manufacturing technology, there are three types of cachaca: white, aged and tinted. Produce this drink in artisanal and industrial conditions.
The first type of alcohol is often used to prepare a variety of alcoholic cocktails, in particular, for the famous Caipirinhas. Conserved cacha is consumed in its pure form.
On the basis of this drink make healing tinctures, which are used inside for the treatment of diseases of the digestive system and improve vitality. Outwardly, it is used as a disinfectant and wound-healing agent.
Cachaca, like any other strong alcoholic drink, can cause alcohol dependence, so it should be consumed in moderate doses.