|
|
About Tequila |
| |
|
|
Tequila is much more than it seems. Almost everyone has had an experience with tequila that they would like to forget (or don’t quite remember). Unfortunately, that is the end of the story for many people. They never get beyond having shots of entry-level mixto tequilas to sipping glorious cognac-type extra añejo tequilas that provide a wonderful celebratory accent to any occasion. At its finest, tequila is more than a mere alcoholic beverage; it is an art form steeping with craftsmanship from beginning to end.
While it would take a graduate level thesis to discuss everything about tequila, The Tequila Guy will present a brief history and some basic facts about tequila to provide a foundation for enjoying this wonderful alcoholic spirit. However, before we get started, there are two myths about tequila that should be dispelled immediately. The first is that tequila is made from cactus juice. It is not. It is made from the blue agave plant (Agave tequilana Weber) which actually has its own genus, Agave, that is related to the lily family and not a cactus. While agave plants do look prickly and are often confused for cacti, they are not. The other myth regards the worm. Tequila is not bottled with a worm. While some mezcals from Mexico may be bottle with a gusano worm (the larva of a moth), tequilas are not. With those myths taken care of, let’s now look at the history and basics of tequila as an introduction to North America’s oldest alcoholic spirit.
Brief History
As with most new things that predate the strict documentation standards of modern time, the exact origin of tequila is difficult to pinpoint. Some say it started when lightning struck an agave plant, others talk about it being used in rituals more than 2000 years ago by tribes local to the region where Jalisco, Mexico is today. Either way, tequila goes back well before Jose Antonio de Cuervo created his distillery and was allowed by Spain to begin commercial production of tequila in 1795. From there, tequila has grown in production and in stature. There are now over 700 brands of tequila being produced by more than 100 distilleries. In 2006, there were more than 9 million cases of tequila sold in the US alone.
Tequila Basics
The art of creating tequila starts with its ingredients. Tequila uses blue agave, Agave tequilana Weber. These agaves are grown for 5 years to 12 years and then harvested by jimadores using a special shovel called a coa. The coas allow the jimadores to both uproot the agave and take the tips of the agave plant to create pinas. The resulting pinas could weigh well over 100 pounds.
To produce tequila, the pinas are cut and cooked to make the starches in them turn to sugars. They are then crushed to extract the juices. The juices go through the usual process for creating alcohol; fermentation and distillation. Some of the finer tequilas are distilled three times. Then the tequilas can be bottled directly or aged for up to 5 to 8 years depending on the distiller’s desire and vision. When aged, tequila is aged in oak barrels imparting color and various flavor characteristics to the tequila. The barrels used for aging could be new or previously used for bourbon, sherry, or wine and are made from American or French oak.
Having produced a tequila equivalent to a work of art, many distillers choose to bottle their tequila in special bottles. Designing hand-blown and hand-crafted bottles are a way to bring extra attention to tequilas that the distillers feel are unique and special. These bottles are often signed and numbered to allow a provenance for collectors.
Once created, tequila can be in one of four categories depending on the amount of time the tequila is aged. If aged less than 60 days, the tequila will be blanco (also known as silver or plata). If aged more than 2 months, the tequila will be reposado, which means rested. For tequilas aged more than a year, their category is añejo. In 2006, there was a new category introduced called extra añejo. This is for tequilas aged more than three years.
Regardless of the category, ultra-premium tequilas are always made from 100% agave sugars. However, to be certified tequila, it must be made with at least 51% agave sugars. The tequilas bottled at 51% agave are called mixtos. Mixtos can fit into any of the categories. However, the longer a tequila is aged, the less likely it will be a mixto.
The Mexican government, Normas Oficial Mexicana (NOM), regulates and certifies tequila distillers. All bottles of tequila will have a NOM number telling you that you are drinking tequila. Here are some of the items required for certification:
- The tequila must be made from Agave tequilana Weber
- The tequila must be made from at least 51% blue agave sugars
- The tequila needs to come from one of these five Mexican states: Jalisco, Guanajuato, Michoacan, Nayarit, and Tamaulipas.
- The tequila has no less than 38 percent alcohol by volume
|
|
|
|
|
