Tequila and type Brand name

Tequila:-

  Tequila is a Mexican liquor , distilled from the fermented juice of blue - green agave tequilana Weber . It is known as maguey or blue mezcal in Mexico . 

                 Quality tequila is distilled from 100% agave , but Mexican law permits tequila distiller to mix other sugar ,such as corn sugar with agave to a maximum limit of 49% during fermentation. It means that to label a drink as tequila ,it must have minimum of 51% distillate obtained from agave tequilana Weber. Most tequila is bottled at 37-40% ABV .

                          

Agave tequilana Weber

Pinas

Production of Tequila :-

•  The agave tequilana plant is harvested manually when they are 8-10 years old . If they are harvested too soon , there will not be adequate sugar and if too late ,the sugar would have been used up by the plant .

• The spiky leaves of the agave are pulled out to get heart of the fruit that closely resembles a huge pineapple. It is called pina and weights approximately 35 -70 k.

• The pinas are cooked either in the traditional stone oven called hornos or steam cooked in autoclave. Cooking in stone oven takes as long as 36 hours , whereas in autoclave, it takes 12 hours .                   

                           

Traditional stone oven

             

Autoclave 

                            

•  Cooked pinas are cooked and crushed to extract the juice called aguamiel ,either in traditional stone whelk ,tahona or steel roller.

Traditional stone wheel 

                    

Steel rollers 

      

Tahona

                            

• The juice is transferred to vat and yeast is added to induce fermentation . Fermentation produces wash of 5-7% alcohol.
• The wash is distilled twice in pot still . The first Distillation produces ordinario which is about 20% ABV and the second distillation results in tequila of higher strength .
•  The tequila at this stage may be diluted and bottled as ‘ silver tequila 'or aged in Oak casks. 
• Aged tequila is then diluted to 40% ABV and bottled.

 Types of Tequila :- 

        Mixto ( mixed):- It is tequila distilled from wash obtained from a minimum of 51% agave tequilana sugar and maximum of 49% of other sugar .

100% agave :- This tequila has 100% distillate from agave tequilana Weber.

Categories of Tequila :-

•  Joven abogado :- The word literally means ‘ young and adulterated ' . It is not 100% agave and it is not aged . 
•  Blanco ( white) :- It is tequila with out ageing and it is very clear , without any colour some Blancos are kept for a little time in wax lined oak or stainless steel container,which reduce the harshness that is very common with blancos . They are also called plata ( silver).
• Reposade ( rested/ aged):- It is aged in Oak casks for a period of two months to one year. The same cask used for maturing Bourbon whiskey may be used for ageing tequila. This process mellows the tequila and adds colour to same extent .
• Anejo ( aged):- It is aged for a minimum period of one year, but less than three years in government controlled oak casks, which add colour and mellow the spirit.
• Extra anejo ( extra aged ):- It is aged for a minimum period of three years in Oak casks .
• Oro ( gold) :- It is the blend of plata with reposado and / or anejo and / or extra anejo out of all the categories, anejo is the most expensive one.

Brand name:- 

•  Agavero
• Corazon de Agave 
• Herradura
•  Montezuma
• Sauza
• Cabo Webo
• El Tesoro Don Felipe
• Jose Cuervo
• Partida
• Chinaco
• Gran Centenario
• Milagro tequila
• Patron