Tequila
Tequila (Spanish pronunciation: [teˈkila]) is a spirit made from the blue agave plant, primarily in the area surrounding the city of Tequila, 65 kilometers (40 mi) northwest of Guadalajara, and in the highlands (Los Altos) of the western Mexican state of Jalisco.
The red volcanic soil in the surrounding region is particularly well suited to the growing of the blue agave,
and more than 300 million of the plants are harvested there each year.
Agave tequila grows differently depending on the region. Blue agaves
grown in the highlands region are larger in size and sweeter in aroma
and taste. Agaves harvested in the lowlands, on the other hand, have a
more herbaceous fragrance and flavor. The agave is ready after 6 to 9
years growth in order to change the starch into sugar, particularly it
is a plant that is not irrigated.
Mexican laws state that tequila can be produced only in the state of Jalisco and limited regions in the states of Guanajuato, Michoacán, Nayarit, and Tamaulipas. Mexico has claimed the exclusive international right to the word "tequila", threatening legal actions against manufacturers of distilled blue agave spirits in other countries.
The harvesters are called “Jimador” and he/she are in charge to
harvest the agaves, cutting the leaves and keep only the center of the
plant, that is called “piña”.
The piñas are transported to a
distillery in which the process to make Tequila in very simple, the
pines are cook, then smash in order to obtain the juices, the process
of fermentation and finally distillation.
The methods used to extract juices from the roasted agaves are Tahona,
a traditional mill moved by horses or mules; a mechanical or sugar cane
presses, diffuser.
The diffuser is a very large machine that crushes, sheds and cooks the agave with steam on conveyer belts.
The minimum percent required of agave sugar in order to be called Tequila, is 60%, previously was 51%
The form of cooking, is done in a traditional brick oven autoclave stem or pit cooking. The cooking time in the traditional oven, and pit cooking, takes 48 to 72 hours; in autoclave 8 to 18 hours. What produces the cooking process is stem for brick ovens and autoclaves and slow baking with some steam for pit cooking. What is left after cooking, is called bagazo.
The diffuser is a very large machine that crushes, sheds and cooks the agave with steam on conveyer belts.
The minimum percent required of agave sugar in order to be called Tequila, is 60%, previously was 51%
The form of cooking, is done in a traditional brick oven autoclave stem or pit cooking. The cooking time in the traditional oven, and pit cooking, takes 48 to 72 hours; in autoclave 8 to 18 hours. What produces the cooking process is stem for brick ovens and autoclaves and slow baking with some steam for pit cooking. What is left after cooking, is called bagazo.