Agave Classifications (Mezcal & Other) Flashcards
How many species of agave are used to make mezcal
approx 50 with countless subvarieties
what production methods lead to unique difference in flavour of mezcal vs tequila
- traditional cooking done in stone-lined earthen pits (Horno)
- various fermenting tanks are used in Mezcal (wooden, stone-lined, animal hide)
- direct fire pot still made of clay, wood or copper
when did Mezcal get official DO
1994
what nine states are allowed to call their product “Mezcal”
- Oaxaca
- Durango
- Zacatecas
- San Luis Potosi
- Guanajuato
- Guerrero
- Tamaulipas
- Michoacan
- Puebla
What is the Mezcal version of CRT
CRM - Consejo Regulador del Mezcal formed in 1997
what is NOM 70 and what did it do
passed in 2017 it formed the 3 catgories and 6 different classes of Mezcal
What are the 3 categories of Mezcal
- Mezcal
- Mezcal Artisanal
- Mezcal Ancestral
What are the rules for Category “Mezcal”
This is the most generic classification
* allows for highly industrialized large-scale production
* agave hearts can be cooked in stone pit, above-ground masonry oven, or autoclaves
* crushed by tahona, mill, shredder, continuous mill or diffuser
* fermented in wood, concrete or S/S tanks
* distilled in continuous still, copper still or stainless steel column still
What are the rules for Category Mezcal Artisanal
most common classification (92% of category in 2018)
* agave hearts only cooked in underground stone pits or above-ground masonry oven (brick or stone)
* crushed by hand, tahona, mills or mechanical shredder
* fermented in clay, earth, wood, stone or animal skin
* distilled only over direct fire cooper pot still, clay pot still or stainless steel - agave fibers may be included
What are the rules for Category Mezcal Ancestral
The most traditional method / very small percentage of producers produce this way
* agave heart must be roasted in pit ovens only
* crushed by hand, tahona, chilean or egyptian mill
* fermented in stone, earth, wood, clay or animal skin
* distilled only in clay pots over direct fire - may include agave fibers
what is a Chillean or Egyptian Mill
similar to tahona it is a large stone wheel rolled over product to crush it. First used for mining then adapted for agriculture
What are the 6 classes of Mezcal
- Blanco (Joven)
- Madurado en Vidrio (aged in glass for more than 12 months - either buried underground or in a space with little variation in light/temp/humidty)
- Reposado (aged between 2-12 months)
- Anejo (aged more than 12 months)
- Abocado con (flavors added after distillation)
- Distilado con (ingredients added during distillation to add flavor - ex. pechuga)
Where is most mezcal made
Oaxaca; 92% (2018)
What agave is most used for mezcal
Espadin (from A. Angustifolia family)
What are the 6 other mexican spirits
Bacanora
Comiteco
Raicilla
Tuxca
Charanda
Sotol
What is Bacanora
DO protected (2000)
State of Sonora
Made with heads of the Pacifica varient of A.Angustifolia
Production similar to Mezcal
What is Comiteco
- made in and around Comitan de Dominquez in Chiapas
- distilled from aquamiel (agave sap - not the cooked pina)
How is aquamiel harvested
a bowl shaped cut into the heart of the pina will “injure” the plant and cause it to produce a sap. The sap is collected and consumed immediately or fermented into Pulque
What is Raicilla
DO (2019)
only 5 agave varieties allowed (rhodacantha, angustifolia, maximiliana, inaequidens, valenciana)
made in 16 municipalities of Jalisco & in Nayarit
Similar to Mezcal production
What is Tuxca
NoDO made in Tuxcacuesco region of Jalisco
What is Charanda
DO (2003) sugarcane distiilate native to 16 munic. In state of Michoacan. Cane grows in rich red volcanic soil
What is Sotol
from Dasylirion plant in states of Chihuahua, Coahuila and Durango. Similar to Mezcal but not an agave spirit
What four mexican agave spirits come from Jalisco
1.Tequila
2.Raicilla
3.Tuxca
4.Non-Denomination Agave Distillate
