Mixology
Tequila is more than a distilled spirit. It’s a cultural icon of Mexico. Celebrated in Mexican art, books and film, Tequila is one of the most internationally recognized flavors of Mexico. Its less well-known cousin, mezcal, is an equally important part of the Mexican cultural landscape. Often associated with “the worm,” mezcal’s spiritual and medicinal powers are revered throughout the Oaxacan villages where it is produced.
According to Mexican and U.S. law, tequila and mezcal can only be manufactured in Mexico. Fortunately, you don’t have to look any farther than Rosa Mexicano’s cocktail menu to enjoy them.
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Tequila is a distilled spirit made from a plant known as the "blue Agave.” Contrary to a common misconception, tequila is not made from cactus juice. The blue Agave (Agave Tequila Weber, blue variety), also known in Mexico as maguey (mah-gay), is classified as a member of the Aloe family. In Mexico, the plant has long been referred to as the "plant of the gods."
A distilled blue Agave beverage may only be called tequila if it is made from Agave plants grown in one of the specified regions of Mexico: the state of Jalisco and certain villages in neighboring Mexican states, as allowed by law. These are the approved regions for tequila production according to the Mexican regulations that govern it. Most tequila is produced in the state of Jalisco, in or around the town of Tequila.
Tequila must also be made according to specified processes in its cultivation, fermentation and distillation. To bear the name "tequila," the beverage must also contain 51% fermented juices from the blue Agave plant. The other 49% may be comprised of other sugars. Premium tequilas, however, are generally made from 100% blue Agave juice.
Standards for most aspects of tequila production, including aging and labeling, are defined in a set of laws called the Norma Oficial Mexicana. The final Tequila product is an 80 proof / 40% alcohol by volume distilled spirit.
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Tequila is produced only within approved regions of Mexico, and primarily in the state of Jalisco. Tequila production is concentrated in an area near the city of Guadalajara, Jalisco, specifically in or around the town of Tequila. Other approved areas include certain villages in the Mexican states of Nayarit, Tamaulipas, Michoacan, and Guanajuato.
Some tequila products may be bottled outside of Mexico (mixtos). However, all critical production processes must take place within the approved areas by law.
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Harvesting
Tequila production begins with the jima (harvest) of Agave plants that are either "estate grown" (grown by the producer), purchased from other growers, or a combination of the two. The blue Agave takes 8-12 years before it reaches harvest maturity, when a yellow hue appears on leaves in the interior of the plant.
The jimador (harvester) uses traditional hand tools, as used over the last 100 years, to cut apart the Agave. The spiny leaves are first sheared from the plants in order to expose the "heart" of the Agave, commonly called the cabeza (head) or piña, because it resembles a giant pineapple. The roots are then cut, and the plant is removed from the earth. The Agave is trimmed until only the "piña" remains. The Agave "hearts" can weigh 80-175 lbs each. They are loaded onto trucks and hauled off to the distillery.
Cooking
At the distillery, the "hearts" are halved or quartered. They are then packed into brick or concrete ovens for cooking. Steam is injected into the ovens and the Agave is cooked for 24-36 hours. The "pines" are allowed to cool for 24 hours before they are removed from the oven. Juices released from the Agave during the cooking process are collected at the bottom of the oven and put into special containers. This juice is known as "agua miel" (honey water). Cooking converts the plant's starches into sugars.
Milling
The milling process extracts additional juices from the cooked Agave. A milling or juicing machine, or in some cases a stone grinding wheel (Tahona), is used to crush the Agave and press out the remaining juices. The juice (Must) is then put into holding containers.
Fermentation
The juices (must) produced by the "milling" process are put into fermentation tanks or vessels. Yeasts are added to the juice to begin the conversion of sugars into alcohol. The fermentation process can take between 5 and 10 days under "natural" conditions. Some producers use additives to speed up fermentation.
Distillation
The fermented Agave juice is next put into the stills. Mexican law requires that tequila be distilled at least twice. In distillation, the juices are heated up in order to vaporize the alcohol. The vaporized alcohol is carried off into a cooling condenser. The first and last portions of the alcohol are regarded as impure and are discarded. The remaining product, known as "ordinario," is 20-30% alcohol at this stage.
The distillate of the Agave is then distilled again, often in a second still, and produces the resulting product: tequila. After distilling for a second time, the tequila has an alcohol content of 40% (80 proof). Certain premium tequilas are "triple distilled" in order to produce a purer product.
Aging
Tequila that will be used to make a "Reposado" (rested) or "Anejo" (aged) product is typically aged in wooden tanks, barrels, or casks. Reposado tequila is commonly aged in larger wooden tanks that are often made of redwood. The "resting" of the tequila in the wooden vessels changes the color, flavor, and texture of it. Aging often imparts a quality of smoothness to the Reposado tequila.
Tequilas that will become an añejo product are aged in used Kentucky bourbon barrels made of oak. Imported French white oak barrels are also used, especially in the production of premium tequilas. Barrels of varying ages can be selected and will determine the final character of the product. Newer barrels impart a stronger flavor and imbue the tequila with more color. Older barrels produce a smoother, less-colored product.
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There are four types of Tequila:
- Blanco (White) - Clear, unaged tequila, that is normally bottled right after distillation. Blanco tequila products also called "Silver" or Plata (Spanish).
- Reposado ("Rested") - Aged in wood at least 60 days. Typically aged in large wooden tanks between 3 and 9 months. The wood imparts color and flavorings to the tequila. Reposado tequila products are commonly referred to and labeled as "Gold" tequilas.
- Añejo (Aged) - Tequila that is aged a minimum of 1 year in government approved barrels that are no larger than 600 liters in capacity. American whiskey barrels, French oak casks, or cognac barrels, are commonly used to age the tequila. Añejo are typically aged between 1 and 3 years. They are darker in color, more complex in flavor, and smoother than Reposado tequilas.
- Oro (Gold) - Joven abocado is unaged, but treated with additives to create some of the effects of aging. Legally it has the same requirements as Blanco, but coloring and flavoring is allowed to maintain continuity of taste and color. The additive is usually caramel. Gold is virtually always a mixto, not 100% agave.
The "Sangrita"
This popular sidekick of Tequila, originated in Chapala, Jalisco, Mexico, almost 60 years ago by Mr. Edmundo Sánchez, who served tequila that he prepared himself using small stone ovens. Since the tequila was handmade, it was very strong, so Mr. Sánchez’s wife used to put slices of fresh oranges, salt and powdered red chili on the table. Those ingredients were used for Mr. Sánchez and his dining guests to counter the strong effects of the alcohol.
This mixture of ingredients was such a success, and it had such great acceptance, that the visionary Mr. Sánchez asked his wife to squeeze the oranges in a jar instead of putting them in a bowl, and to add the salt and the red-hot chili to the mixture. This drink acquired a tempting reddish color that later on was the basis of the name given to it, "Sangrita." It is customary to serve Sangrita with: Silver “Blanco”, Reposado, or Añejo tequilas.
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The topography of Oaxaca is also the most varied in all of Mexico. Oaxaca’s capital city is in the center of a confluence of three great valleys at an altitude of 6,500 feet. There are mountains, plains, fertile valleys, tropical jungles and the Pacific Ocean all creating many differing growing zones for countless varieties of maguey.
The magueys existing in the state of Oaxaca vary from the giant pulque maguey, maguey silvestre (wild) and maguey tobala (which makes one of the rarest mezcals). Tobala maguey grows only in the highest altitude, shadowed by canyons. The pines are only cut one month out of the year and the mezcal is usually entirely consumed during the village's patron saint's fiesta. This wild mountain maguey has a smoky fruity bouquet and traditionally it is served in partially glazed clay sipping cups. It is not for the faint of heart, yet once tasted, you'll look for excuses to taste the wonders of this ancient and rare tradition.
The Agave is not a cactus. It was once classified in the same family with Lilies and Aloes. Today it is classified in its own family, Agavaceae, which consists of more than 120 species.
One consistency across the state of Oaxaca is that almost every village, town and region has its producers of local mezcal. The plants are propagated by almost everyone in small village-garden plots until they are about two years old and roughly two feet tall. At this time, they are uprooted, their leaves are tightly bound and the roots are cut off. They are left in the sun for about fifteen days. Next, they are transported to the outlying hills where they are transplanted and left to grow as fence borders for mountain fields. After another five years, they are harvested and sold as a cash crop to local distillers.
The pines (or hearts) are placed in a rock-lined conical pit (Palenque) about 12 feet in diameter and about eight feet deep. They are covered with many hot rocks that have been heated in a wood fire. A layer of the leaves or fiber from the plant covers them, followed by woven palm-fiber mats (petate) and finally a layer of earth. They bake this way for two or three days, absorbing flavors from the earth and the wood smoke.
The pines are removed from the pit and placed on the ground inside a ring of stone about 12 feet in diameter. In the center is a vertical post connecting an axle to a huge vertical circular millstone. This stone wheel is pulled around and around the circle by burro or horse to crush the maguey hearts.
The crushed maguey is then placed in wooden vats that hold about three hundred gallons. Then about 5%-10% water is added. The mash (tepache) is left uncovered to ferment naturally with nothing other than its own yeasts from four to thirty days.
The mezcal solids and liquid (tepache) are then transferred to a copper or ceramic (de olla) still which holds about twenty-five gallons. A copper "sombrero" is placed on top and the mix is slowly heated by wood fire, vaporized and condensed. The fiber is cleared out of the still and the "punta" (the clear alcohol from the first distillation) is placed back in the still and the distillation process is repeated. The resulting liquid is mezcal.
There is a high reverence for this magical liquid and its ceremonial, social and medicinal uses among the villagers. There is obvious pride regarding mezcal's power. There is also great disdain for the "cheap," diluted, chemically altered liquid sold commercially.
The way mezcal affects one's palate and the way it warms the chest, throat and mouth are quite different than any other alcohol.
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Traditional Margarita
- 1 ½ ounces 100% Agave Silver Tequila,
- ¾ ounces orange Liquor, such as Citronge or Cointreau
- ¾ ounces freshly squeezed lime juice
- ¾ - 1 ounces simple syrup* (to taste)
*Simple Syrup recipe: dissolve 1 part sugar to 1 part water
Passion Fruit Margarita
- 2 ounces 100% Agave Silver Tequila
- 1 ½ ounces passion fruit puree
- ¾ ounces orange liquor, such as Citronge or Cointreau
- ½ ounces freshly squeezed lime juice
- ¾ - 1 ounces simple syrup* (to taste)
To make a margarita, shake all ingredients vigorously with ice. Serve up neat (no ice) or on the rocks (with ice) in a glass with an optional salted rim. To salt the rim, rub a lime wedge around the rim of the glass and dip it into a plate of sea salt.
*To make simple syrup, dissolve 1 part sugar to 1 part hot water.
Sangria
- 1 ½ ounces red or white wine (medium body, semi-dry wine)
- 1 ½ ounces orange juice, fresh squeezed if possible
- ½ ounces triple sec or orange liquor
- ½ ounces flavored brandy
- ½ ounces sparkling soda
- Garnish with seasonal diced fruit
Pour all ingredients except sparkling soda into a glass. Stir well, add ice and fruit and top with soda.
* Photo excerpted from ROSA'S NEW MEXICAN TABLE (Artisan Books).
Copyright 2007. Christopher Hirsheimer photographer.