In the world there are many authentic types of alcohol with a bright national flavor. These include a drink made from agave juice. More precisely, drinks. There are four types of alcohol in this family. The most popular worldwide, of course, tequila. But recently, her forefather, mezcal, has gained international fame (and is well deserved). The third "cousin" of agave, exquisite sotol - little known. And pulke is the oldest drink.
Getting started with a pulke
This drink from agave juice has a strength of only 2 to 8%. At one time, he was very popular in Mexico. It is obtained from juice (the type of agave is American or Maga, but it can be made from 6 types of plants). On the territory of Mesoamerica, this mash has been made since time immemorial. According to researchers, more than 1000 years. White shade agave pulp with milk, viscous texture, sour taste of yeast. The history of production goes back to pre-Columbian times: in Mesoamerica it was considered ritual, and pulka could be consumed only to a limited circle (mainly priests). After the conquistadors conquered Mexico, the drink became available to all people, and its use became larger. This drink made from agave juice reached its peak in the finale of the 19th century. Then its distribution area began to narrow. Agave pulke began to give precedence to beer and other drinks brought from Europe and already made in America. In addition, the ritual moment disappeared (with the general Christianization of the local population).
Agave Tequila
Unlike pulque, it is a strong alcoholic drink that is traditionally made in Mexico by fermentation and distillation of blue agave juice. The main raw material in the production of this drink is a certain type of agave (blue or Agave tequilana), a family of agave. This is a large plant with a short and thick stem and a rosette of fleshy foliage. Jalisco produces most of the tequila. This plateau is located at an altitude of over two kilometers above sea level. Regarding the most suitable places for agave growth, there are different points of view of its producers themselves. Some believe that the best grows on extinct volcanoes, others - that on the highlands, there it is larger.
How to cook?
Tequila - Mexican Vodka. The technology of its manufacture is as follows. Just before flowering, when a large amount of starch and sugar accumulates in the plant, leaves are cut off from the agave and then a core called pinot is removed from the stem (in Spanish, “pine cone”). It is powerful, usually weighs more than 50 kilograms or more (some and 100). Pinot is processed, crushed, pressed, squeezed juice. Some manufacturers also add sugar to the resulting raw materials. Juice is fermented for several days. For fermentation, natural yeast living on agave leaves was previously used, and now almost all firms introduce yeast cultures.
Double distillation is used, and after that alcohol of 55% strength is obtained. For the production of Mexican vodka, the middle fraction of the distillate obtained is taken. Dilute the drink with spring water (as an option - distilled) water to a fortress of 40 ° C, then directing it to bottling (aging - as the most popular option). According to the law, a Mexican drink from agave juice (tequila) should be called only that drink for the preparation of which more than 50 percent of the distillate of agave juice was taken. In this case, the bottle will be labeled 100% Blue Agave.
Types of Tequila
The drink is of the following types:
- Silver - white, silver tequila, bottled immediately after distillation.
- Hoven - young, not seasoned, usually flavored or tinted with color.
- Gold - gold, a young variety, tinted with infusion of oak shavings.
- Reposado - rested. Aged up to a year in oak barrels and has already acquired a shade of gold.
- Anejo - old tequila, aged. Terms - from 3 to 10 years, as a rule, no more than seven. It is not recommended to withstand a drink in barrels for longer, as it acquires bitterness.
Law is law!
According to the law of Mexico (adopted in 1978), tequila is a drink made in this country (Jalisco, Guanajuato, Tamaulipas) using the original technology. Labels with genuine tequila bottles must contain labels with permission from the Mexican government to use the name. A drink made from 100% agave juice should be bottled only in Mexico, with the corresponding inscription on the label: "made in Mexico."
Method of use
Traditionally, locals drink a drink from small tall and narrow glasses, which received the affectionate nickname "horse". A glass is filled, and salt is placed on a saucer and a quarter of lime next to it (its bitter and sour taste blends perfectly with a Mexican strong drink). You need to pour a little salt at the thumb into the recess, squeeze a drop of lime juice on it, lick it all and gulp the contents of the container, then bite with lime (it is permissible in our conditions to replace it with lemon).
Mexicans sometimes accompany the ritual of drinking tequila with the use of cold sangrita, made on the basis of juices of red orange and lime, juice of tomatoes, hot pepper.
Another way: serve tequila with tonic. It is necessary to close the glass with your palm and hit it sharply on the table (this action causes the drink to seethe), after which they drink the mixture in one gulp. The method is known in the Russian Federation under the name "tequila boom." A bit about temperature. It is customary to drink the drink moderately chilled.
Mescal
This is a strong alcoholic beverage made in Mexico from fermented agave juice. The raw material, as well as the method of its manufacture, is usually the same as that of traditional Mexican tequila. Only the core of agave stalks, which is used to distill mescal, is first baked in pit ovens with a conical shape. Agave stalks are laid across the coals, covered with layers of palm fiber and held for several days. Such an ancient method gives the drink a smoky aroma. Another difference from the preparation of tequila: mezcal is made from natural juice and without the addition of sugar. Such an authentic drink is created in small private factories. Typically, its strength is 43 ° C. It has a strong taste with aroma, more pronounced than that of tequila. There are many types of drink, distinguished by taste and aroma, as well as the color scheme.
How to use?
Mezcal is bottled in a special shaped bottle. Sacks of salt are attached to the neck of some brands, which mixes with the dried, ground caterpillars (insects live inside the stems of the plant). Salt is for the “right” drink. An alcoholic caterpillar (butterfly larva Bombix agavis) can be placed in the bottle itself. During life, it has a reddish tint, but is discolored in the drink. Mescal is drunk in the same way as tequila, but when using “vodka on the worm”, the caterpillar is divided equally among all involved.
Sotol
In addition to the world-famous tequila with mezcal, there is an alternative alcohol produced from the juice of an agave plant. Sotol, due to the specific region of its origin, is not very popular in its homeland - in Mexico. It is produced in the northern regions of Chihuahua. It is a beautiful mountainous area. Here is a canyon that is 8 times larger than the Grand Canyon in the United States. The name "sotol" comes from the name of the agave variety from which the drink is made. This species grows in a cool climate, and can be cultivated high in the mountains. And this agave ripens longer. Local residents of the region call the variety, as well as the drink obtained from it “sotol”. And it is not diluted with alcohols, which are obtained from other varieties of agave.