Pinga

Pinga is a Brazilian Portuguese informal term used to refer to cachaça, the traditional Brazilian distilled spirit made from fermented sugarcane juice. While cachaça is the official name for the beverage, pinga is widely heard in everyday speech across Brazil and can imply a casual or rustic variant of the drink. The term is more common in certain regions and social contexts and is not an official product category.

Production and characteristics: Cachaça is produced by fermenting freshly pressed sugarcane juice and then distilling the liquid. Most commercial varieties are bottled at about 38 to 48 percent alcohol by volume, though higher strengths exist. Unaged cachaça tends to be clear with grassy, fruity notes, while aged or premium variants are stored in wooden barrels and develop flavors such as vanilla, caramel, or spice from the wood. Pinga, as a nickname, often refers to the informal or lower-cost end of the spectrum, though it can simply be a regional habit of speech for the same drink.

Usage and cultural context: Pinga is commonly consumed neat, on the rocks, or used in cocktails. The caipirinha, Brazil’s national cocktail, mixes cachaça with lime, sugar, and ice. Cachaça and pinga are deeply embedded in Brazilian culinary and social life, with regional variations in driving styles, brands, and production methods influencing flavor profiles.

Regulation and terminology: Legally, the beverage is defined as a Brazilian spirit distilled from sugarcane juice; pinga remains an informal, colloquial term rather than a formal designation.