Happy Hour in South America

October 16, 2017 SouthAmerica

Happy Hour South American style

While traveling through South America working on our “Doors of South America” Project we learned that every country has a typical drink. In some cases it is merely wine and others it is beer. Chile, Argentina, and Uruguay have their unique wine that characterizes the country. Chile has the Carmenere, Argentina has the Malbec, and Uruguay has the Tannat. Peru and Colombia now have the widest variety of beers. Every country is proud of their own products, and we as tourists did our best to enjoy them all, along with their typical food.

Now living in Colorado we remembered those Happy Hours in South America celebrated with their traditional cocktails, which is what you get offered as a welcome drink in some hotels, served at their restaurants or bars if you ask for their specialty drink. We want to share our idea of a Happy Hour South American Style for everyone to have a good time at home. Enjoy making your own drinks with a Latin America twist while hosting events or simply to try a different cocktail on the weekends.

Argentina is widely known for their great wines. One of our favorites is Malbec from Bodegas Escorihuela Gascon. For this country we share Argentina’s famous Fernet with Coca Cola. Fernet is Italian liquor with a very bitter flavor. Argentinians were consuming Fernet in big quantities reason why it started the production of Fernet Branca in 1941 in Buenos Aires. Fernet Branca is a product of Fratelli Branca Distillerie. Fernet with Coca Cola is Argentina’s commonplace beverage.

Bolivia has Singani liquor which is similar to Pisco from Peru and Chile. This type of brandy is considered Bolivian National drink. They have two popular drinks made with Singani, one is called Chuflay and the other one is Yungueño.

Brazil has the Caipirinha cocktail well-known as their national drink made with Cachaca, which is a product made of sugar cane also known as aguardiente. It is a very refreshing cocktail.

Chile’s popular drink is called Terremoto (earthquake). This cocktail lives up to its name; you end up shaken or unstable after one drink. As if this wasn´t enough Chileans have invented the Temblor or aftershock as the drink to follow, prepared in a similar way as the first one, to be hit with a beverage earthquake again.

Colombia has two main alcoholic beverages. One is the aguardiente infused with anise, and the other one is rum from the Caribbean region. For the purpose of making recipes easier we are using rum in our recipe.

Ecuador as many other countries in South America has some type of aguardiente o Caña, a sugar cane product. A very popular brand is Zhumir but it is hard to find here in the USA. For their popular drink called Canelazo we are using Pisco instead.

Panama has their indisputable rum Abuelo, but Panama also has what is called Seco Herrerano, a type of liquor similar to Cachaca from Brazil. It is made from sugar cane and it has been made since 1950.

Peru and Chile both use Pisco to make Pisco Sour, and both claim it as their national drink. We are honoring the Pisco as a Peruvian brandy with their Peruvian Pisco Sour.

Uruguay aside from their Tannat wine, which is another of our favorites, Uruguay has Grappa a wine product but Uruguayans as most countries in South America like their beverages sweet, and in this case they have Grappamiel as a popular drink. This consists of Grappa infused with honey. You can order a glass in any bar in Uruguay.

To make some of these recipes easier and not too expensive we are using different liquors in our recipes as follows:

Pisco – for the Peruvian, Ecuadorian, and Bolivian recipe.

Fernet Branca – for the Chilean, and Argentinian recipe.

Rum – for the Colombian and Panama recipe.

Cachaca – for the Brazilian recipe.

Grappa – for the Uruguayan recipe.

ARGENTINA – FERNET WITH COCA COLA

Serves 1

Ingredients:

Fernet Branca

Coca Cola

Ice

Preparation:

In a tall glass Collins style add some ice cubes, then add one or two shots of Fernet Branca and top it off with Coca Cola, mix gently and serve.

BOLIVIA – CHUFLAY AND YUNGUEÑO

Since Singani is hard to find here in the USA we are using Pisco instead.

CHUFLAY

Serves 1

Ingredients:

Ginger Ale

Singani or Pisco

Ice

Preparation:

In a tall glass filled with some ice cubes pour 1 or 2 shoots of Singani or Pisco and fill it up with Ginger Ale, mix and serve.

YUNGUEÑO

Serves 2

Ingredients:

1 cup of orange juice

1 cup of Singani or Pisco

1/3 cup of simple syrup or more if you like it sweeter

Ice cubes about 4 cups

Preparation:

In a pitcher add the ice cubes, then pour the orange juice, the Singani or Pisco, the simple syrup, mix and serve in tall glasses.

BRAZIL – CAIPIRINHA

Serves 1

Ingredients:

1 limes – cut in half lengthwise and if you like remove the white part from inside each half of the lemon to avoid bitterness.

1 tbsp. of sugar or 1 to 2 tbsp. of simple syrup

Cachaça

Ice cubes

Preparation:

In a short glass put the lemon pieces with the sugar and crush gently until the lime juice comes out, or add the simply syrup, fill it up with some ice cubes, and top it off with the Cachaça.

CHILE – TERREMOTO

Serves 6

Ingredients:

1 750 ml. bottle of Pipeño, here we are going to use a dessert white wine, could be Moscato, Riesling or Pinot Grigio chilled.

1/3 cup of Fernet Branca

Pineapple ice cream here we only found Coconut and Pineapple ice cream by Haggen-Dazs, which works fine, or you could use pineapple Sherbet

Preparation:

In a pitcher mix the chilled white wine with the Fernet Branca.

In a tall glass add one or two scoops of pineapple ice cream and topped with the white wine and fernet mix.

COLOMBIA – RON CON COCA COLA

Serves 1

Ingredients:

Rum

Coca Cola

Ice cubes

Preparation:

In a tall glass Collins style add some ice cubes, then add one or two shots of rum and top it off with Coca Cola, mix gently and serve.

ECUADOR – CANELAZO

Serves 6

Although the original recipe in Ecuador is made with Zhumir, we are using Pisco instead to make it a bit easier.

Ingredients:

6 cups of water

8 cinnamon sticks

1 cup of sugar a substitution could be honey

Aguardiente Zhumir but this time we are using Pisco

Preparation

In a big pot bring to boil the water, and cinnamon sticks. Once it is boiling turn the heat off, and then remove the cinnamon sticks. Add the sugar or honey to your liking.

To serve use heat proof glasses pour some of the cinnamon water and add 1 or 2 shots of Pisco, depending on how strong you like it.

This drink is perfect for those cold days during winter time.

PANAMA – PONCHE PANAMEÑO

Serves 8

Ingredients:

1 bottle of Abuelo rum

3 cans of evaporated milk

3 cans of condensed milk

6 eggs

2 tsp. of vanilla

Cinnamon powder to garnish

Preparation:

In a blender add the evaporated milk, the condensed milk, and vanilla then blend until fully mixed. Transfer to a pitcher and add the rum according to your taste. Usually it takes the entire bottle.

Serve in short glasses and garnish with cinnamon powder.

PERU – PISCO SOUR

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 egg white

1 ½ cups of Peruvian Pisco

1/3 cup of lime juice (about 6 or 7 limes)

¾ tbsp. of sugar (very fine sugar or 2/3 cups syrup if you like) you can make your own syrup just dilute the sugar in boiling water.

Ice (about 4 cups)

Angostura bitters (for a twist last time we used Black Walnut Bitters and it was good)

Preparation:

This recipe makes about 6 servings.

In a blender mix the egg white and the sugar first, and then add the lime juice, the Pisco, and ice then mix it.

Serve in Whisky glasses add the angostura bitters (about 1 or 2 drops only) and it is ready to serve.

URUGUAY – GRAPPAMIEL

Serves 8

Ingredients:

1 bottle of Grappa

500g. of honey

Water to help dissolve the honey

Preparation:

In a pot bring some water to a gentle boil. In another container pour the honey and place it on top of the pot to melt the honey; or if you have double boiler use it until the honey becomes liquid. Transfer the honey to a pitcher and add the Grappa, mixing them completely. Leave the drink at room temperature until cools down. Serve in small glasses.

For more cocktails with Pisco don´t forget to check this e-book