Tequila & Meszal

Question 1

Agave

Answer 1

plant native to central America. Carbohydrate in the plant reserves in the from of inulin.

Growth could be to 15 to 20 years to maturity, only flower once and die. Developed herbaceous aroma ; bell pepper, vegetable and pepper.

usually harvest before flowering for complex aroma and highest yield of inulin

Question 2

Pina ?

Answer 2

The central core of agave

Question 3

How to cook Pina ?

Answer 3

Pina cut and cooked.
Heated to convert inulin into sugar
Traditional :
In tequila slowly steamed in brick ovens
in Mezcal is roasted in stone - lined pits

Modern: steam in pressurized steam ovens

once cooked pina is crushed to release their very sweet juice. Traditional method using a large stone wheel, modern using mechanical milling machines.
the crushes flushed trough with water to make sure all sugar extracted

Question 4

What is formulation in tequila production ?

Answer 4

Making up the sweet liquid for fermentation.

Producer might have an option to add non agave sugar up to 49%, adding this will reduce tequila character solution adding fibers from pina in the liquid during fermentation.
the best tequila using 100% agave sugar

Question 5

Distillation agave

Answer 5

using either pot or column still.

Top quality will be double distilled in pot still.

Tequila using large modern pot still
Mezcal using small and often homemade

Some are collected in at low strength below 60% abv

Question 6

Tequila maturation

Answer 6

optional using

1. stored in inert vessels prior sale
2. matured in oak vessels /short aged in very large oak tanks

Question 7

Abocado ?

Answer 7

the additive that used for colour correction using caramel coloring

Question 8

Agave spirit region

Answer 8

Mexico, south America

Tequila large production
Mezcal small production only refer to geographical indication and not any agave spirit

Question 9

Tequila ?

Answer 9

100% agave tequilana weber / blue agave / azul

only grown in 5 Mexican state, most important Jalisco its took 7 to 10 years reach maturity

Question 10

Best Tequila

Answer 10

agave cooked in slowly brick ovens, fermented with agave fibers, double distilled pot still and collected at particular low strength

Question 11

Oaxaca

Answer 11

important region of mezcal in south of Mexico

Question 12

Mezcal ?

Answer 12

the main are 100% Ageve angustifolia / Espadin

Cooked in stone - lined fire pits, roasting giving them smoky aromas

Question 13

Best Mezcal

Answer 13

a pronounced and unique combination of smoky, earthly, vegetal flavours ; the roasting process, the use of agave fibers in the fermentation and the distillation in simple pot stills to a low strength

Question 14

Mezcal 2016 new regulation

Answer 14

identified mezcal in traditional techniques
1. Mezcal - no specific rule
2. Artisanal Mezcal -
only roasting pits and brick ovens, limit on the mechanized mills for crushing
fermentation in stone pits, wood or clay vessels and include agave fibers
distilled with directly heated metal or clay pot still
3. Ancestral Mezcal
as artisanal with extra restrictions
only roasting pits
not permitted using mechanized mills
use agave fibers for fermentation and distillation
stills must be direct heated and only clay

Question 15

Tequila labeling term

Answer 15

Blanco / Silver - no aging 
Joven / Oro / Gold - no aging
Reposado - aged 2 month in Oak 
Anejo - Extra aged 1 year in oak barrels
Extra  anejo - Ultra aged 3 years in oak barrels

Question 16

Tequila gold label

Answer 16

indicate that not matured in oak, it has been coloured and softened by an additive called abocado

Question 17

Mezcal Labeling term

Answer 17

Joven - unaged ( by 2016 law replace by Blanco)
Reposado - 2 month in oak
Anejo - 1 year in oak barrels