A Beginner's Guide To Tequila

Mexico gave us Guacamole, Burritos, Chocolates and also Tequila, which is a remarkable drink, expressing the nuances of the fruit it is made up of. The unique way of drinking this alcoholic beverage is intriguing in itself.

So, let's dive into it! What is a Tequila basically?

Tequila is a Mexican liquor, distilled from the fermented juice of blue-green agave tequilana weber. It is known as maguey or blue mezcal in Mexico. To be legally labelled as tequila, it must come from the area surrounding Tequila, which is about 65 km north-west of Guadalajara in the state of Jalisco, Mexico.


Quality tequila is distilled from 100% agave, but mexican law permits tequila distillers to mix other sugars. It means that to label a drink as tequila, it must have minimum of 51% distillate obtained from agave fruit. Tequila is bottled at 37-40% abv.

Production of Tequila

The tequila at this stage may be diluted and bottled as 'silver tequila' or aged in oak casks. Aged tequila is then diluted to 40% abv and bottled.

Types of Tequila

● Mixto - It is tequila distilled from wash obtained from minimum of 51% of agave tequilana sugar and maximum of 49% of other sugar.

● 100% agave - This tequila has 100% distillate from agave tequilana weber.

Brands

● Agavero
● Corazon de Agave
● Herradura
● Sauza
● Partida
● Cabo Webo
● Jose Cuervo
● Chinaco
● Patron
● Gran Centenario

Traditional Way of Drinking Tequila

Tequila is served chilled. Generally, it is consumed with salt and lemon. The salt is kept at the web of the hand between thumb and the forefinger and a quarter of lemon is held with the same fingers.

Pre-poured chilled tequila in a one-ounce shot glass is held in the other hand. The salt is licked, chilled tequila is gulped in one shot, and the lemon is bitten. All this should happen within a few seconds.

Why do we do this?
It is believed that salt lessens alcohol burn and lime balances and enhances the flavour of tequila.

Drinker licks a dash ofsaltoff their moistened hand, to bring saliva into the mouth. The drinker thentakesa sip or swallow oftequila. The drinker then sucks or bites thelime, to ameliorate the raw, burning taste of thetequila.

Now that's a learning right there,
Happy drinking!

Source-https://youtu.be/UWxqL3FjPsg