Tequila Blog: What you need to know about Mexican alcohol

Smooth while in your mouth, fire in your throat, and hell to your belly; this was how most people would describe tequila. This legendary drink has been elevated to another level in a spicy Tequila twist.

As the story goes long before the Spanish conquistadors came, there was a legend amongst the native tribes in Mexico concerning a rather popular drink.

The Tequila Tale

Lightning strikes were common during that the time of conquistadors.

People were afraid and hid as lightning struck the clouds. It is said that this was a punishment from the Gods, which you can reed more about here.

However, it became a blessing when one of the strikes hit an agave plant, and the heat of the lightning fermented its juices.

It was called vino mezcal, but years passed, and many others tried to replicate this. Thus, the liquor called tequila was born.

Smooth while in your mouth, fire in your throat, and hell to your belly; this was how most people would describe tequila.

If there is one thing that we need to appreciate about Mexico, it is tequila’s invention.

How To Make Spicy Tequila

Spices added to alcohol is normally associated with festive drinks such as mulled wine mostly drunk during cold winter nights nearer to Christmas.

But why should spices be limited to wine and winter.

Add more fire to your belly and flavour your tequila with added spices.

Try making the different types of spicy tequila drinks and entice your sense of flavour.

1. Spicy Green Tequila – Simply cut into half 2 whole or brine soaked jalapenos and add it to 2 shots of tequila. Set aside for a minimum of 30 minutes to a few hours. Add 2 tsp fresh lemon juice and 1/2 cup lemonade to the jalapeno soaked spicy tequila before serving.
2. Cinnamon and Ginger Spice Tequila – Add 2 inch Cinnamon sticks to 1/2 pint of tequila bottle and set aside for at least 5 days so that the tequila gets infused with cinnamon flavours. After 5 days take 2 shots of cinnamon tequila and pour over crushed ice in a tequila glass. Add 1/2 cup ginger ale, a slice of fresh ginger and serve cinnamon and ginger Tequila Margarita!
3. Mango chilli tequila – A mix of juice cum cocktail. Simply blend 1 cup mango juice,1/4 cup lime juice, 2 shots of tequila and 1 tsp of cayenne pepper with 1 cup ice. Coat the rim of the glass with cayenne salt, pour the drink and serve cold.

Know The Real Drink From The Fake

When making your tequila based drinks, it is good to know about the origins.

As you know quality plays an important role in adding flavour.

An interesting fact about tequila is that not all of this allegedly borne-from-lightning drink is created the with the same fervor.

Some of them are just better than others, as this tequila blog tells us.

For example, do you remember the one that you ended up drinking in college and passing out in the middle of the courtyard? I

It may have the word tequila on its label, but it might not be the real deal after all.

Your chosen college drink, unfortunately, may have been a mixto.

It is a term that refers to a mixed liquor that may have started with agave but has other alcohols.

Many connoisseurs often say that real tequila is made only from pure blue agave. The plant has to be six years of maturity, and the juice should be collected as soon as this period arrives.

However, some varieties require nine years, although the quality stays the same for the most part.

How Is Tequila Processed

The drink quality of tequila will depend on the processing and the solera that handles the juice for fermentation.

Similar to other drinks like sherry and champagne, there are only a few places that can produce authentic tequila.

Five regions in Mexico handle the production: Guanajuato, Tamaulipas, Michoacan, Nayarit, and the birthplace of the said liquor Jalisco. Any tequila has to go through these areas; otherwise, it is not worthy of the name.

The distillation process influence what kind of tequila will come out of the oak barrels.

Other flavorings can be introduced, in the barrel itself. As the wood comes into contact with the distilling liquid, it creates a reaction that influence the alcohol’s color and taste. However, other processes can also affect the quality and taste.

Kinds And The Proper Drinking Technique

Tequila can be considered a blanco because it is usually the four’s clearest.

It is also the youngest, as blanco is immediately distilled after it has been stored in steel casks.

Meanwhile, reposado is held for 60 days up to a year.

Anejo is aged for at least three years, and anything more than four years is already labeled as extra anejo.

As with any other alcohol, the one aged the longest is usually the more expensive variety.

There are also a lot of misconceptions about how to drink it.

It is usually served with a lime or lemon wedge and a pinch of salt.

Others like it mixed with other drinks, and there have been many popular cocktails made with tequila (read more).

However, most experts say that you should drink it neat, straight from a shot glass. You do not need to down the entire drink, as sipping it would release more of the flavors and give you a whole new experience.

To Conclude

When it comes to drinking anything that does not natively belong in your culture, always read more about it first.

You do not have to be aware of the legends and history, but there are times when the natives know best.

If there is a proper way to drink anything, then it would be best to follow it. However, there is nothing wrong with having a little bit of fun sometimes such as we spiced UPP the tequila drinks.

Tequila is a potent drink, but we can still enjoy it as much as we can before we pass out.