Tequila: The Story of Mexico's "Holy Water"

Image source: howisitmade.org

From Plant to Pulque:

A Brief History of Tequila

A form of the famous Mexican spirit as we know it today, tequila was first produced by the Aztecs from the blue agave plant. The Aztecs called the drink pulque, and it was considered a gift from the gods. (Overconsumption may lead some to think otherwise.)

 As it stands, pulque was the first alcoholic drink in South America, and was only to be consumed by high priests during sacrificial offerings or for medicinal purposes.

During the 15^th century, Spanish explorers arrived in Mexico. As they were venturing through the countryside of Jalisco, they came across a tribe of natives who called themselves “Tiquili”. The Tiquili welcomed the Spanish explorers and talked with them about their land, which they had named Tequitlan. It was here that the explorers learned the Tiquili were making pulque.  

The Spanish settlers realized they could distil the plant to produce a higher-concentrated alcoholic beverage. Keeping with the theme of the land, the explorers shortened the name and christened the beverage tequila. It was also referred to as “vino de Mexico” for many years.

It wasn’t until the 16^th century that tequila began to be mass-produced in factories. But the tequila we drink today only began production during the 19^th century in Guadalajara, Mexico.

The Tequila Gimmick

Image source: ianchadwick.com

The infamous worm at the bottom of a bottle of tequila is actually found at the bottom of bottles of mezcal. The difference between tequila and mezcal is that the former is made specifically from the blue agave plant, whereas the latter is made from many different types of agave plant species.

The worm myth began in the 1940’s as a marketing technique to help generate more interest in the drink from the American and European market. The worm was said to change the taste of the spirit. And it isn’t really a worm, but larva from the moth species, Hypopta agavis, which lives on the agave plant. In fact, if these creatures are found during the tequila-making process it may be sign of an infestation, lowering the quality of the product. Premium tequilas are generally sans worm.

While the gimmick worked and began attracting attention to the beverage, it also distorted the original tequila reputation as a “sophisticated” spirit. Over time various Mexican tequila producers have tried to change this perception by removing the larva from bottles.

Will the worm make you hallucinate?

While drinking too much mezcal may cause one to see funny, the worm myth is just that and there are no physical properties in the worm that would cause one to hallucinate.

The Harvesting

Image source: mexicotopatagonia.blogspot.com

To this day tequila is still made by hand, with little to no equipment. The process has been passed down through generations of jimadores, the Mexican farmers who harvest the agave plant.  The process involves working quickly to pull out the hijuelos or agave offspring. They must do this very carefully as not to upset the mother plants and clear the piñas (pineapples), which are then used to produce tequila.

If the agave is picked too soon it will not be sugary enough; picked too late, the sugar inside the plant will have been used and the agave will grow a stem around 20 feet high, with seeds at the top—rendering them beyond use.

Image source: history.com

Production

Getting to the Good Stuff

Once enough usable agave is collected, the plants are ready for fermentation. A few production companies still use the traditional technique of crushing agave with a stone wheel and then transferring it to the wooden barrels where it is left for several days, allowing the sugar to ferment organically. It’s here that tequila makers add in their own special, secret yeast recipe to give the drink a unique flavor.

Next the juice is distilled, producing a murky liquid, and then distilled a second time to remove the cloudiness, resulting in what we know as silver tequila. The Silver Tequila is then bottled or put into oak barrels for aging.

Now that you’re surely craving a summer cocktail to pay homage to the rich history of this classic spirit, check out this margarita recipe to try at your next soiree.

The Authentic Mexican Margarita

Image source: theactionblog.com

Make your next batch of margaritas from scratch—no mix required!—to truly impress your guests. It’s a faster and better alternative to the bar version and a sure to be a summer party hit. Serve them blended or on the rocks.

Recipe for 2

What you’ll need:

4 ounces white tequila
4 ounces Mexican Controy (Cointreau)
4 ounces lime juice, freshly squeezed
Crushed Ice (for blending if desired)
Fine ground sea salt for garnish

Preparation:

Fresh Margarita:

1. Place sea salt on a small plate.

2. Wet the rim of the margarita glasses with a lime wedge (this is how you’ll get the salt to stick to the glass).

3. Place the rim of the margarita glass on the salt plate so that the salt contours the rim.

4. In a cocktail shaker, mix tequila, Controy and lime juice with ice.

5. Serve over ice.

Blended Margarita:

1. See above steps 1–3 for preparing the glass.
2. In the blender, pack in crushed ice, and add tequila, Controy and lime juice.
3. Blend until mix becomes slushy.
4. Pour and serve.

What’s your favorite margarita recipe?

Let us know in the comments section below