Tequilla & Mezcal Flashcards
name of carbohydrate at core of Agave plant?
inulin - consumed by the flower unless harvested (at peak maturity/flavour/level of inulin).
aromas associated with agave?
herbacious bell peppar vegetables pepper earth (common to all agave species)
Duration of maturation of Agave plant?
15-20 yrs to mature
Blue Agave/Agave tequilana Weber 7-10 years
name of core of Agave plant
pina
how convert for sugar
cooking
2 cooking methods?
which for Mezcal?
slow steaming in brick ovens
roasting in stone-lined pits (Mezcal)
then crushed to release sweet juices - some using traditional large stone wheel.
name given to process of creating sweet juice?
formulation,
addition of non-agave sugars?
Up to 49% for Tequila. - from non-agave sugar.
This dilutes agave character.
Mezcal 100% agave sugars
Distillation equipment
Pot or Column
Best double distilled in pots for max flavour
some collected at below 60% for extra character
maturation?
Steel or oak
Most in steel, or large old oak… to retain primary aromas.
short oak maturation can soften out a tequila.
A few age long term - but rare as oak easily dominates.
Colour correction method?
caramel colouring.
‘Gold’ all from colouring.
Tequila vs Mezcal?
Tequila
- Blue Agave ONLY- aka, Agave tequilana Weber / aka azul (Mezcal - various)
- can use up to 49% non agave sugars (mixto)
- more modern methods/pots
- large scale (Mezcal small producers)
- grown in 5 Mexican states
- no smokey character (see Mezcal)
ingredient for smoothness and mimic effect of maturation?
Using ‘abicado’
Collective name for agave spirits?
Mezcal
also appears as a regional delineated spirit
Most famous Mexican region for Tequila?
Jalisco “ha-LIS-co”
Diversity from Agave tequilana Weber/Tequila? x4
climate sensitive: at altitude = fuller flavour
cooked more slowly in brick ovens
fermentation with agave fibres
double distillation at low strengths = warming and more pronounced agave character
Key Mezcal region?
Oaxaca “wa-HA-ka”
Mezcal - most commonly used agave species?
Agave angustifolia Haw/ aka espadin
extra aroma associated Mezcal’s stone roasting process/formulation?
smokey - a signatory aroma of Mezcal
3 key factors for best Mezcal?
roasting process,
use of agave fibres in fermentation,
distillation in simple pot stills to low strength
-= smokey, earthy, vegetal character
2016 legislation on Mezcal?
Mezcal - can inc steam cooking, and can use any crushing method, any still type.
Artisanal Mezcal - only roasting pits and brick ovens allowed, fibres in fermentation, directly heated metal or clay pot still.
Ancestral Mezcal - similar to Artisanal: only roasting pits, no mechanised mills/crushing, use of fibres in fermentation AND distillation. Direct heat source - must be Clay only pots.
2016 legilsation: ‘Mezcal’
can inc steam cooking, and can use any crushing method, any still type.
2016 legilsation: Artisanal Mezcal -
only roasting pits and brick ovens allowed, fibres in fermentation, directly heated metal or clay pot still.
2016 legilsation: Ancestral Mezcal -
similar to Artisanal: only roasting pits, no mechanised mills/crushing, use of fibres in fermentation AND distillation. Direct heat source - must be Clay only pots.
