- published: 31 Aug 2013
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Cachaça (Portuguese pronunciation: [kaˈʃasɐ]) or "Ca-SHAH-sa" is a liquor made from fermented sugarcane juice.
It is the most popular distilled alcoholic beverage in Brazil. It is also known as aguardente, pinga, caninha and many other names.
Cachaça is mostly produced in Brazil, where, according to 2007 figures, 1.5 billion litres (390 million gallons) are consumed annually, compared with 15 million litres (4.0 million gallons) outside the country. It is typically between 38% and 48% alcohol by volume. When it is homemade it can be as strong as the distiller wants. Up to six grams per litre of sugar may be added." The major difference between cachaça and rum is that rum is usually made from molasses, a by-product from refineries that boil the cane juice to extract as much sugar crystal as possible, while cachaça is made from fresh sugarcane juice that is fermented and distilled. However, many rums are also made from distilled sugar cane juice. That's why cachaça is also known as Brazilian rum.