CHAPTER 7: TEQUILA Flashcards
List 5 designated states within Mexico for Tequila production:
- Jalisco
- Guanajuato
- Michoacan
- Mayarit
- Tamaulipas
Define Tequila:
Fermented and distilled cooked sap, called aguamiel, of blue agave plant
What were early uses for agave plant?
- Food and Medicine
- Rope or Cord
- Sewing Needles
When did fermented agave juice consumption begin?
200 C.E.
Who was Octili Poliqhui named after?
Omentochtli, Aztec god of drink
True or False: Octili Poliqhui is a synonym for tequila
False; it is a low-alcohol fermented drink consumer by Aztecs. Later known as “Pulque”
Who experimented with fermenting to make drink stronger?
Spanish conquistadors
Define: “Pulque”
Fermented agave drink produced from 6 different agave subspecies and consumed locally like beer
True or False: Tequila translates to “Place of Work”
True
Why did Pulque production flourish during early Spanish rule?
Spain imposed high taxes on all alcoholic beverages except Pulque.
Distilling pulque produced a spirit known as what?
“Mezcal” wine
When was the small town of Tequila elevated to status of village?
1656
Why did King Charles III ban Mezcal production?
To force Mexicans to purchase Spanish alcohol
What Spanish ruler ended ban on Mexican spirit production?
King Ferdinand IV, 1792
Who was granted a license to produce mezcal wine in 1795?
Jose Maria Guadalupe Cuervo
Weber, a botanist, classified the blue agave. What’s the scientific name?
Agave tequilana Weber azul
What does Norma Oficial Mexicana (NOM) do?
- Protect tequila’s Appellation of Origin
- Regulates production
- Establishes standards to ensure quality
- NOM # placed on front or back of labels
- Complying with NOM gets a producer certified with TRC
Define: TRC
Tequila Regulatory Council
What did the Lisbon Accord of 1958 do?
Designated certain products as having specific origins. Examples are Irish whiskey and American bourbon
When did Mexico sign the Lisbon Accord treaty, protecting its name?
1996
What are the 3 synonyms for the Agave Plant?
- Maguey
- Mezcal
- Agave
How many species of agave exist?
Over 130
True or False: Agave is part of the Cactaceae (cactus) family
False; belongs to Agavaceae (Amaryllis) family
Can pulque be distilled?
No; during fermentation, it forms a polymer that obstructs distillation
Where is pulque sold? Why?
Sold locally because it spoils rapidly and can’t be stored in cans or bottles
How is pulque collected?
Cut made in body of agave plant and cavity is carved in center. Sap collects in cavity and brewer removes it.
Define: Aguamiel
Sap that’s collected in agave cavity. Also known as honey water
Define: Inulin
Sweet polymer of complex carbs. Found in high concentrations in agave.
What must be done to Inulin to convert it to a fermentable sugar?
Hydrolized by chemical, thermal, or enzymatic processes.
What fermentable sugars is Inulin converted to?
Fructose and Glucose
True or False: All inulin can be used to produced agave?
False; only select subspecies have desirable congeners and appropriate chemistry.
Define: Bacanora
- Agave distillate
- Made in state of Sonora
- Subspecies: pacifica and palmieri
Define: Comiteca
- Agave distillate
- Made in state of Chiapas
- Subspecies: atrovirens
Define: Mezcal
- Agave distillate
- Made in state of Oaxaca (elsewhere too)
- Subspecies: potatorum and salmiana
Define: Mezcal de olla
Mezcal made with a clay pot still
Define: Raicilla
- Agave distillate
- Made in central Jalisco
- Subspecies: lechuguilla
Define: Sotol
- Agave distillate
- Made in state of Chihuahua
- Subspecies: angustifolia
List the 7 distinct agave-sourced spirits made in Mexico:
- Bacanora
- Comiteca
- Mezcal
- Mezcal de olla
- Raicilla
- Sotol
- Tequila
Define: Pencas
Long thorny leaves of the agave
What are the dimensions of the agave plant? How long does it take to reach maturity?
- 5-8 ft. in height and 9-12 ft. in diameter
2. 6-8 years
True or False: the blue agave is permitted to reach sexual maturity
False; flower stalk is removed before they flower
What are the 2 names for the part of the agave that swells with aguamiel?
- Pina b/c it looks like a pineapple
2. Cabeza b/c it looks like a head
What are the 2 methods of agave propogation? Which is commercially viable?
- Sexual reproduction - seed dispersal; not commercially viable b/c too many years to develop
- Asexual reproduction - plant sends out horizontal stems called “rhizomes”
What are 2 challenges that the 100% Agave Tequila category faces?
- Since 6-8 years to mature, sensitive to long term demand trends
- Dependence on single, clonal variety and prone to virus or pests
What are the 2 regions in which blue agave grows? Compare them.
- Amatitan Region; warmer, valley, less rain, volcanic soil
2. Los Altos (Highlands) Region; cooler, high altitude, more rain, high clay soil
As of 2011, how many distilleries were there and where were the majority located?
144; Majority in Jalisco