The legacy of tequila.

Tequila is a mexican spirit, distilled from the fermented juice of blue- green agave tequila weber.

Quality tequila is distilled from 100%agave, but mexican law permits tequila distillers to mix other sugar, such as corn sugar a maximum limit of 49% during fermentation. It means that should have minimum 51%agave.

HISTORY

The blueish-green leaves and the skies of Guadalajara distilled down using an ancient recipe into a power punch and crystal clear spirit: This is the heritage of our most cherished, hangover inducing, alcoholic drink that dates all the way back to the 14th century called tequila.

The exact history of tequila started with the people of the Aztec, who made a fermented beverage from the agave plant. They called this beverage the Octli (which later came to be called Pulque). All this occurred way before the Spaniards arrived in the 1500s.

Agave was an important part of life in Mexico: the dense fibres were perfect for mats, ropes, possibly wigs, but people also had another use for the plant: they loved to booze around with agave juice.Pulque was their favourite drink, a fermented, milky coloured, yeasty agave juice concoction that pre-Aztec civilisations had the good sense to distil. North American fascination with tequila began during prohibition, and surfaced again in the Second World War when European spirits were hard to come by.

Today, there are more than 100 distilleries in Mexico that proudly create over 900 brands of tequila (and more than 2,000 new brand names have been registered.

PRODUCTION

The production of tequila is strictly regulate by mexican government.

Steps involved in production of tequila

• In the first step the agave tequila na plant is harvested when they are 8-10 years old.The harvester, or “Jimador” removes the agave leaves with a sharp curved tool called a Coa. He trims the 200 plus leaves that protect the heart or piña of the agave until the whole heart is extracted from the ground. Only the heart, or “piña,” of the agave plant is used to make tequila. Mature piñas weigh in between a hefty eighty and three hundred pounds; however, the size of the agave heart is not nearly as important as its sugar content. The older the agave, the longer the piña will have to accumulate the starches that will convert into fermentable sugars. Approximately, 15 pounds of agave piñas are required to produce one liter of delicious tequila.

• The piñas are either cooked in traditional stone oven or steam cooked. Cooking in stone oven takes as long as 36 hours ,where as the autoclave,it takes 12 hour.

• Once cooked, the agave heads are transported to a milling area for sugar extraction. The cooked piñas are crushed in order to release the juice, or “aguamiel,” that will be fermented. The traditional method is to crush the piñas with a “tahona,” a giant grinding wheel operated by mules, oxen or tractors within a circular pit. Modern distilleries now use a mechanical crusher to separate the fiber from the juices. Once the piñas are minced they are washed with water and strained to remove the juices.

• During the fermentation process the sugars are transformed into alcohol within large wooden vats or stainless steel tanks. Yeast may be added to accelerate and control the fermentation. Traditionally, the yeast that grows naturally on the agave leaves is used; however, today many distilleries use a cultivated form of wild yeast. Fermentation typically takes seven to twelve days, depending on the method used.

• Then the wash distilled twice in pot still . The first distillation produces ordinario which is about 20% abv and the second distillation result in tequila of higher strength.

• Almost all containers used in tequila aging are French or American white oak barrels that have previously been used to age bourbon. Reposados are aged between two and twelve months, Añejos are aged between one and three years and Extra Añejos are aged for over three years. The longer the tequila ages, the more color and tannins the final product will have. The condition of the barrels (such as their age, previous use and if their interiors have been burnt or toasted) will also affect the tequila’s taste.

CATEGORIES OF TEQUILA

Blanco tequila

This clear white spirit is knwon as “silver” tequila or “plata” tequila. This tequila is unaged, typically bottled and packaged directly after being distilled. Some blancos are kept for a little time in wax lined oak or in the stainless steel container.

Reposado

It is aged in oak cask for a period of two months to one year. This gold-colored spirit is typically aged in white oak and French oak barrels where resins and tannins shape the flavor of the tequila. Many different types of wood barrels give the tequila different flavors since the barrels were previously used to age other spirits such as wine, cognac, whiskey, or bourbon.

Anejo

Añejo means “old” in Spanish, and añejo tequila is aged a minimum of one year, but less than three years in oak barrels. The Mexican government states that to be considered añejo, the tequila can only rest in oak barrels with a maximum capacity of 600 liters. This tequila is generally aged in whiskey barrels, French oak casks, or cognac barrels. Compared to reposado, añejo are darker in color, more complex, richer, and smoother in flavor. Known as vintage tequila, the amber-colored spirit is typically seen as a sipping tequila.

Extra anejo

The extra añejo has the same exact distilling and aging process as añejo tequila except that it aged longer. This tequila is classified as one that is aged for more than three years.