INTERNATIONAL CACHACA DAY
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INTERNATIONAL CACHACA DAY
International Cachaça Day on June 12 celebrates the Brazilian-made drink called cachaça. Join us as we learn more about this distilled spirit made exclusively in Brazil.
#InternationalCachacaDay
Cachaça is made from fresh sugarcane juice. The clear liquor is spicy, sweet, and fruity. It is Brazil’s most popular drink, and by law, distillers can only make it in this South American country. Cachaça is also used to make Brazil’s national cocktail, caipirinha.
Brazilians first began making cachaça in the 1500s when Portuguese settlers introduced sugar cane to Brazil. Many African slaves drank cachaça as they worked on the sugarcane plantations. The drink helped dull their pain and provide them with energy. The working class and the wealthy also developed a taste for the drink.
Cachaça become popular around 1630 when Portuguese rulers began to feel threatened by the drink. Portuguese rulers preferred Brazilians drink bagaceira, which was a Portuguese grape brandy. In 1635, it became illegal for the Portuguese Colony of Brazil to produce, distribute, and sell cachaça. This ban on cachaça forced its market to go underground. However, in 1660, some brave cachaça producers took over the city government in Rio de Janeiro. This event became known as the Cachaca Revolt. Thanks in part to this revolt, the Royal Order legalized cachaça on September 13, 1661.
On September 7th, 1822, the Empire of Brazil declared its independence from Portugal. This greatly helped to increase the cachaça market. Today, 85 million cases of cachaça are consumed around the world each year. The top export markets for the drink are the United States, Paraguay, Germany, France, and Portugal.
HOW TO OBSERVE INTERNATIONAL CACHACA DAY
The best way to observe this day is to find out where you can buy a bottle of cachaça. You might also want to try a caipirinha. Understand the difference between cachaça and rum. On this day, you can also learn more about the history of Brazil. Share this fun day on social media with #InternationalCachacaDay.
INTERNATIONAL CACHACA DAY HISTORY
For many years, Brazil has celebrated its own National Cachaça Day on September 13. This date commemorates the Cachaça Revolt of 1660. However, several countries celebrate International Cachaça Day on June 12. This stems from the FIFA World Cup opening in Brazil held on June 12, 2014. During this event, the Brazilian drink cachaça gained global attention.