What they just did not do with this plant in South America: they tried to stew, cook, bake it, use it as a decoration for houses. Soon they came up with the idea of making an alcoholic beverage from a cactus. Its name is known today to almost every lover of the "green snake". Due to the fact that the technology of manufacturing alcohol is being improved, it comes in different varieties on the market. About what alcoholic beverage is made from cactus, you will learn from this article.
A bit of history
Judging by the reviews, many consumers are interested in which drink is made from cactus. At one time, the Aztecs, who lived on the American continent, produced pulka, or octley. The basis for alcohol was the blue agave cactus. Later, when these lands were settled by the colonialists, the Aztec drink recipe formed the basis of the 38-degree mezcal. The fact is that the brought alcohol from the colonizers ended quite quickly. And they decided to improve the drink of the local population and thus replenish their supplies. The new products were called brandy mezcal, agave wine and mezcal tequila. According to experts, mezcal is a prototype of tequila, which is known to the modern consumer. Since its inception, this alcoholic beverage from cactus has been repeatedly improved, thanks to which it has gained worldwide fame and popularity.
Acquaintance
Tequila is a traditional Mexican cactus drink. Due to the fact that in this product the amount of ethanol reaches 55%, it is considered a strong alcohol. The composition is represented by three types of alcohols, namely ethyl, isobutyl and isoamyl. In an effort to improve the taste and aromatic properties, the cactus drink is additionally seasoned with other substances (about 300 elements). Some consumers may confuse tequila with mezcal. It is also Mexican cactus-based alcohol. Despite the fact that the same raw materials are used for the production of mash, these are completely different types of alcohol. The fact is that tequila and mezcal are made using different technologies and with different contents of the main ingredient.
The basis for the drink
The homeland of the blue agave cactus is the Antilles. When this plant was brought to Mexico, the locals called it mexcamelt. The natives deified this cactus, because they believed that agave was an early incarnation of the goddess Mayyahul. According to experts, the scope of this plant was not limited only to the production of alcohol. From the leaves of blue agave paper, clothes, ropes and sleeping sheets were made. There are 136 species of this plant in Mexico, but tequila is made exclusively from blue agave. In addition, it is used for the production of regional drinks, namely pulque, racilla, sotola and bacanors. Nevertheless, tequila has always been considered the most famous cactus liquor.
About the origin of the name
According to local linguists, the term "tequila" was invented by the ancient people of Nahuatl, who inhabited ancient Mexico. In Russian, "tequila" is translated as "a place of wild herbs." However, there is a second version of the origin of the name. According to linguists, the word "tequila" comes from the words tequilt and tlan "place of work". According to the third version, tequila is the distorted name of the people of Mexico Tiqulios. They make vodka in several stages, more on which later.
Where does production begin?
Blue agave is considered a surprisingly unpretentious plant, for which a dry climate, poor soil and lack of irrigation are the norm. An ideal place for growing agave is the clay reddish soil in the state of Jalisco. Planted, cared for and harvested by hand. The fact is that Mexico is famous for its very cheap labor, and the use of high-tech equipment involves the use of expensive fuel, service and repairs. To collect the fruit from the rhizome, and then prune the leaves, the harvester spends 5 minutes. Leaves do not have any industrial value. Therefore, fertilizers are made of them. As a result, the fruit without leaves (pinha) is sent for heat treatment.
They used to be cooked in ovens, but today they use steam heating. Under the influence of heat, sugar is obtained from natural carbohydrates. The technology of manufacturing mezcal provides for firing pinas in special pits, which are surrounded by stones. This is necessary so that vodka is saturated with aromas and tastes from burnt wood. In the manufacture of tequila, a similar procedure is not used.
Fermentation
Technically, this process is very similar to making beer. Its essence is to turn sugar in the form of natural carbohydrates into alcohol. The final product is represented by a low-alcohol liquid with a strength of not more than 5%. When they make 100% tequila, the finished juice is immediately poured into a vat, in which fermentation will take place. Additionally, the container is seasoned with cheap cane sugar. Fermentation takes up to five days, in cold weather - up to two weeks. The fact is that under the influence of cold temperature, fermentation slows down. If it is too high, then the bacteria can die. Since in Mexico during the day the temperature often exceeds 35 degrees, tequila producers use large 100-liter containers. This choice is due to the fact that in large quantities, the liquid can not quickly heat up or cool.
About distillation
After the liquid has ceased to ferment, it is sent for distillation. After fermentation, the juice contains up to 7% alcohol. The remaining fibers are removed by filtration. Thanks to distillation, the drink is deprived of low-quality impurities. According to experts, premium tequila is distilled 3-4 times. After the first distillation, the liquid becomes more transparent. It will acquire its color already in the course of insisting in barrels with caramel additives. Before pouring the finished alcohol into bottles, it is filtered using cellulose filters and activated carbon.
Varieties
There are several varieties of Mexican vodka that are distinguished by their unique taste, aroma and aftertaste. Of great importance for these parameters is the place where the plant was grown, the amount of sugar in the wort, the ethanol content, etc. The properties of a cactus drink depend on the capacity in which the Mexican bitter stood, as well as on the aging time.
In Mexico, according to a parameter such as agave content, two varieties are distinguished from alcoholic beverages: Tequila Agave and Tequila Mixto. In the first, the composition is 100% agave sugar, in the second - 51%. And the rest was supplemented with sugar extracted from corn or cane. Which cactus drink is considered the youngest? According to experts, this is a variety of Tequila Joven.
The aging procedure for this vodka is not provided. So that the bitter one possesses the necessary aroma and color, it is seasoned with food colors and natural flavors. Judging by the numerous consumer reviews, this Mexican bitter with a very weak taste and a strong alcohol smell. The most popular type of tequila is Blanco. After double distillation of the wort, alcohol is infused for two months in metal containers. This drink has a cactus flavor and a strong odor. Similar properties, namely high transparency and purity of taste, are inherent in Silver tequila, which is infused for only one month.
A short aging time is also provided for Gold cactus vodka. In addition, this variety is seasoned with various impurities, caramel, glycerin and oak essence, thanks to which vodka has a dark yellow color and a pleasant aftertaste with distinctly tangible caramel notes. Judging by the reviews, this variety is preferred mainly by young people. Elite alcoholic drink from a cactus is considered reposado tequila. The exposure time varies from 2 to 12 months. To make the taste of alcohol softer, production technology provides for special oak containers. Tequila "Anejo" is kept in 600-liter containers from 1 to 3 years. Cactus vodka is infused in barrels in which there was previously cognac, bourbon or sherry. As a result, Mexican alcohol is obtained with a more complex flavor and amber tint.
What will experts advise?
To buy real tequila, not fake, you need to familiarize yourself with its label. The following symbols should be indicated there:
- NOM. This inscription indicates that the products are in compliance with the standards.
- CRT. Alcohol is controlled by a special organization that regulates the production of tequila.
- DO. If the label has this inscription, then you can be sure that this alcohol with the juice of the agave fruit.
It may be that on the bottom of the glass container you will find a small precipitate of small solid particles. According to experts, this is not an indicator of counterfeit, but rather indicates that the products are original and unfiltered.
About drinking
In Mexico, it is customary to drink tequila from cabalitos - special glasses with a thick bottom. Separately served lime fruit with salt.
Before drinking alcohol, salt is poured on the back of the hand, and lime juice is squeezed on top. First you need to lick this mixture, and then empty the cabalitos. Instead of lime, you can use lemon or orange, and instead of salt - cinnamon.
Some consumers like to cut lemon in half, carefully remove all the flesh from it so as not to damage the peel, and then put a little salt in citrus and fill with Mexican bitter. In Germany, tequila is mainly drunk with beer, adhering to a proportion of 1:10. Judging by the reviews, Mexican alcohol in tandem with a foamy product intoxicates very much.