Tequila Flashcards
How does the US define tequila?
An agave spirit distilled at less than 95% ABV and bottled at no less than 40% ABV, made in Mexico.
What status does tequila have in the EU?
GI status as a distinctive product of Mexico.
What is the NOM?
The Norma Oficial Mexicana, the official standards of Mexico regulating spirit production.
What are the two types of tequila?
Tequila
100% Agave Tequila
What must be on the label of 100% agave tequila?
One of the following:
100% de agave
100% puro de agave
100% agave
100% puro agave
Blue may be added.
What are the requirements for the production of both types of tequila?
Made from the Agave tequilana Weber plant.
Grown, harvested and produced in a designated tequila-producing area.
Bottled at between 35-55% ABV
Not “cold mixed” - no other added alcoholic beverage.
What are other requirements for 100% agave tequila?
Must be from 100% blue agave
Must be bottled in a bottling plant controlled by the authorized manufacturer and located in a tequila producing area.
What are the different requirements for non-100% agave tequila?
Must be produced with at least 51% blue agave. The remaining 49% may be from other sugars.
With approval, may be transported in bulk for bottling outside the designated tequila-producing areas.
Are additives allowed in tequila?
Yes, certain additives are allowed up to 1%, including caramel coloring, oak extract, glycerin and sugar syrup.
Are tequila producers required to list additives on their labels?
No.
What is octili poliqhui?
The Aztec name for a fermented juice made from agave. Named after the Aztec god of drink.
What is pulque?
Fermented juice made from agave.
What is mezcal wine?
A distilled spirit made from pulque, and early distillation of agave.
Who received the first license to produce mezcal wine in the Tequila region in 1795?
Jose Maria Guadalupe Cuervo
What is the botanical name of blue agave?
Agave tequilana Weber azul.
When was the term “tequila” first used to describe Mezcal wine from the Jalisco region?
1873
What botanical family does agave belong to?
Asparagaceae
What sub-family of Asparagaceae is agaeve a part of?
Agavoideae
What are pencas?
The long leave of an agave plant.
How high can a blue agave grow?
5-8 feet
How wide can a blue agave grow?
8-12 feet.
What is a quiote?
A fast growing stalk on an agave plant, the if left to mature will produce flowers and eventually seeds.
What is aguamiel?
The juice that builds up in the central rosette stem after the quiote is removed.
What are two names of the swollen portion of the agave?
Piña - resembles a pineapple
Cabeza - looks like the shape of a head.
How are most agave plants reproduced?
Via shoots (hijuelos or pups) that form along the bottom of the plant. During the 3rd to 6th year of a parent plant’s cycle, strong enough to be replanted.
What are Hijuelos?
Shoots at the bottom of an agave plant, also called pups.
What are the size designations for shoots severed from a parent agave plant?
Lemon-size
Onion-size
Grapefruit-size
What happens to agave shoots at the nursery?
They are dried for 1-3 weeks, then planted in nursery area. After around 2 years moved to their final growing site where they’ll mature.
What Mexican state is the largest tequila producer?
Jalisco.
Besides Jalisco, what other Mexican states are allowed to produce tequila?
Tamaulipas
Guanajuato
Nayarit
Michoacan
What are the two main agave producing regions of Jalisco?
The Amatitán/Lowlands Region
Los Altos/Highlands Region
In which part of Jalisco is the town of Tequila located?
The Amatitán
Which of the two agave producing regions of Jalisco is the overall warmest?
The Amatitán
What is the Altitude of the Amatitán?
About 4200 ft. (1300 m)
What agave producing area of Jalisco includes the town of Arandas?
Los Altos
What administrative regions are included in Los Altos?
Altos Norte
Altos Sur
Portion of Cienéga.
What is the altitude of Los Altos?
6500 ft. (2000 m)
What type of tequilas are produced in Los Altos?
Softer, fruitier and highly floral tequilas.
What type of tequilas are produced in the Amatitán?
Crisper, more vegetal, and earthy tequilas with black pepper spice flavors.
What are the main factors that effect the character of a specific brand of tequila?
Agave quality
Other base material (Mixto)
Water used
Fermentation
Distillation type
Maturation
Additives
What is mosto?
Agave juice that has been extracted.
What is a jimador?
A agave fieldworker
What is a coa?
The sharp tool used for preparing the agave plant to be harvested.
How is an agave plant prepared for harvest?
The central flower spike is removed, which forces the plant to send its growth and sap into the heart.
How are agave plants harvested?
The plant is cut from its roots and rolled onto its side. From the position, the leaves (pencase) are sliced off. The piña (cabeza) is sent to the distillery.
How much do Amatitán piñas weigh?
75-165 lbs. (35-75 kilos)
How much do Los Altos piñas weigh?
110-200 lbs. (50-90 kilos)
What is the first thing that happens to piñas when they reach the distillery?
Workers with axes cut them into halves and quarters.
What are fructans?
Polysaccharides/complex carbohydrates found in the aguamiel sap inside the piña of agave.
What fructans are found in the sap of an agave?
Inulin and agavin.
What must be done to aguamiel sap from an agave prior to fermentation?
The fructans must be converted to fermentable sugars. Often done by hydrolysis and/or heat.
What is hydrolysis?
The chemical breakdown of a compound due to reaction with water.
How does the heat while cooking the piñas during the tequila making process help with the extraction of the juice?
It softens the piña, which makes it easier to crush.
What are hornos?
Steam ovens used to cook cut up agave piñas during the tequila making process.
How long and at what temperature are piñas generally cooked in hornos?
36-48 hours at 140-185º F
or
Shorter time - 200º F