Tequila is known to every bartender as a universal and proven basic basis for a cocktail. A particular variety of this strong Mexican drink appears in most tropical and strong, as well as in shots. At the same time, the cost of the original alcohol is quite high, that is, it is problematic to buy it for experiments at home. In the article we will talk about how to cook tequila at home, what needs to be emphasized, and also about the difference between the different types of this alcohol.
Authentic tequila, what is it?
First of all, you should know that the original tequila is a product of Mexico's intellectual property, is prepared in only 5 states and acts as a national treasure. That is, any fake or attempt to bring surrogates to the market for mass sale will be an encroachment on the right of this country to single-handedly produce this kind of alcohol.
Tequila is a strong drink obtained from the distillate of raw blue agave, a specific variety of cactus with very fleshy leaves full of liquid. Taste qualities, external data, recipe and production process features are controlled by a special authority - Consejo Regulador del Tequila.
Appearance and taste
In appearance, tequila can be either completely transparent or golden. The older the drink, the more pronounced the yellow color becomes. True, sometimes the manufacturer mixes dye, because of which, for example, a young drink called Blanca is served as aged by adding a golden color. However, directly on the territory of Mexico itself, such an encroachment is considered illegal and is available only for alcohol that passes through the Mix category, that is, only 51% of sugars obtained from agave are in its composition, the rest are added later, at the stage of fermentation and fermentation.
The strength of the original tequila is 55-60 degrees, at the stage of bottling it is diluted with water to 38-45, but it all depends on the variety. This is necessary in order to reach a wider circle of consumers. In the taste palette, the recipes, raw materials, and company policies are of considerable importance. The traditional drink has a very bright aroma and taste of agave. If we are talking about "Golden" tequila with a long exposure in barrels of brandy or brandy, then the aftertaste features will be similar to these varieties of alcohol.
Can I cook at home?
It is possible to overtake tequila at home, but it is unlikely to be an original drink. So, for example, there is a specific recipe for an authentic drink:
- collecting blue agave raw materials;
- heat treatment in an oven in order to soften the leaves;
- grinding of raw materials;
- fermentation, fermentation of sugar into alcohol occurs, it is at this stage that a substitute is added if a batch of Tequila Mix is prepared;
- distillation, if at the previous stage you can use a wooden, stone, steel or copper vat, then it is envisaged to attract a distillation cube according to old technology and you can’t change it;
- spill in aging - the oldest tequila spends up to two years in wooden barrels, while the young one can go on sale a month later, or immediately after the spill.
It is very difficult to observe absolutely all the nuances in cooking. Therefore, it is advisable to call a tequila recipe at home as bitter or tincture, since such a drink will only imitate the taste, as well as the aroma of the original alcohol.
Substance inulin
The blue agave core, which requires up to 200 kilograms per batch, has an extremely specific herbaceous taste and smell. The fermentation process in it occurs due to a substance such as inulin. It is it that acts as a key tool to give the drink its qualities. That is, theoretically, the extract or tincture of a plant that is rich in this substance will not only give an accurate imitation of the taste of tequila, but will also be much cheaper to prepare. Of course, this is only advisable if the connoisseur does not grow blue agave in order to cook tequila at home on an ongoing basis, but this is unlikely. In addition, the raw materials for the future drink are best kept fresh, for example, in a pot on the windowsill, this will minimize the risk of a somewhat sugary taste in the end.
Preparation for cooking
In order to cook tequila at home, you will need:
- 3 liter glass jar or container of similar volume. It must be sterilized, for example, with boiling water, in order to kill bacteria and minimize the risk of their effect on fermentation.
- Raw materials. It is better to use a proven option - aloe vera. To cook tequila at home, you can also use a range hood or tincture, sold at the pharmacy, but in this case there is a chance to spoil the taste with impurities.
- Sugar. You can use regular or reed. The latter is necessary in order to cook Gold tequila at home, that is, golden, to try to imitate its taste.
- Distillation apparatus, as for moonshine.
After all the ingredients and equipment have been cooked, you can start cooking tequila at home.
Proportions and the process itself
The most popular recipe looks like this:
- aloe vera leaves - 150 grams;
- sugar - 20 grams;
- vodka - 3 liters.
You can use homemade alcohol. Home-made tequila will be stronger at home, no additional distillation will be required, and those notes that were laid down at the stage of distilling the alcohol base will taste, which almost always benefits tincture.
Cooking progress
Before starting cooking, you need to cut the leaves of the plant, and then gently grind to cubes no more than 1 square centimeter. This is necessary in order for aloe to release juice. This will happen even if you just throw the leaves in a jar and pour them with alcohol, but it will take much more time. At the end of this painstaking work, the following manipulations should be made:
- put chopped raw materials in a jar;
- add sugar;
- pour everything in vodka or moonshine;
- close the lid tightly and shake;
- put in a dark and cool room for 14-15 days;
- strain through cheesecloth after two weeks;
- the resulting drink can be distilled with the addition of water to dilute the taste of aloe and reduce the strength;
- pour into beautiful bottles and serve with salt and lemon.
Among the options for making tequila at home, there are other ways. Someone suggests just throwing aloe into vodka and drinking a drink after a couple of hours of tincture. However, this will give only a shadow of real taste, and therefore it is better to observe the whole process from beginning to end.
How to drink tequila and cocktails based on it
The easiest and most understandable way to consume tequila is with lemon and salt. It is necessary to dip the edge of the shot into the salt, add alcohol, drink it, bite a slice of citrus and lick the salt. Tequila boom is another extremely popular method. In a shot with alcohol add a tonic, for example, “Schweppes”, after which they cover the stack with the palm of your hand, hit it sharply on the counter and quickly drink it until the drink has escaped. This method is characterized by an extremely strong “blow” to the head, for which it got its name.
Recipes for tequila cocktails at home do not sparkle with originality.
- Tequila Sunrise". In a tall glass add 200 ml of orange or grapefruit juice, 50 ml of tincture, 10 ml of sweet syrup, if there is, then grenadine, 150 grams of ice in cubes.
- Margarita Tequila cocktails at home do not have to be simple. So, for example, you can cook "Margarita". To do this, mix 2 grams of salt, 50 ml of tincture, 25 ml of any orange liquor, which can also be surpassed in your kitchen, and fresh from one lime.
All this is only part of the recipes in which you can use home-made tequila. So, for example, sangrit is suitable not only for a feast, it is just a tasty drink, and the presence of aloe in the recipe gives a weak, but still therapeutic effect. The main thing is that they are not afraid to experiment.