In 1430, the Portuguese had already mastered sugar production, but the alembic didn’t reach Brazil until the late 16th century. Over the next two centuries, they dominated the Atlantic, with sugar production becoming economically crucial.

Small sugarcane farmers in Brazil began shaping the history of cachaça, helping it gain global recognition. Legend says cachaça originated accidentally when enslaved Africans left sugarcane juice to ferment overnight. To avoid punishment, they mixed fresh juice with the fermented liquid and boiled it. The alcoholic vapor condensed and dripped from the ceiling, earning the name “pinga” from the Portuguese verb pingar (“to drip”).