07/22/2020
National Tequila Day is THIS FRIDAY! Here are some Fun Facts about Tequila!
1. Agave honey water is the source of tequila. While it is also used to make sweeteners and syrups, this liquid in the center of the agave (aquamiel) is fermented and aged to produce liquid gold for millions of people.
2. Tequila, like beer, wine, and whiskey, comes in a variety of forms and flavors. There are many kinds of tequilas, each with specific differences that connoisseurs can easily detect. What you likely drank when you were younger was Silver/Blanco/Plato Tequila, which is a clear tequila that has not been aged. Reposado tequilas, such as Milagro Select Barrel Reposado, on the other hand, have been rested for somewhere between two and twelve months and have a light amber-gold color and more mellow flavor. Añejo, or aged, tequilas, such as Centenario Añejo, have matured for at least a full year in oak barrels, producing a deeper gold color than reposado tequilas and a more complex and subtle flavor.
3. Mezcal is the one with the worm. In popular culture in the United States, drinking tequila is often associated with “the worm” at the bottom of a bottle. However, most tequilas, which are made from the blue agave plant, do not include a worm in the finished bottles. Only Mezcal, which is a liquor made from any of the other 250+ forms of the agave plant, traditionally includes a worm. Mezcals like Wahaka Joven Madre Cuishe and El Zacatecano Añejo are smooth, robust, and coveted. Some companies do add the caterpillar of the maguey worm to their finished bottles, producing mild chemical changes that some consumers may find highly desirable.
4. Most tequilas are made from Agave plants, except for Sotol tequilas. Sotol tequilas are made from a different Mexican plant, the Dessert Spoon, which grows in the desert. Sotol tequilas generally come from the Chihuahua Region, with well-regarded brands including the Blanco, Reposado, and Añejo versions of the Hacienda de Chihuahua liquor.
5. Tequila is named after a city. Most tequilas come from the Jalisco region of Mexico, and more specifically, from the area around the city of Tequila. In fact, Mexican law mandates that most tequilas, with certain exceptions, be manufactured in Jalisco.
6. Over 50 million liters of tequila are consumed in America annually.
7. Studies have shown that consuming tequila can cut your risks of dementia by 37%.
8. Some tequila is aged in barrels. Many are aged up to 30 years to create the perfect flavor.
9. It also has a component that can help lower LDL levels, aka bad cholesterol.
10. In Mexico, Tequila is consumed neat: without lime and salt
When it comes to lime and salt with their Tequila, Mexicans go for margaritas. Shots of tequila are consumed without the extras.
11. Tequila is closer to lilies than cactus
Many believe Tequila is made from cactus, but the Agave plant is actually in the lily family not cactus.
12. It takes 8-12 years for the Blue Agave plant to mature enough to make Tequila
Tequila is made from the heart of the Blue Agave plant, called piña. The pina may weigh up to 200 pounds when harvested.
13. Worms are prohibited in Tequila bottles but may be present in Mezcal
By law worms are prohibited in Tequila bottles. Agave Snout Weevil or the caterpillar phase of the Hypopta Agavis Moth may be in Mezcal bottles. They used to be included to prove the proof and/or presence of agave.
14. Tequila has terroir
Tequilas from agave grown in the highlands north of Guadalajara are fruitier and floral; whereas those from the valleys are earthier and may have a bit of spice to the flavor.
15. Much of the work in making Tequila is done by hand
Agave is hand selected for harvest and harvested by hand. In premium Tequilas, the pulp is extracted from the fiber in large stone bowls by humans after being ground down in the tahona.
16. Color is NOT a guarantee of Tequila quality
Tequila turns color from aging in barrel or by the addition of color additives. A premium white tequila will taste much better than an artificially colored young tequila
17. The three main categories of Tequila are:
a. Blanco –Un-aged and bottled within two months of distillation
b. Reposado– Aged between two to twelve months in barrels
c. Anejo– Aged between 1 to 3 years in small oak barrels
d. Two additional categories include:
i. Joven or Oro– mixture of Blanco and Reposado tequilas
ii. Extra Anejo – Aged 3-5 years in oak barrels
