ABOUT TEQUILA
History
Before the Spanish arrived in 1521, the Aztec people made a fermented beverage from the agave plant, which they called octli (later, and more popularly called puluge). When the Spanish conquistadors ran out of their own brandy, they began to distill this agave drink to produce North America’s first indigenous distilled spirit. Tequila was first produced in the 16th century near the city of Tequila, which was not officially established until 1656.
Around 1600, Don Pedro Sanchez de Tagle, the Marquis of Altamira, began mass-producing tequila at the first factory in the territory of modern-day Jalisco. By the early 1800s, the modern tequila was being mass-produced in Guadalajara, Mexico.
Don Cenobio Sauza, founder of Sauza Tequila and municipal president of the village of Tequila from 1884-1885, was the first to export tequila to the United States. Don Cenobio's grandson, Dan Javier, gained international attention for insisting: "there cannot be tequila, where there are no agaves!" His efforts led to the practice that real tequila can only come from the State of Jalisco, but the Mexican government has allowed other states to produce tequila as well.
Tequila has become a part of Mexico’s culture and heritage, much like Champagne and Cognac are to France. The geographic regions from which they originate often identify tequilas.
Types
By Purity
Most imported tequilas are made from 100% agave. The agave sugar is purely fructose, which the human body can more easily break down. To save costs or to change up the flavors, some producers use up to 49% of other natural sugars. These are called mixtos. We recommend only drinking 100% agave tequilas.
By Age
Tequila is usually broken into five age groups:
•Blanco (white) or plata (silver) – aged 0 to 3 months
•Oro (gold) – blanco tequila, blended with rested or aged tequilas and often with caramel coloring, sugar based syrup, glycerin, and/or oak extract so as to resemble aged tequila
•Reposado (rested) – aged 2 to 12 months in oak barrels
•Anejo (aged) – aged 12 to 36 months in oak barrels
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•Extra Anejo (extra aged) – aged at least 36 months
Drinking Tequila
Mexicans will typically drink tequila straight, without salt or lime. In some regions, fine tequila will be consumed with a side of sangrita—a sweet, sour, and spicy drink typically made from orange juice, grenadine, and hot chilies.
Harvesting
Unchanged by modern farming technologies, harvesting the agave plant remains a manual effort. Because of its size and shape, agaves are planted, tended, and harvested by hand. The jimadors, who manage the crop, pass their knowledge down for generations. They are responsible for pulling out the pups without damaging the mother plant and determining when to harvest each plant. Agaves must be harvested after they become sweet, but before they grow their twenty-foot stem. To harvest the 40 to 150 pound agave hearts, the jimadors cut away the fleshy leaves with a special knife called a coa. The hearts, or pinas, are then baked to caramelize the sugars.
Fermenting
After baking, the hearts are shredded and then pressed. Some producers use a more traditional stone wheel to press out the juice, or aguamiel. Next, the juices are combined with special yeasts and poured into vats where the mixture ferments for two to twenty-one days depending on the producer’s methods and the climate.
Aging
After fermentation, Mexican law dictates that the tequila must soak in oak barrels to develop the complexity and richness of flavor. The length of the aging, among other attributes, determines the type of tequila
Margaritas are typically made from a 1:1:1 ratio of tequila, triple sec, and a juice. Because tequila originates from a tropical plant, virtually any fruit will complement the tequila and triple sec to make a great Margarita. Although a lemon-lime sour juice is most common, tequila also combines well with mango, peach, strawberry, melon, or raspberry. Adding frozen fruit to the mix can also make the margarita more enjoyable.
Please ask our bartenders for their recommendations.
Tequila in Short
Most Tequila, an agave-based spirit, is made in the Mexican municipality of Tequila just to the north of Guadalajara and the surrounding region. Here, the volcanic soil promotes growth of the blue agave. The agave must grow eight to ten years before harvest, at which time the hearts are cut out and baked. Afterwards, the hearts are pressed, and the juice is fermented in vats for two to ten days. After fermentation, the Tequila is aged in oak barrels for at least 14 days and up to 10 years. This aging process determines the Tequila type: blanco (white), oro (gold), or reposado (rested). Distinct flavors can be distinguished in each type.
Ask our bar tenders for their recommendations.
Production in Detail
Growing
Due to a unique combination of altitude, soil conditions, humidity, annual rainfall, average temperature, and exposure to the sun; southwest Mexico is the only known place in the world where Agave azul (or blue agave) grows naturally. The volcanic red soil found in the Mexican state of Jalisico seems to grow the sweetest agaves. Unlike most crops, blue agave takes eight to twelve years to mature, and the entire plant is destroyed during harvest. The more sun the agaves receive the sweeter and fruitier the tequila will be. Lower quality tequilas will often come from agaves in the shady valleys of the region.
