Shake up your bartending skills with a Chi Chi Loca drink recipe! This refreshing twist on a classic cocktail features Cachaca, Mezcal, blackberries, agave nectar, lemon juice, and sage, topped with a splash of club soda and garnished with mint. Perfect for beginning bartenders, this recipe is easy to make with simple equipment like a shaker, muddler, and juicer. Impress your guests with this delicious and unique drink!
Chi Chi Loca Ingredients
- 1-1/2 oz Cachaca
- 1/2 oz Mezcal
- 5 Blackberry
- 1/2 oz Agave Nectar
- 1/2 oz Lemon juice
- 2 leaves Sage
- Club Soda
- - for Mint
- garnish Mint
Chi Chi Loca Equipment
- shaker with strainer - get rid of large pieces of ingredients (ex: fruit parts, seeds)
- muddler - don't give up when you don't have one, wooden spoon will save you
- juicer, squeezer manual or automatic - if you mind using fresh juice
Chi Chi Loca Recipe
- consider making fresh Lemon juice you can press fruit yourself (be careful - fresh juice stays good only 12 hours)
- fill a shaker half full with ice cubes to chill all the ingredients properly
- shake till perfectly chilled
- pour into Highball glass halfway with ice
- if preferred, serve with a Mint as a garnish
Recommend: serve in Highball glass
The highball (or hi-ball) and collins glasses have a lot in common. They can both be used for tall beverages and hold the same amount of liquid, which can range from 8 to 16 ounces.The Chi Chi Loca: A Refreshing and Popular Cocktail
As a professional bartender, I have made and served countless cocktails. But there is one drink that never fails to impress my customers: the Chi Chi Loca. This refreshing cocktail has gained popularity for its unique blend of ingredients and beautiful appearance. In this article, I will discuss the history and origins of the Chi Chi Loca, the roles of each ingredient, how to garnish it, variations of the drink, common mistakes when making it, and much more. So, let's dive in!
Popularity
The Chi Chi Loca is a popular cocktail that originated in Brazil. It is a unique blend of cachaça, mezcal, blackberries, agave nectar, lemon juice, sage leaves, and club soda. This cocktail is famous for its sweet and sour taste, which is balanced by the smokiness of mezcal. The addition of blackberries and sage leaves gives it a refreshing and fruity taste.
The Chi Chi Loca has gained popularity not only in Brazil but also in the United States. Many bars and restaurants in the US have started serving this cocktail due to its unique taste and beautiful appearance. The cocktail is usually served in a highball glass with a mint garnish, which adds to its visual appeal.
Ingredient Roles
Each ingredient in the Chi Chi Loca plays a crucial role in creating the perfect blend of flavors. Here is a breakdown of the roles of each ingredient:
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Cachaça: This is a Brazilian distilled spirit made from sugarcane juice. It is the main ingredient in the Chi Chi Loca and provides a sweet and fruity flavor.
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Mezcal: This is a Mexican distilled spirit made from agave. It provides a smoky flavor to the cocktail, which balances the sweetness of the cachaça.
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Blackberries: These add a fruity and refreshing taste to the cocktail.
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Agave Nectar: This is a natural sweetener that is used in place of sugar. It provides a sweet taste to the cocktail without overpowering the other flavors.
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Lemon Juice: This provides a sour taste to the cocktail, which balances the sweetness of the cachaça and agave nectar.
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Sage Leaves: These add a refreshing and herbal taste to the cocktail, which complements the fruity flavor of the blackberries.
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Club Soda: This is used to top off the cocktail and provide a fizzy texture.
How to Garnish
The Chi Chi Loca is a beautiful cocktail that can be garnished in many ways. The most common way to garnish this cocktail is with a mint sprig. To garnish the cocktail, take a mint sprig and gently bruise it by slapping it against your hand. This will release the essential oils and aroma of the mint. Place the mint sprig on top of the cocktail and serve.
Variations
The Chi Chi Loca is a versatile cocktail that can be modified to suit different tastes and dietary needs. Here are some variations of the cocktail:
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Virgin/Mocktail Version: To make a virgin Chi Chi Loca, simply omit the cachaça and mezcal. You can replace them with a non-alcoholic spirit or leave them out altogether.
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Gluten-Free Version: The Chi Chi Loca is gluten-free as long as you use a gluten-free cachaça and mezcal. Some popular gluten-free cachaça brands in the US include Avua Cachaça and Novo Fogo. For mezcal, try brands like Del Maguey and Los Siete Misterios.
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Vegan Version: The Chi Chi Loca is vegan as long as you use a vegan cachaça and mezcal. Most cachaça and mezcal brands are vegan, but it's always best to double-check.
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Keto Version: To make a keto-friendly Chi Chi Loca, use a sugar-free sweetener instead of agave nectar. You can also use a low-carb cachaça like Avua Cachaça's Amburana, which has zero carbs.
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Low-Calorie Version: To make a low-calorie Chi Chi Loca, use a low-calorie sweetener like stevia instead of agave nectar. You can also skip the club soda and use sparkling water instead.
Common Mistakes When Making
Here are some common mistakes that bartenders and home mixologists make when making the Chi Chi Loca:
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Using too much agave nectar: Agave nectar is a natural sweetener that is sweeter than sugar. Using too much of it can overpower the other flavors in the cocktail.
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Not muddling the blackberries and sage leaves properly: Muddling is the process of crushing or bruising herbs and fruit to release their flavors. Not muddling the blackberries and sage leaves properly can result in a weak and bland cocktail.
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Using the wrong type of cachaça or mezcal: Cachaça and mezcal come in different varieties, and each has a unique flavor profile. Using the wrong type of cachaça or mezcal can result in a cocktail that is too sweet or too smoky.
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Using too much lemon juice: Lemon juice provides a sour taste to the cocktail, but using too much of it can overpower the other flavors.
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Not using a strainer: When muddling blackberries and sage leaves, small pieces can get into the cocktail. Using a strainer can help remove these pieces and create a smoother cocktail.
In conclusion, the Chi Chi Loca is a refreshing and popular cocktail that is perfect for any occasion. Whether you're a professional bartender or a home mixologist, this cocktail is easy to make and can be customized to suit different tastes and dietary needs. So, the next time you're looking for a unique and delicious cocktail, give the Chi Chi Loca a try!
If you are going to order Chi Chi Loca in a bar, don’t forget to mention all the ingredients to the bartender. Chi Chi Loca can be served with different ingredients in different places.