577798 Fri Dec 05 19:57:28 -0800 2008 26 36 Spirits 0 4224547 Streetgourmetla caused me to become fascinated with the national spirit of Brazil, Cachaça [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cacha%C3%A7a] after an incredible tasting at his home. Since then I have tasted 4 more different cachacas that I enjoyed. - Ypioca Ouro - Fazenda Mae de Ouro - Coral - Boca Loca Of the 4 the only that I could enjoy sipping was the Ypioca gold, which was smooth and rich enough. Mae de Ouro made the best Caipirinha - it had a balanced and interesting flavor. Much more complex than your run of the mill pitu. Surpringly Coral and Boca loca were not bad - I only got the sampler sizes, Coral slightly edging over boca loca in taste. Ypioca http://www.bevmo.com/Shop/ProductDetail.aspx?N=4294966818&area=home&ProductID=15114 Fazendo Mae de Ouro http://www.caipirinha.us/ Coral http://www.wallywine.com/ps-15595-450-cachaca-coral-1l.aspx Boca Loca www.drinkbocaloca.com/ Fri Dec 05 19:57:28 -0800 2008 14086 kare_raisu 1 4225303 Good for you! Cachaca is a wonderful spirit. Try Sagatiba Pura if you can find it. The funny thing is how expensive cachaca is here in the US. When I was in Brazil, most cachacas could be had for about US$2-$4 for a bottle at the corner grocery stores (this is the mid-level stuff like Ypioca and Ouro). The higher end spirits such as the aged/gold versions like Sao Francisco were $5-$8 a bottle. Here those bottles are $30+. I am returning to Brazil in about a year, and will arrange for a larger shipment home this time, I didn't realize what a bargain I was getting last time! Sat Dec 06 10:12:11 -0800 2008 4224547 159754 ed1066 2 4236072 i second the sagatiba pura. they seem to have inked a big distribution deal recently, and should be easier to get soon. Wed Dec 10 11:36:49 -0800 2008 4225303 227301 jdwdeville 1 4225345 KR, thanks for doing the downfield blocking on this one. I will make a note of your favored brands of cachaca, with hopes I can find them somewhere. I generally have the same problem as ed1066 in that I can only find the worst of the worst, and usually end up making caipiroskas with vodka, which are good but not the genuine article. Again, thanks. Sat Dec 06 10:32:14 -0800 2008 4224547 57170 Veggo 1 4228522 Hey KR.I'm surprized you remember anything about that tasting! The majority of your caipirinhas you would have in Brazil are made with Ypioca, 51, or Velho Barreiro(my favorite for the massed produced type).These are the standard well cachacas and are perfectly fine for a caipirinhas, and actually fantastic when made properly. There are no sipping cachacas here in the states, except the one that is sold in Fogo de Chao's here in the US, Weber Haus.The heavily US marketed bottles like Sagatiba,Leblon and Beleza Pura are also for cocktails.Yes, these are dirt cheap in Brazil, especially Ypioca and the like, but some high end stuff starts around 12-20 bucks.They can even go up from there in price.I've paid $40-60 for some bottles I have, depending on the exchange, one trip it was R$1.55 to the dollar, yikes. Mae de Ouro makes for a great caipirinha, Pitu is awful, but you should be fine with 51 or Ypioca. I use Sagatiba for making batidas, like the ones I make with starfruit or passionfruit, they're more delicate than the lime used in caipirinhas.You could also have Sagatiba or similar brands on the rocks, but I like a cachaca good enough to drink straight like Germana. Some of these brands,Boca Loca and Coral, never came across them in Brazil, seem like straight to US market type of brands.Nice bottle, nice campaign. My recs: 51,Ypioca, and Mae de Ouro(best) for caipirinhas Sagatiba for batidas Weber Haus at Fogo de Chao for sipping cachaca Go to Brazil for the rest. But man, 51 and Ypioca just bring me back to the street boteco or lanchonete.It's 3AM at Os Bandeirantes and that same guy is talking smack about the soccer match with a cross town rival,the garotas are stopping for a drink on the way to their next club, couples are dancing to some pagode. Mon Dec 08 01:00:11 -0800 2008 4224547 128722 streetgourmetla 2 4597556 I have a friend traveling to sao paulo this summer and they have promised to send back some cachaca. Any additional tips on what to buy and what is the best way to send it back. Can they just go to the local ups store or are there local liquor merchants who will ship Wed Apr 15 07:37:30 -0700 2009 4228522 13330 quazi 3 4598393 I'm able to bring 4 bottles in my tote.I use running shoes as shock absorbers and wrap all the bottles in clothing,I've thought of bubble wrap but always forget to buy some before I leave Brazil.The duty-free has a few bottles of terrible cachaca, so you need to get it into a checked bag. Great cachacas to buy:Seleta, Lua Cheia, Salinas,Cristalina,Boazinha, Lua Nova, Prazer de Minas, Maria da Cruz, Germana, Isaura,Meia Lua,Saliboa, Volupia,Fabulosa,Dom Braga,Beija Flor, Magnifica, Serra Preta,Da Tulha, or the prestigious Havana. There are so many more. For a fun bottle,cachaca Guarda Chuva de Pobre, which translates to poorman's umbrella,or Leite da Mulher Amada(milk of a loved woman). I've never shipped, just grabbing bottles each time I go, and having friends visiting bring back bottles. Wed Apr 15 11:27:43 -0700 2009 4597556 128722 streetgourmetla 4 4616608 thanks!! I will report back what she is able to send back Tue Apr 21 17:51:22 -0700 2009 4598393 13330 quazi 5 5008091 My friend brought back Seleta - nice but a little rough, Velho Barriero - quite smooth, and I few I have yet to try including salinas, sagatiba and jamel. she also brought back an aphrodisiac/tonic Selvagem and some tiny tubes of an alcohol honey mix Sat Sep 05 17:53:06 -0700 2009 4616608 13330 quazi 6 5008158 Don't know JAmel. Seleta and Salinas are great, lucky you. Before you pour your Seleta, put ice and water in the glass to chill it a bit, dump the ice water,then pour your Seleta, should go down nice. Sat Sep 05 18:21:48 -0700 2009 5008091 128722 streetgourmetla 1 4229204 Speaking of advertising campaigns! Mon Dec 08 09:16:35 -0800 2008 4224547 128722 streetgourmetla 1 4238484 The Pitu I was given a bottle of tastes like someone put that crawdad on the label in with some cheap tequila and waited until it dissolved. So I hope there are indeed better ones out there... Thu Dec 11 08:06:09 -0800 2008 4224547 83832 fussycouple 2 4238786 Yikes!Pitu straight, don't do it.I don't even like Pitu in a caipirinha.None of these brands available commercially in the US, at least that I've come across in the LA market should be consumed in anything other than a caipirinha, batida, or other cocktail.That includes Pitu, and Rio Joe's, the worst. The industrial giants 51 and Ypioca(including Toucano), wonderful for downhome caipirinhas, Mae de Ouro is a step up.The multi-distilled Cabana, Agua Luca,Beleza Pura,Leblon, and Sagatiba in the next price tier are also for making cocktails. All of these will do in a cocktail except for that nasty Pitu. Thu Dec 11 09:25:04 -0800 2008 4238484 128722 streetgourmetla 3 4243044 streetgourmetla did a very good explanation abt cachaça, even better than me that I was supposed to be a good conesseur as a Brazilian and consumer of caipirinhas and cachaças. I just desagree abt Sagatiba, that is too much marketing and too little taste, you will pay more for less quality than Ypioca. If you can find in your market buy any cachaça frm the Salinas area, any of them are far better than all others, except the ones frm Paraty like Coqueiro and Maria Isabel. The good ones frm Salinas will cost abt US$ 5-6 in Brazil. I can suggest Boazinha, Seleta, Salinense, Lua Cheia. Some will cost more than US$ 100 like Anisio Santiago, waste of time and money, buy a good cognac for half price. Fri Dec 12 17:20:18 -0800 2008 4238786 244050 meirelles 4 4243546 Meirelles, tudo bem? I have Lua Cheia and Boazinha at home,otimo! I make caipirinhas with Ypioca,51 and Velho Barreiro at home, exclusively.Mae de Ouro, too.Irmao, Seleta e muito gostozo. Salinas is the best cachaca producing city in the best state, MG. But, we can't get these amazing brands like Lua Cheia here in the US.I buy all the cachacas here that are available to try them.In Brazil, no one uses Leblon, Sagatiba, etc.Just look as the bottles, they don't represent the tradition and as you say are trying to bring a product in the U.S. market, and don't represent the Brazilian spirit or palate. I won't replace the Sagatiba bottle I bought at Bevmo when I'm done with it, I'll stick to the said brands for cocktails.At Fogo de Chao, I have a caipirinha with 51 or Ypioca, then I hit that Weber Haus. I also have Vale Verde, Germana, Isaura and many more in my collection. Concordo com voce, a caipirinha with a $20 bottle of Ypioca, or a $30 bottle of Sagatiba.Hello! Fri Dec 12 23:28:52 -0800 2008 4243044 128722 streetgourmetla 4 4594317 I agree that cachaça from Salinas is the best. There are a couple I've found for sale in the U.S. that are great: DiSalinas and Meia Lua (both silver and gold). Found both retailing under $20. Tue Apr 14 08:40:41 -0700 2009 4243044 135976 DebsView 5 4596941 Where? Tue Apr 14 23:09:59 -0700 2009 4594317 128722 streetgourmetla 1 4258309 Ypioca is my favorite. Thu Dec 18 18:29:38 -0800 2008 4224547 36661 Sam Fujisaka 1 4262072 Apparently in the Nordeste of Brasil, its custom to serve Cachaca straight with a side of cut cashew fruit and salt "Caju-amigo". Sounds a lot like the lime and salt tradition with tequila in MEX. http://come-se.blogspot.com/2008/09/fui-ao-mocot.html http://br.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20071009215244AACRYsT Sat Dec 20 10:56:07 -0800 2008 4224547 14086 kare_raisu 1 4262794 >Update< I bought some more boca loca and coral sampler sizes. I made some more caipirinhas - I need to amend and say that boca loca is better then coral. I dont know if I just made the caipirinhas better this time but the boca loca I made are stunningly delcious. Sat Dec 20 17:50:09 -0800 2008 4224547 14086 kare_raisu 1 4268028 My wife and I spent some time in Caxambu in MG and it seemed that wherever you went the little roadside cachaca places had the best stuff. Just like anything else, eat local drink local. My favorite was a little one on the hill above Caxambu called Paraiso, or one that had Minas on the bottle. Probably more for sentimental reasons, but most of the local stuff was good enough to drink straight. Mon Dec 22 22:20:38 -0800 2008 4224547 250715 corskier 1 4279143 Here's a premium aged cachaca that supposedly is available in the states: Rochinha. http://www.belezapura.com/aged-artisan-cachacas/cachaca-rochinha http://travel.nytimes.com/2008/04/09/dining/09cachaca.html Any sightings? Mon Dec 29 02:41:42 -0800 2008 4224547 14086 kare_raisu 2 4609428 Does anyone have a comparison of the Ypioca crystal (clear bottle) to the basket-wrapped Ypioca silver bottle? We'd formerly tried the former, picked up the latter today as it was the other Ypioca they had in stock. Was about $5 more. Sun Apr 19 14:38:50 -0700 2009 4279143 40486 Cinnamon 3 4609940 Go with the basket, iconic and perfect for caipirinhas. Sun Apr 19 18:12:34 -0700 2009 4609428 128722 streetgourmetla 4 4613228 And preferred by my Brasilan friends (who live in Brasil). Mon Apr 20 18:22:08 -0700 2009 4609940 36661 Sam Fujisaka 5 4614364 Thanks. Seems a bit smoother. Tue Apr 21 07:59:44 -0700 2009 4613228 40486 Cinnamon 6 4614410 Yeah, but it's not a sipper, it's a mixer. Tue Apr 21 08:12:17 -0700 2009 4614364 128722 streetgourmetla