Last Saturday, I sat down for an hour with the founders of Beija Corp., Kevin Beardsley and Steve Diforio, at Vintage Lounge here in Boston to chat about their new product and to test some new cocktails. If you haven’t heard of Beija or cachaça, then this duo is here to change that and American drink culture.
Cachaça is a spirit that hasn’t really pierced mainstream America’s conscious and is overshadowed by its more popular cousin rum, which is generally made from molasses and not sugarcane juice like cachaça. In fact, the US government’s Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau doesn’t even have a separate category for cachaça but has recently designated Beija as the world’s first virgin cane rum. What does that mean? Well, much like virgin olive oil, Beija cachaça is made only from the first press of sugarcanes and is distilled within ten hours of pressing. Does this make a difference? You bet! Although Beija cachaça is only distilled once, it’s surprisingly, extremely smooth.
Tasting Profile: At room temperature, a distinct rock-candy aroma is complemented by a mineral note reminiscent of fresh-cut slate. When chilled, a tropical, herbal aroma emerges, producing a pure, fresh scent. Smooth on the palate, the taste is clean and echoes the aromas with the herbal note leading the way. The finish offers a minty, clean aftertaste.
While I’m not really sure what fresh-cut slate smells like, the scent definitely has an earthy sweetness to it, and the spirit is exceptionally smooth when chilled lightly. The smell and taste are reminiscent of sake, and Beija has a slightly sweet and salty finish. For an 80 proof spirit that’s usually thought of as harsh, Beija stands absolutely no comparison with other, more common cachaças. It’s clear that they’re going after the higher end of the market, especially since the bottle will be priced at around $30. This is actually one cachaça that you can drink neat, perhaps with a twist of lime (as Kevin Beardsley prefers).
Cachaça is itself a spirit that lends itself well to mixing due to its flavor profile. You can use it pretty much anytime when rum or vodka would normally be used, and Boston mixologists are pumping out all sorts of creations using Beija, like the Beija Red Hook, Beija Vintage Caiprinha, and Beija Zinger. However, it’ll likely most often be found in Brazil’s national cocktail, the caipirinha (ˌkīpēˈrēnyä):
Ingredients
- 1 part Cachaça
- Ice
- Lime
- Sugar
Directions
Place 4 quartered limes, and five tablespoons of sugar at the bottom of a pitcher. Using the handle of a wooden spoon, crush and mash the limes. Pour 8 oz of cachaça into the pitcher. Add 2 - 3 cups of ice. Stir. Pour into a tumbler. Garnish with a lime wedge.
Recipe via Extratasty
In addition to the caipirinha, I sampled Beija in a Blueberry Lemonade (excellent balance that wasn’t too sweet without being bland; the recipe is available Beija’s site), Beija with a twist of lime (my preferred choice), and what was essentially a caipirinha up on the rocks (which was annoying to drink with crushed ice constantly entering my mouth).
Beija cachaça was just released at the beginning of this month and is making waves in Boston with all sorts of free events (the next one’s at Allston hotspot Wonder Bar on the 31st), and it’s being poured at some of the hottest bars in Boston like Foundation Lounge, Vox Populi, Vintage Lounge, Om, and Eastern Standard. It should be available at local stores in the next couple weeks at a price of about $30 per bottle. Sorry, it’s not currently available elsewhere in the nation, though Steve and Kevin have plans to expand nationwide once they rock the Massachusetts market.
I’ll have more soon specifically about these two young (only 23 and 24!!!) entrepreneurs who have a fascinating story to tell.
In the meantime, you can read more about Beija in this Boston Herald article and over at DrinkBoston.com.
Photo of Beija supplied by Beija Corp.
