Unit 6 - Lesson 5 - Agave & Tequila Flashcards
What is most tequila sold?
unaged “blancos”
What does wood do to tequila
add consistency
Who regulates tequila?
Consejo Regulador del Tequila (CRT)
How many ages classes for tequila and name them
5
- Blanco (Silver or white)
- Gold/Joven
- Reposado
- Anejo
- Extra Anejo
What is Gold/Joven Tequila
2 types
- Smoothed with caramel, sugar, oak extract, etc
- Adding blanco tequila usually Mixto
What are usually Mixto and what is it
Mixto - where the base fermentables did not come from the use of 100% agave.
Usually Gold/Joven Tequila
What is Abocado
refers to the process of smoothing or softening tequila. eg Joven Abocado (yong and smoothed)
What is Reposado
Aged 2-12m no larger than 600L
Anejo
known as “extra aged” Oak casks
600L
1-3 years
Extra Anejo
Or Ultra Aged Anejo - New Category
Small ultra premium
600L in oak over 3 years
What do the 3 aged tequila’s use for wood?
French or American oak
What are the two oak species used for French Oak
Quercus robur,which has a wide grain, and
Quercus petraea,which is comparatively tight grained.
What grain barrels yield faster extraction?
Wide grain since more porous
Other types of casks?
Standard bourbon or French wine
Toasted, charred, new, etc
How often used?
Several times since shorter storage than say whisky
Why is oak extraction quicker in MX?
Avg temps Jan 17° C
24° C in August
Loss per year
10% pa
Starting ABV for Tequila
55% ABV
What happens because of lower ABV when 1st barreled at 55%?
Higher alcohols decrease.
Acids, esters, and aldehydes all increase.
What happens with blended Tequila?
Marries and aged a bit longer
Then reduced with distilled water until bottle strength
Name other spirits than Tequila
mezcal, sotol, raicilla,
Are mezcal producers barreling?
Not many since the expense is too high and not traditional