© Copyright 2000 by Tony Burton. All rights reserved.
Queries: 433, Baden Powell St., Box 4, Ladysmith, B.C. V9G 1A1, Canada
Tel/Fax:(250) 245-0772
E-mail - His Home Page
TEQUILA - NOT JUST MEXICO'S NATIONAL DRINK!!The lovers of the curious will find plenty to whet their appetite (and satisfy their thirst) in the small western Mexico town of Tequila. To See Photos (Click Here) The town lies in the shadow of an imposing 9000 foot volcano which has the distinction of being "drivein" by virtue of a cobblestone road built for access to the shortwave communications tower located on its rim. The ten mile drive from the town centre to the top of the volcano provides glorious views over the surrounding countryside, and an opportunity, for the biologically curious, to witness the rapid changes of flora that occur with increasing altitude. The ascent is a birdwatcher's delight, too, with chances to see as many as 60 different bird species in a single day! Tequila volcano is particularly unusual in that its crater has a well preserved central spine which, according to the geologically curious, most likely represents the material which solidified in the central vent of the volcano, as its activity subsided, and which was later pushed upwards by earth movements until it projected high above the floor of the crater. The classic example of a spine (and the one always quoted in geology texts) is that formed on Mount Pelee in the West Indies in 1902, which only lasted about six months before being broken down by weathering and erosion. The Tequila spine has already been around a lot longer than that, and looks well set to survive another few centuries at least. The historicallycurious will discover that the town dates from soon after the Spanish conquistadores arrived in the area, led by the barbarous Nuño de Guzmán. Its name supposedly derives from "place of tricks" or "place of those who pay tribute". Whatever the derivation, "Tequila" has become a household word around the globe ever since it became the name of that most Mexican of drinks. TEQUILA THE DRINKPre Columbian Indians knew how to produce several different drinks from agave plants, but their techniques did not include distillation, and hence, strictly speaking, they did not produce "tequila".Fermented agave juice or "pulque" may be the oldest alcoholic drink on the continent; it is referred to in an archival Olmec text which claims that it serves as a "delight for the gods and priests". Pulque was fermented, but not distilled. Though colonial authorities tried to suppress "illegal" liquors, the industry of illicit distilling clearly thrived. One eighteenth century list has more than 81 different mixtures, including some truly fearsomesounding concoctions such as "cock's eye", and "excommunication." By the 1670s, the authorities saw the wisdom of taxing, rather than prohibiting, liquor production.
There are an estimated 100 million Agave tequilana plants in the area, and the approximately 40,000 hectares of cultivated agaves produce no less than 50 million litres of tequila each year. About 40% of this quantity is exported. To qualify as genuine Tequila, the drink has to be manufactured in one of two municipalities, either that of Tequila or that of Arandas to the northeast of Guadalajara. Conoissoeurs argue long and loud as to which is the better product. The agaves are started from seed or from onionsize cuttings. When the plants are mature, 8 to 12 years later, their branches are cut off, leaving the cabeza (or "pineapple"), which is the part used for juice extraction. Cabezas are cut into pieces, and then baked in stone furnaces for one to three days so that their starch is converted into sugar. From the ovens, the now goldenbrown cabezas are shreaded and placed in mills which extract the juices or "mosto". An equal amount of water is added and the mixture is allowed to ferment for several days. The spirit's taste depends on... Tony Burton has much more to say about tequila. For the distillation process, driving directions and a tour of the Cuervo hacienda, we invite you to join our family of subscribers... it isn't expensive. A monthly subscription is just $5.00 USD - that's $1.15 per week. An annual subscription costs $30.00 USD - only $2.50 per month or 58 cents per week. We think you'll find it's money well spent. |
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