Few drinks are surrounded by as many myths and mysteries as tequila. And for good reason. Tequila has been produced for hundreds of years – quite enough time for the gourmets to put down some interesting “tales”. The drink is recognizable and loved by many. How is tequila made? How and with what is it drunk?
History of the appearance of tequila on the market
It is believed that the strong liquor was first cooked in the 16th century. According to one version, the recipe and technology were invented by the Spanish conquistadors in Mexico. Artisans began to distill the juice of the blue agave when their own supplies of alcohol ran out. And these strong drinks quickly became popular.
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Mass production of tequila in present-day Jalisco began as early as the early 17th century. But it is believed that the first company which received in 1758 an official permission to process agave became the plant of the Cuervo family. Even before that time, however, dozens of small entrepreneurs were operating in Mexico, but their activities were not legal.
A great contribution to the development of tequila technology was made by the Sauza family, who opened the plant in 1873. The company established clear regulations for the production of alcohol using a certain type of raw material. And it is to this brand belongs the development of many devices for tequila production.
Already by the end of the 19th century the blue agave drink had literally become a national treasure. And in an effort to own the term “tequila” itself, the Mexican government declared it its intellectual property in 1978. From then on, only beverages produced within the country could be called by that name. In addition, the so-called Tequila Regulatory Council (Consejo Regulador del Tequila) was created. The organization monitors the quality and promotion of the culture of this drink.
In Mexico, the production of tequila has clear regulations and rules. The local producers strictly observe them.
How is tequila made?
Tequila is a strong alcoholic beverage prepared by fermentation and further distillation of blue agave juice. According to the regulations established by the Mexican government, it can only be produced in certain states of the country – Jalisco, Nayarit, Guanajuato, Michoacán and Tamaulipas. Clear rules apply to the raw material as well – only Weber’s agave goes into processing. The average strength of the drinks is 35-60% vol. Significant volumes of tequila are produced by companies located in the state of Jalisco. This is where the city where the first drinks were made is located.
The flavor and color of tequila depend to a large extent on the production technology. The drinks may contain a larger or smaller amount of blue agave juice, may be aged or not. each brand has its own “tricks”. But in general, the technology can be described as follows.
Harvesting raw materials
This is a labor-intensive process that requires a great deal of physical strength on the part of the workers (chimadores). The agave has to be peeled from its thick leaves (using special shovels, or koa) to obtain the piñas, which are the fruit that is used for processing.
Heat treatment of the harvested agave
The pignas are baked in ovens to break down the complex sugars into simpler compounds. This will further ensure the high strength of the drink and its slightly sweet taste.
In some cases, to bake agave, they use dug pits rather than production ovens. This technique is more popular for making mescal, a drink considered the “ancestor” of tequila.
Agave Grinding
Baked piñas are crushed or grinded on special machines. Large brands that position their drinks as luxury drinks may employ manual labor at this stage.
The dense fibers that remain after grinding the agave are used as fertilizer. And a little bit of this “waste” is often added to the brew during the fermentation stage. This is believed to enrich the bouquet of flavors.
Fermentation of Juice
Some yeast is added to the juice, which is extracted from the agave. This leads to fermentation, the “conversion” of simple sugars to alcohol. The duration of this stage usually does not exceed 4-5 days. The juice ferments either in wooden or steel vats.
Distillation of must
According to Mexican law, “real” tequila must be distilled at least 2 times. But some brands don’t stop there, adding a 3rd distillation to their technology. But many experts believe that this approach “kills” a significant part of the flavor and aroma of the agave in the finished drink.
Some types of drinks are bottled immediately after the distillation stage. These are clear tequilas. The distillate is first diluted with water to obtain certain strengths.
Alcohol aging
For some types of spirits, distillates are sent to wooden barrels for aging. Usually the time frame varies from six to seven years.
The spirits are aged either in new oak barrels or in those where the bourbon previously matured. Don’t forget where the most delicious tequila is sold, in your favorite wine bar Toronto.
Classification of tequila
The label of the drink necessarily contains all the important information that will help the buyer to make the right choice. It won’t give you an accurate idea of the taste of tequila, given the huge variety of brands. But at least you will have the opportunity to understand exactly what kind of drink is in the bottle.
All tequila can be divided into two large groups:
100% agave. This category includes drinks made exclusively from blue agave juice. According to current regulations, they can only be bottled in Mexico. The label must read “100% Agave”, “100% Pure Agave” or “100% de Agave”. The absence of this labeling means that you are looking at “mixed” tequila. The drinks are present in Don Julio, Patron, Olmeca, El Reformador, Cenote, Villa Pancho, Don Nacho, Tres Sombreros, Jalisco, Gran Orendain, Campo Azul, Don Agustin, Pueblo Viejo, Kah, El Macho.
Mixto. Tequila contains at least 51% of the alcohols derived from blue agave. The rest are either neutral distillates (such as sugar cane or corn) or those derived from other agave varieties. Mixto category tequilas lack a powerful herbal bouquet and are cheaper. These drinks are present in Sauza, Jose Cuervo, El Sueno, Viviana, Olmeca, Los Corrales, El Tequileno, Tres Sombreros, Agavita, Sierra, El Reformador, Pepe Lopez, Ono, Agavita, Dos Mexicanos, etc.
Flavored tequila can also be found on sale – it contains various flavor additives. Fruit extracts, herbs and spices – in general, the manufacturer can create any recipe. This, of course, is not 100% tequila. It usually contains only 25% blue agave distillate. Everything else is neutral spirits and flavor ingredients.
A much more informative classification of tequila for the consumer is by maturity period. It is during the maturation process that the drink acquires its flavor qualities. Tequila can be:
White (Blanco, Plata).
Transparent tequila, which in most cases is bottled immediately after distillation. But some producers even send these drinks for 1-3 months in steel vats to “stabilize” their flavor bouquet.
The clear tequila has a refreshing, slightly sweet taste. On the finish, bright notes of agave and light halftones of citrus. This drink is more often used for making cocktails.
Gold (Gold, Oro, Joven).
Another unaged tequila, only with golden hue. It may, however, contain matured spirits. But more often it is the addition of colouring agents (for example, caramel or oak extract), rather than the addition of oak aging, that takes its place.
Reposado
Tequilas from this group are matured for up to a year. In practice, the maturation period does not exceed 9 months.
The spirits are aged in wooden bourbon barrels, which adds special facets of flavor to the finished drink. They are softer than clear, more spicy. All in all, Reposado tequila is a kind of golden mean among all the existing ones. Both in price and quality.
Anejo
This tequila is aged for 1.5-3 years. There are caramel, vanilla and wood notes in the bouquet. Agave comes through only on the finish.