Tasting Event with Brazil-In-Chicago This Saturday (Cachaçagora

April 20, 2011

Tasting Event with Brazil-In-Chicago This Saturday

I'm proud to be working with Marcelo Jarmendia of Brazil In Chicago to put together what will be an incredible tasting event featuring world-class cachaças.

Here's the scoop:

Saturday, April 23, 2011
6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Brazil in Chicago
2212 W. Sunnyside Ave. (Basement)
$30 / RSVP [email protected]

The evening will start with my in-laws Cláudia Fernándes and José Alberto Kede, talking about the significance of cachaça, how it's made, and how to appreciate the finer specimens. I'll then talk a little bit about the experience of building this site, what I've learned about cachaça, and what I think it would take for cachaça to succeed in North America.

All told, we're going to taste about eight cachaças from at least five brands, but this could expand in the next few days. Some of the cachaças to be sampled can only be had in Brazil. Fear not, though: at least three have been selected for their current (or, at least, imminent) broad U.S. availability.

As to those available in the U.S., these distillers have generously contributed product to the event, for which they've earned a hearty "saúde!" from your humble editor:

Also thrilled to be sampling Werneck (a high-quality cachaça, from the former president of Volvo Penta Brasil no less, and one of the highlights of my most recent trip) as well as a longtime personal favorite, Monte Alvão.

The event will be in both Portuguese and English, but we'll do our best to make it meaningful for all. We'll also be serving appetizers.

Admission is $30, with proceeds going to furthering Brazil In Chicago's mission to be the midwest's center for evangelism of Brazilian culture. Attendance is strictly capped at 20. RSVP at [email protected].

Posted by Phil Gomes on April 20, 2011 at 10:44 PM in Cabana, Copa, Monte Alvao, Novo Fogo, Werneck | Permalink

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About Cachaçagora

Hi. My name is Phil Gomes. By day, I work at a public relations firm as its senior vice president of digital integration. I'm a proud SF East Bay native who currently lives in Chicago.
I was introduced to cachaça by my wife, a Carioca. Her mom, in turn, is the president of the Confraria de Cachaça do Copo Furado, a group that meets monthly to talk about Brazil's indigenous spirit. I participated in one of their meetings when I vacationed in Rio in July 2008.
This started me thinking about the basic question of whether cachaça in the U.S. is today where, say, tequila was some decades ago.
So I decided to start this blog as a means to record and share the cachaça-related items I've been seeing day-to-day. I hope to be sharing recipes, impressions, and random thoughts as the U.S. continues to catch on to the potential for this particular spirit.
Oh... The name? "Cachaçagora" is a portmanteau of "Cachaça" and "agora", which is the Portuguese word for "now". In Greek, "agora" also means public square. I hope to meet the expectations of both.
Saúde!
cachacagora~~ at~~ gmail~~ dot~~ com

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Cachaçagora - Cachaça, Caipirinha, And Cocktails

Quite possibly the best English-language blog about cachaça, the national distilled spirit of Brazil.

April 20, 2011