Caipirinha: the classic recipe and how it differs from caipiroska and sakerinha

There’s no cocktail more Brazilian than the caipirinha — recognized by the International Bartenders Association (IBA) as the country’s official drink. But here’s the catch: technically, only the cachaça version can be called a “caipirinha.” Swap the base for vodka and it becomes a caipiroska; swap it for sake and it becomes a sakerinha (or saquerinha). Below, the classic recipe and the differences between the three.

The official caipirinha recipe

Ingredients (1 serving):

• 60 ml (2 oz) of good-quality cachaça
• 1 lime
• 2 tablespoons (or 4 teaspoons) of sugar
• Ice cubes

Method:

1. Trim the ends off the lime and remove the white center pith (this avoids bitterness). Cut into 8 small wedges.
2. Put the lime and sugar in a rocks glass and muddle gently, just enough to release the juice — try not to tear the peel too much.
3. Fill the glass with ice.
4. Top with the cachaça and stir well with a long spoon or straw.

It’s a “built” drink — not shaken or strained — so it’s usually served with a straw or a sugarcane swizzle stick, so it keeps mixing itself as you drink it. Under Brazilian federal decree 6,871/2009, a drink can only legally be called a caipirinha if it’s made with cachaça; any other base spirit requires a different name.

Caipiroska: the vodka version

The recipe is identical — same lime, same sugar, same ice — the cachaça is simply swapped for vodka. The result is a smoother, more neutral drink, since vodka has a much milder flavor than cachaça, letting the lime take center stage. It’s a good entry point for people who aren’t yet fans of cachaça’s flavor.

Sakerinha (or saquerinha): the sake version

Less common, but increasingly popular at bars and izakayas, the sakerinha swaps in sake — Japan’s fermented rice beverage — for the cachaça. The result is a more delicate, slightly sweeter drink, and it pairs especially well with red berries (strawberry is a classic pick) alongside the traditional lime.

Why is only the cachaça version called “caipirinha”?

The answer is part tradition, part law. The caipirinha is Brazil’s signature cocktail, internationally recognized as such, and its identity is tied directly to cachaça — the country’s national spirit. As the market started experimenting with other bases (vodka, sake, and even fruits other than lime, which gave rise to the term “caipifruta”), bartenders and cachaça producers began drawing a naming line to protect what is, in fact, the original caipirinha. In Brazil, this was even written into law: Decree 6,871/2009 defines the caipirinha as the typical drink that must be made with cachaça, lime, sugar and ice. Change the base, change the name.