9 South American Cocktails to Try

Caipirinha is the national cocktail of Brazil and features cachaça, a Brazilian liquor. Cachaça is made with fermented pure sugarcane, giving it a distinct sweet and fruity taste. The Caipirinha is incredibly popular in Brazil and effortless to make. Along with cachaça, the recipe calls for ice, sugar, and sliced lime.

Pisco is a brandy made with fermented grape juice. The liquor has its origins in 18th-century Peru and Chile, and it was likely named after Pisco, a city in Peru that was famous for its bustling port and huge vineyards. The Pisco Sour combines Pisco with simple syrup, lime juice, egg white, and bitters for a delicious tart drink.

The South American Honey Bee is a unique cocktail because it’s fairly new. The cocktail combines the fresh taste of a Caipirinha and the tartness of a Pisco Sour, and sweetens it with honey syrup. The egg white creates a creamy foam top that adds some delicious texture to the cocktail.

A “Chelada” is a mixed drink that features beer, typically a Mexican domestic beer. This Easy Lime Chelada recipe is similar to a Michelada, a beer cocktail with chili peppers, spices, and hot sauce. The fresh-squeezed lime in this recipe helps brighten the flavor, and the recipe has only four ingredients.

A Coco no Loco is a classic coconut flavored cocktail that is refreshing and tasty. The drink features white rum, coconut water, lime, and mint. The taste is similar to a mojito but with coconut water's refreshing and distinct flavor.  This recipe is perfect as a summer cocktail to help cool down.

The Refajo Colombiano is a beer cocktail from Colombia. The cocktail traditionally uses Soda Colombiana, a sweet vanilla flavored soda you can find all over Colombia and in many Latin grocery stores. However, cream soda can substitute if you can’t find Soda Colombiana.  The recipe combines pineapple, orange, and any beer you like, along with vanilla soda.

This recipe for Fernet and Coke is one of the simplest on our list, and the drink is popular in Argentina and Uruguay. The drink combines Coke and Fernet, an Italian herbal liqueur. The cocktail is similar to a Rum and Coke, but the bittersweet herbal taste of the Fernet adds an exciting depth of flavor to the drink.

Canelazo is a warm alcoholic drink with spices, rum, and sugar. The drink is especially popular in the cold mountain regions of the Andes in Peru, Colombia, Argentina, and Ecuador. Canelazo combines rum, brown sugar, cloves, and cinnamon with a little lime and orange juice to provide a warm and spicy fruit flavor.

Pisco, a brandy made in Peru's wine region, is the main component in Chilcano. Pisco is a high-proof liquor made by distilling fermented grape juice, therefore the sort of grapes used to make it affects how it tastes. Pisco can have a flavor that ranges from dry to semi-sweet, with floral or smokey undertones. Because of this, the flavor of Chilcano beverages varies depending on the Pisco you choose.