When it comes to drinking, Brazilians thirst for quality as well as quantity. They’re consuming more alcoholic drinks than ever, and becoming more adventurous in their choices. As the industry continues to grow, what does the beer – and cachaça – taste like at the top?

It’s been described by Cosmopolitan as “Sex and the City marries Facebook”. But is women-only app Lulu, where men are ‘reviewed’ by their exes, anything more than a reversal of the increasingly prominent online objectification of women?

Performed mainly by men, Passinho is a new way of dancing funk born in the favelas of Rio. It highlights a new side to Brazilian men: a growing obsession with vanity. But how does it challenge favela stereotypes? And what does this new behaviour reveal about Gen Y?

Are Brazilians still football obsessed? And are big bums still the beauty standard? In our 2014 / 15 cultural snapshot of Brazil, we demystify cultural myths, shed light on the country’s economic outlook, and explore the emerging and established trends across eleven sectors.