Mezcal versus Tequila Flashcards
distillate
nounsomething formed by distillingOf course, the most basic questions are: What is mezcal? And how does it differ from tequila?Both are distillates from the fruit of agave plants.
agave
nouna succulent plant with rosettes of narrow spiny leaves and tall flower spikes, native to the southern US and tropical America.ORIGIN Latin, from Greek Agauē, the name of one of the daughters of Cadmus in Greek mythology, from agauos ‘illustrious.’
tequila
noun
a Mexican liquor distilled from the fermented sap of an agave (Agave tequilana)
ORIGIN Mexican Spanish, named after the town of Tequila in Mexico, where the drink was first produced.
” Tequila is technically a mezcal, however, there are differences in production technique and in the types of agave used. Tequila is made from a single type of agave plant – the agave tequilana (blue agave) – and can only be produced in the state of Jalisco and in small parts of four other states.
Mezcal can be produced from up to 28 varieties of agave (including blue agave) and is made around the city of Oaxaca “
distill
noun to make (a liquid) pure by heating it until it becomes a gas and then cooling it until it is a liquid again.
mescal
noun
a usually colorless Mexican liquor distilled especially from the central leaves of any of various fleshy-leaved agaves
“When tequila is made, the agave head is baked in an above-ground oven. This began in the late 19th century. Mezcal producers, however, often follow the traditional method of using in-ground pits. The agave heads (also called agave hearts, or piñas) are roasted or grilled over hot rocks in a cone-shaped pit (called palenques or hornos). A fire is started and burns for about 24 hours to heat the stones that line the pit. The agave heads are put into the pit and then covered with moist agave fiber that is left over from the fermentation process. A layer of agave leaves or woven palm leaves cover the fibers and the agave heads are left to cook for two to three days.”
