Chilcano de Maracuya
Cool, light, and refreshing… Chilcano de Maracuya (a Pisco and passionfruit cocktail) features Peru’s beloved Pisco, fragrant maracuya (aka passionfruit or passion fruit), ginger ale, and a few drops of bitters. This one is a refreshing and light cocktail on a hot summer’s day!
👩🏻🍳 Tamara Talks – About Peru and Cocktails
It’s pushing the century mark, and you need a cold, refreshing adult beverage, but you don’t want just another gin and tonic? This thirst-quenching cocktail goes down so easily, you’ll have to watch yourself! 😆
It’s a variant on the classic Peruvian Chilcano de Pisco… the passionfruit pulp replaces the lemon or lime juice in the classic cocktail. I think you’ll find it’s quick and easy to make as well.
A traditional Peruvian chilcano uses ginger ale, and while you might love ginger beer, its stronger flavor is likely to overpower the Pisco and passionfruit…
I still find myself looking back at our month in Peru with longing. It may be awhile before I “move on,” so thanks for indulging me for a time. Cuzco introduced me to chilcanos. Prior to Cuzco, I’d never even heard the word. Pisco sours, yes, chilcanos, no.
Literally our first stop upon arriving in Cuzco (after dropping our bags at Hostel Corihuasi) was a hike down the steep cobblestone street to the Museo del Pisco. Translate from Spanish to English –> Pisco Museum.
IN the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. But after such hard work, he was thirsty. And thus could think of nothing better than to create the grape and, from its fruit, make a fine spirit. He called it PISCO. And he saw that it was good. And it became the elixir of other gods. Later, he continued to entertain himself creating the animals, plants and the rest of the world.
When it is proclaimed in Peru that God is Peruvian, it’s no joke; actually, it is a popular saying which people take very seriously. And when it is claimed that pisco is Peruvian, it’s viewed as an undeniable and irrefutable fact, based upon historical evidence. Today, Pisco is Peru’s flagship drink and a spirit that continues to gain more international fans every day. Cheers!
Museo del Pisco website
🍹 What is Pisco?
Pisco is a colorless or light yellow to amber colored brandy (a liquor distilled from wine or fermented fruit juice). It is made from grapes grown in Peru. Chileans may lay claim to pisco, but do not listen! 😆 While cognac – also a brandy – needs to be aged in oak barrels, pisco must not be.
One of the key regulations governing Peruvian pisco is that it cannot be aged in wood at all. Pisco must be made in one of five coastal valley regions of Peru, including Ica, Lima, Arequipa, Moquegua and Tacna. It may be made up of a combination of 8 unique grape varietals, each lending its own characteristics to the end product. For more on pisco, see The Complete Guide to Pisco.
🥭 About Chilcano de Maracuya
The Pisco Sour is Peru’s best-known cocktail. I particularly enjoyed a variant on the Pisco Sour – the Coca Sour. Yes, the pisco is infused with coca leaves. Yes, coca is completely legal in Peru.
We’ll save the topic of coca for another day. 😉 However, I had some issues with nausea (probably due to altitude and food choices), and the Chilcanos section on the drink menus suddenly seemed more appealing than the heavier pisco sours made with frothy egg whites. Chilcanos, as mentioned at the beginning, are made with ginger ale (my favorite mixer).
I’ve been a fan of maracuya since our Peruvian friend Sirena introduced us to maracuya pie. You may remember a trio of Tropical Margaritas, my favorite being the maracuya?
📋 Ingredients Notes
Here is a quick look at the ingredients in the recipe – it’s handy to use at the grocery store or as a summary of what you need. Skip to the recipe for quantities.
🔪 Step by Step Instructions
❓FAQ
Ginger beer has a very strong flavor, and can overpower the cocktail. You will want to pour ginger ale!
Not in “my book.” Brandy would be the closest spirit, and with the other ingredients, you’ll still have a similar cocktail.
Cocktail shakers are pretty subjective. I like the mason jar cocktail shaker for blog photos because the glass shows the ingredients. However, they do leak! My husband (and favorite bartender) prefers a Boston shaker.
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💭 Tips and Variations
If you can’t find fresh passionfruit, all is not lost! I actually couldn’t get fresh
passionfruit at my market when I went to work on this cocktail. Fortunately, Goya Foods has frozen maracuya pulp with NOTHING ADDED! I prefer cocktails that are NOT sweet, and I certainly didn’t want any high fructose corn syrup in this one. It worked great! You probably don’t want to substitute passionfruit canned or bottled juice because of the high fructose corn syrup. I would prefer to use the fresh pulp with seeds removed,
but the frozen was a fine substitute.
My son – a bartender in his previous life – suggested substituting rum for the pisco as a “dark and stormy” variation. I think it sounds awesome. Let me know if you try it!
If you like the flavor profile of a chilcano (and you like licorice), don’t miss my star anise chilcano… Check out these Latin-inspired cocktails if you love cocktails and are looking for inspiration. I hope you’ll give this refreshing, tropical cocktail a try!
Chilcano de Maracuya Recipe
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Ingredients
- crushed ice - (to fill highball glass)
- 2 ounces Pisco
- 1 ounces maracuya - passionfruit pulp/juice
- .5 ounce fresh lime juice
- 1-3 ounces ginger ale - (I like Fever Tree or Hansen’s)
- 3-4 drops angostura bitters
- basil or mint to garnish
Instructions
- Fill highball glass with crushed ice.
- Add Pisco, maracuya, and lime juice to a shaker with ice. Shake well. Strain over glass with ice. Top with ginger ale.
- Add a few drops of bitters, and garnish with mint or basil leaves.
Notes
Nutrition
NOTE: Macronutrients are an approximation only using unbranded ingredients and MyFitnessPal.com. Please do your own research with the products you’re using if you have a serious health issue or are following a specific diet.
🇵🇪 More Peru Photos
How much ginger ale?
Hi Alexis! I apologize for my slow response. I’m out of town taking care of my grandsons, and I haven’t had much work time. Ginger ale varies according to taste and glass size. I love the taste of pisco, and I have 10 ounce highball glasses. With 5 ounces (pisco and maracuya pulp) and a little ice, I only top it with about 2 ounces of ginger ale. If you’re new to pisco, you might want more ginger ale. I’d love feedback if you try it!
I enjoyed my Chilcano while reading your passionate comments about Cuzco. I mentally traveled there thanks to you. Cheers- Salud!
Salud! I’m so glad you enjoyed it Claudio!
Use your words carefully.
https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2015/01/04/372684438/if-you-shouldnt-call-it-the-third-world-what-should-you-call-it
Thank you for visiting Perú. Next time, you might want to spend some time in Lima.
Saludos,
Agustin
Thank you for sending the link, and politely correcting me. I always want to respect this country that has stolen my heart! In fact, we are in Peru (Pisac) currently. We made our second visit to Lima over last weekend before flying to Cuzco. I will find a way to correct my post, and my sincere apologies!
What a gorgeous cocktail! It is SO hot here – I wish I was sipping on this!
Yummy, that looks beautiful and delicious! I’ve never heard of pisco but I want to find some and make this drink real soon! It was fun to look at all of your photos! What fun you must have had.
That sounds so refreshing!!! I’ve been loving cocktails this summer.
I really enjoyed all the photos and yes please to that cocktail!
What a gorgeous cocktail! It is SO hot here – I wish I was sipping on this!
Thank you Allison! We’ve not been under 100 degrees in south Texas for awhile, and that kind of heat makes a chilcano pretty appealing 🙂
I really enjoyed all the photos and yes please to that cocktail!
Haha… right? It is so light and refreshing! Thank you Jacqueline 🙂
That sounds so refreshing!!! I’ve been loving cocktails this summer.
Thanks Liz! The combination is perfect for a hot summer day 🙂
Yummy, that looks beautiful and delicious! I’ve never heard of pisco but I want to find some and make this drink real soon! It was fun to look at all of your photos! What fun you must have had.
Thank you Elaine! Pisco is becoming more available in the US for sure… I’m not sure about other countries. It is versatile in a cocktail, and I think you’d really enjoy this one!
The pisco and passion fruit cocktail looks so delicious and thirst quenching, thanks for sharing
My pleasure Jagruti 🙂 This is a thirst quenching cocktail, and goes down perhaps a little too easily!