Very few people know about a Mexican alcoholic drink called mezcal. For example, tequila is familiar to many, although, as you know, it appeared much later and is one of its varieties.
A bit of history
For a very long time, the inhabitants of Mexico - the Indians - did not know about the existence of strong drinks. Basically they drank the so-called pulke. This is fermented agave juice, which is a slightly frothy milk-colored drink with a strength of 4-6 degrees. In the 16th century, the Spaniards brought European distillation technology to the New World. A strong alcoholic drink began to be made from the bullet, which later became known as mezkal, which means boiled. At that time, people thought about mezcal that this is a tool that can not only quench thirst in the heat, relieve fatigue, activate mental activity, but also reduce pain, heal wounds, and stimulate appetite. What about today?
Mescal: what is it?
The historic predecessor of tequila is a stronger drink. It has a rich taste with smoky hues and an oily structure. There are many varieties of this alcohol, which in taste are very different from each other. And yet: mezcal - what is it? This is a traditional Mexican drink with a strength of about 40 degrees, and to be precise, the latter indicator can vary from 38 to 43 degrees. Mescal is popular not only in his homeland, but also abroad.
The process of making a traditional drink
In Mexico, mezcal is allowed to cook only from 5 specific varieties of agave. Before its flowering - and this happens once every 8-10 years - the plant juice contains a lot of sugar. It is at this time that raw materials are procured for the subsequent production of a strong alcoholic drink. With sharp knives, leaves are cut from the plant, and thus its core is released, weighing about 60 kg. Subsequently, the mezcal drink is obtained from it (in the amount of 3-4 liters).
Large peeled fruits are divided into 4 parts and placed in a special pit oven, lined with stones. Then everything is covered with palm leaves and sprinkled with earth. For several days, agave languishes in the oven. At this time, an unusual smoky smack of traditional Mexican alcohol is acquired. Next, the baked raw materials are transferred to a neighboring pit, which must also be lined with stones, and ground with millstones. Donkeys are often used as a driving and driving force. Then all the crushed mass is placed in barrels, where the fermentation process takes place, lasting 3 days.
The next stage: the raw material is subjected to double distillation and is bottled or clay pots. Sometimes the drink is not poured, but left in barrels for aging for several years. Mescal then takes on a very beautiful golden hue. Sometimes, to achieve this color, caramel is added to the drink. Its strength always remains unchanged - from 38 to 43 degrees, and it does not matter whether it is aged or not.
The process of making the mezcal drink described above (photo can be viewed here) is typical for home production. In large factories, where the product is produced in large volumes, more modern technologies are used.
The difference between tequila and mezcal
It is important to understand that tequila is very different from a drink like mezcal (what it is - we figured it out). The difference is as follows:
- The raw materials for the preparation of these types of alcohol are different. For the manufacture of tequila, only blue agave juice is suitable, and for the production of mezcal - as many as 5 species of this plant.
- The use of sweeteners. Sugar is added to mezcal, but it is not in tequila.
- Production geography. Mescal is the alcohol that is made throughout Mexico, while tequila is produced in only one state, where blue agave grows.
- It is believed that the drink we are considering has a more saturated taste, aroma and color.
Mezcal with a caterpillar
Sometimes in bottles with mezcal you can observe the presence of a worm or caterpillar. For the first time, a drink with this insect appeared on sale in 1940. Perhaps this was a tricky marketing move, through which it was planned to attract the attention of customers to these products. Then he was borrowed by many famous brands. At first, the presence of a worm in the drink was explained by the desire to demonstrate the high quality of the latter (after all, only in good alcohol the insect will not decompose) and the desire to increase protection against all kinds of fakes. It was later said that mezcal (what it is - was described above) is a tool that enhances masculine strength. Other medicinal properties were attributed to him. In fact, in the old days, Mexicans placed caterpillars of butterflies inside the bottle that lived in agave thickets to check the quality of alcohol. If the worm deteriorates, then the drink is not very clean, there is not enough alcohol in it.
Varieties of Mescal
The traditional drink of Mexico differs in terms of aging:
- Intemperate mezcal is Blanco or Natural.
- Excerpt from 6 months to a year - "Reposado".
- From 1 to 3 years old - "Anejo".
- Mescal "Divino" with a pear - a very interesting drink, one of a kind. In a bottle with a narrow neck you can see a whole fruit - a pear. They prepare it using a special, secret technology that is kept secret. According to one version, the shoot with the ovary of the fetus is placed in a bottle, where it grows and ripens. Then the branch is carefully cut, and the mezcal is poured into the bottle. And as a result, we get a wonderful drink with the aroma and taste of pear.
Where to try mezcal?
The best place where you can buy and taste the real mezcal (how to drink it - we will consider a little later) is, of course, Mexico. Here it is made almost everywhere. On the plantations, various types of agave are grown, which are necessary for the production of a national drink. But if there is no way to visit this wonderful country, then you can find the original mezcal in Russia. Of course, it’s better to do this in elite liquor stores. And if there are none nearby, then you can buy mezcal, the price of which depends on its type, you can in the online store. It is clear that the cost of the product, depending on the brand and variety, will differ, and quite significantly. So, let's say, in the market you can find a large bottle that costs about 500-600 rubles (though immediately there are doubts about the quality and originality of the drink), and in company stores this figure rises to 4-5 thousand, and sometimes more.
How to drink mezcal?
The most interesting question. They drink Mexico's national drink in the same way as tequila. In the case of mescal with a caterpillar, the technology of use is similar. In general, there are several options for drinking mezcal. Here are the main three:
- In undiluted / pure form. For example, like liquor. The drink does not need to be carefully cooled - room temperature is considered quite acceptable. So, we pour it into glasses and drink in small sips, enjoying the wonderful taste.
- With lime and salt. Salt is poured on the back of the hand between the index finger and thumb. With the same fingers a lime slice is taken. Then the salt is licked off the hand, the mezcal is drunk and all this is eaten with citrus. Manufacturers of the drink took care of their customers: on the neck of the bottle is attached a bag with the following composition: ground chili pepper, salt, dried ground carcasses of worms. It all depends on your preference.
- Washed down with sangrita - spicy Mexican sauce. Sometimes at home, you can do with tomato juice. Mescal is drunk in one gulp and immediately washed down with sauce. It turns out quite a sharp mixture that burns the throat. It is clear that in this case it is not possible to feel the whole taste bouquet of the drink.
Mescal is simply necessary to try, if only in order to understand how it differs from tequila. But there is a caterpillar or not - it's up to you. Who knows, maybe someone will want to try her.