Cachaçagora - Cachaça, Caipirinha, And Cocktails

Snoop's Partnershizzle

A while ago, I wrote somewhat belatedly about Snoop's investment in Cuca Fresca in the context of the related video ad. In the days and weeks since the original announcement, I had tried to track down something--anything--that wasn't already covered. No one in-or-around the Doggplex would give me much more than what was already out there. (Not that they'd bother with a tiny site like this one, but you miss all the shots you don't take, I figure.) Cuca Fresca's PR firm sent me the press release, dutifully enough, and pretty much told me that it was all I was going to get. 

So, in an attempt to extract some amount of lulz from this effort, I took the press release and fed it through Gizoogle.Net. The site takes any URL or text you feed into it and translates it into the kind of gangsta argot that Snoop was largely responsible for introducing to suburban Caucasian youths in the 1990s.

The results (after the jump) are decidedly NSFW, but still fun. 

Snoop Dogg in Cuca Fresca Ad

Part of the package when you nab Snoop Dogg as a shareholder for your brand is, I'm guessing, access to him as your pitchman and spokesperson. Personally, I think it's preferable when your investor brings a lot more than money to the table. In this case, it takes the form of "being Snoop *#(@*ing Dogg."

Ad-wise, a much better score than Travolta, methinks. 

(H/T: TheSpiritsBusiness)

SyFy Features Cuca Fresca, Dragonfruit Caipirinha

While I might quibble with their use of the term "quantum" (it actually means "really, really small" rather than "really, really big" as it does in popular use), this video describes an absolutely cosmic recipe for a delicious-sounding (not to mention gorgeous-looking) dragonfruit caipirinha cocktail. Looks like something Quark might have served in his bar.

Cuca Fresca Cocktail Contest Finale

Tuesday night was the finale of Cuca Fresca's Shake Your Way to Brazil cocktail contest, which I've been following with great interest. As fortune would have it, the contest took place just a couple of miles away from Cachaçagora's world headquarters, over at Chicago's Encore Liquid Lounge.

My trusty Flipcam and I were in attendance, at least for a little while. Video below, with the five finalist recipes, plus the grand prize winner, after the jump.

Update (2009-12-06; 1240): Another perspective on the event from Suburban Kamikaze.

Update (2009-12-06; 1345): Check out this piece in The Examiner. Money quote for Cuca Fresca: "Sean Ludford, another of the Shake Off’s judges who has judged over fifty cocktail competitions, also said 'this was the most impressive line-up of cocktails that I have ever seen in a comparable competition.'"

Update On Cuca Fresca's Mixology Contest

Camper English points us to the Cuca Fresca mixology contest, Shake Your Way To Brazil, which launched in July. Recipes are up and voting is open.

There are plenty of intruiging recipes up on the contest site now. A carrot-juice-based cocktail from Todd Appel of Chicago's Hotel Sax caught Camper's interest, but I gave my vote to Corey Bunnewith's Brazilian Autumn:

Brazilian Autumn

• 2 oz Cuca Fresca Premium Cachaça
• .5 oz Lime Juice
• .25 oz Domaine de Canton
• .25 oz Honey
• 3 Shiso Leaves
• Dash Angostura Bitters

Shake over ice. Double strain into a coupe. Grate nutmeg over the top for garnish.

Why? A couple of reasons:

• I've been experimenting with Domaine de Canton for a while here at the Gomecile.
• Honey and nutmeg have been favorite cocktail ingredients of mine for a while now.

Public voting ends on Halloween. Cuca Fresca will announce the judges' and People's Choice awards on Nov. 1.

Cuca Fresca Mixology Contest, Win A Trip To Brazil

Think you can come up with a great cocktail using Cuca Fresca Premium or Cuca Fresca Gold? Well, it could be worth a trip to Brazil and a tour of Cuca Fresca's distillery. 

The rules are simple: You are allowed four additional ingredients besides the Cuca Fresca to work with. One catch: You have to be a professional bartender and your drink must be on the menu at the restaurant/bar where you work to qualify for the Peoples' Choice award. (Your humble author, therefore, does not qualify.)

From the announcement earlier this month, here are the important deadlines:

• July 1-Sept. 15: Recipe submissions can be made via CucaFrescaSpirit.com
• July 22-Oct. 31: People can cast their votes at CucaFrescaSpirit.com for the “People’s Choice” finalist. 
• Oct. 15: Twenty semi-finalists will be chosen by the judges and will be promoted on the Cuca Fresca website for two weeks. 
• Nov. 1: Four finalists will be announced on and will compete live at the end of November. The Peoples' Choice winner will be announced at that time.

Good luck!

UPDATE (2009-07-21): Clarifications supplied by CF's Phoenix Kelly-Rappa in boldface italics.

Carnaval 2009

Photo Credit: Dukal

So, last week I blasted out a note to all of my contacts within the cachaça industry: "What are you planning around Carnaval?"

Here's the resulting rundown of events after the jump.

New Year's Blind Tasting Of White Cachaças

Photo Credit: Leticia Gomes

This New Year's, my best friend Richard and his wife Mariya came up to visit. At one point, my wife suggested that Richard and I do a blind tasting of four white cachaças. Richard and I all-too-happily complied.

Keep in mind this was quite the cachaça week. During the welcome party that we threw for Richard and Mariya that Tuesday, I ended up pouring at least 14 caipirinhas (Leblon, Cabana, Boca Loca) for our ten or so guests and maybe three doses (Barril 39, Velho Pescador) for myself, all while Richard and I shared tales of our richly enjoyed shenanigans from our time in the East Bay.

As to the Thursday tasting, the four contenders were (left to right):

• Guapiara Silver
• Cuca Fresca
• Boca Loca
• Beija

Photo Credit: Leticia Gomes

All of these cachaças were sent to me over the past six months by representatives of these brands. Of the four, you can find my reviews of Boca Loca and Beija on Cachaçagora. (I haven't gotten to the others just yet.) All are 40% ABV.

Richard and I left the room while my wife poured the cachaça and assigned them their designated letters on the tasting mats.

Photo Credit: Leticia Gomes

See the rankings after the jump.

Cuca Fresca's Ready-To-Drink Mixes

The folks at Cuca Fresca sent over their new ready-to-drink cocktails in three flavors: caipirinha, mango, and passion fruit.

All in all, quite good, particularly the passion fruit. (You'll notice its level — the bottle at far right — is slightly lower than the other two.) The caipirinha is a but more sugary than my tastes, but still very refreshing over ice. (And perhaps gives one an idea why the Brazilian government wants to regulate the definition of its national cocktail.)

You can find these in the following states: NY, FL MD, DC, MA, CT, TX, GA, OK, and MO.

Reaction To Last Week's Tasting

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"Phil... Congratulations! Your blog is very important for expanding the knowledge of good handcrafted cachaça." - Kede, father-in-law, cachaça enthusiast

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The main inspiration for Cachaçagora was the passion for this spirit that is shared by my in-laws, Claudia and Kede, who live in Rio de Janeiro. Claudia — you occasionally see her referred to as "Mamãe" here — is the president of the Confraria de Cachaça do Copo Furado, a group that regularly meets to talk about cachaça. (The name, translated, is "The Cachaça Brotherhood Of The Pierced Glass.")

Anyway, Kede (pictured in the chef get-up) gave us some expert, in-country context for our blind tasting. Read the translation after the jump.