A new chapter? Probably too much to ask I’d reckon. I have previously Posted on celebrities jumping on the tequila (or mezcal, or sotol) bandwagon to “create” new brands of tequila for “discerning” consumers. Celebrity Tequila. Cultural Appropriation? Gentrification? Only a few hours ago (on the twenty sixth day of October in the year of our Lord two thousand and twenty three) a new celebrity … Continue reading Celebrity Tequila : A New Chapter?
The author has not received (nor sought) any funding from any of the brands noted in this Post. Any opinions are solely those of the author. The world’s first celebrity tequila is said to have begun with a People magazine article from December 1983 showing the nuptials of rocker Keith Richards and model Patti Hansen at the Finisterra Hotel in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Back … Continue reading Celebrity Tequila. Cultural Appropriation? Gentrification?
I am an avid book collector and every time I stumble across one in a second hand store I snaffle it up. I particularly like older books as I am able to compare them with the new publications in my collection and see how far knowledge has grown or changed in the intervening years. My recent acquisition was this book the “Illustrated Encyclopedia : The … Continue reading Tequila. We’ve come a long way. (Book Review)
This is something you may hear regarding the differences between tequila and mezcal. Previously this little dicho (or saying) did bear some relevance as both tequila and mezcals are made from the maguey (or agave). The main difference was that mezcal could be made from any number of agaves (1) whilst tequila could be made from only one variety (2). Tequila is protected by both … Continue reading All Tequila is Mezcal BUT not all Mezcal is Tequila.
Typically vinos de mezcal (1) are made by cooking the heart of the agave (2) either by steaming in an autoclave or by baking in ovens (3) which is then crushed to obtain a sweet juice. This juice is then fermented and then distilled to produce the alcoholic beverages known as mezcal and tequila. Before the notion of Mezcal or Tequila as categories of spirits, … Continue reading Destilado de Pulque
Sotol is a distilled spirit similar in vein to mezcals and tequila that has been sourced from the dasylirion plant. Although previously classed as an agavaceae the dasylirion is a small genus of 18 semi-succulent species in the Nolinoideae (a subfamily of the Asparagaceae) family. The dasylirion is also known commonly as the Desert Spoon. This plant is common to northern Mexico, New Mexico and … Continue reading Sotol.
All tequila is mezcal but not all mezcal is tequila. Tequila and mezcal are both spirits created by the distillation of the juice that has been sourced from the heart of an agave. This heart (or piña) is roasted (in the case of mezcal) or steamed (in the case of tequila) (1) then crushed to obtain the juice. This juice is then fermented and distilled … Continue reading Tequila and Mezcal : A Primer : How to read a tequila or mezcal label.
In 2018 it was popularly reported that the consumption of tequila was linked to (and may actually be good for) weight loss. Unfortunately this was just media generated hype. The key issue with the misrepresentation of this information involves a particular type of carbohydrate known as a fructan, more specifically agavin. A paper was presented at the 247th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society in … Continue reading Is Tequila Medicinal?
Masa Americana 