The first of many to come

The Brazilian Instituto Nacional da Propriedade Industrial (INPI) received a few days back the first application for the year 2012 regarding another national Geographical Indication. This time, the application is for ‘cachaça da região de Abaíra’ (spirit from the region of Abaíra) as an Indication of Source (Indicação de Procedência).

Abaíra is a municipality in the state of Bahia which has been named the city of ‘cachaca’ been a major producer of it. 70% of Abaira’s habitants live basically by the cultivation of cane sugar (the raw product by which the spirit is made from).

The ‘Cooperativa dos Produtores de Aguardente da Micro Região de Abaíra’ (Producers’ Cooperative of spirit Micro Region Abaíra) (COOPAMA) has 200 producers associated generating about one million litters of ‘cachaça’ per year. Every two years the town celebrates ‘the Cachaça Festival’ aiming to give a better insight, including, tips and even addressing on how to advertise and promote the product.

What is special?
The cachaca Abaíra is a tradition of almost 200 years. The cane sugar is to be found locally and harvested by family farming. The spirit is made in copper stills at the headquarters of COOPAMA and from the distillation the product goes to the lab's analysis and quality control. Then the product goes to the stainless steel containers where after the results of the analysis is selected for either wooden containers that give rise to cachaça OURO (Gold) or stainless steel containers that give rise to cachaça PRATA (Silver). Finally, the product is put through a filter before bottling.[more info here]

I presume that for some of you ‘cachaça’ does not sound familiar but I will say a word and you will understand what I am talking about: Caipirinha! Oh Yes! The national cocktail of Brazil. Well, this cocktail is made of cachaça and you just add a bit of sugar and lime...Cheers!