What is Tequila Made From?

Tequila comes from the blue agave plant. It is a distilled spirit made from cooked and fermented agave juice and has been around for centuries. Making tequila is complex; most distilleries follow the traditional, labor-intensive method, but industrial innovations sped up the process, making it less labor-intensive. However, the process remains complex.

How is Tequila Made?

We can break down the production process into six stages:

• Harvesting the Agave:

  Tequila cannot exist without agave. Production starts with the harvesting of blue agave plants. Jimadors use a special tool called a Coa to remove the leaves on the plant to reveal the pina.

• Baking (cook) the Pinas:

  The pinas must be baked to extract their fermentable sugars. We bake them in large clay and brick ovens, which you may know as hornos.

• Shredding the Pinas to Extract the Juice:

  Once baked, we crush and shred the pinas to extract a sweet juice called Mosto. This extraction process can either be traditional, using a large stone wheel called Tahona to crush and juice the pinas, or contemporarily using an industrial mechanical shredder.

• Fermenting the Mosto:

  The mosto must ferment into ethyl alcohol to become a spirit. Then, we mix it with yeast and water in large wooden barrels or stainless steel tanks.

• Distilling the Mosto:

  Next, we distill the agave juices to purify the liquid and concentrate the alcohol in the blend. Distillation occurs twice; the first process creates the ordinario, and the second take creates silver tequila.

A Look into the Fermentation Process

Tequila’s fermentation process differs from other spirits. We cook the pinas in a steam-pressure cooker, breaking the complex carbohydrates into sugars. Next, the pinas are crushed and blended with water to form a mash. Then, we put the mash in fermentation tanks and add yeast to the blend, leaving it to ferment.

After fermentation, the liquid is distilled twice to attain an alcohol content of about 40%; the first distillation achieves about 20% alcohol content.

Different Types of Tequila

Looking to buy tequila online, but the different tequila types left you confused? Each boasts a unique flavor and character. The most common types are:

• Blanco (Silver) Tequila:

  It comes from unaged agave and has a clear color and a slightly sweet taste. If you are a fan of cocktails, Blanco is perfect for your palate.

• Reposado Tequila:

  Reposado is aged for at least two months in oak barrels. It has a subtler, richer flavor than Blanco and is ideal for mixed drinks.

• Añejo Tequila:

  This tequila is aged for about a year in oak barrels to create a smoother flavor perfect for neat.

• Extra Añejo Tequila:

  This one is older because it is aged for at least three years. The end product is a smooth spirit you will enjoy neat or on the rocks.

The Origin of Tequila

The origin of tequila traces way back to the Aztecs. They made a fermented agave juice for ceremonial purposes in the 250-300 AD. It was called pulque, and the Aztecs believed it to be a gift from the gods.

When Spanish conquistadors arrived in Mexico in the 16th century, they started making mezcal, their version of pulque, by distilling the agave sap with copper pots. Mezcal quickly became a significant economic driver.

In 1600, Don Pedro Sanches de Tagle built the first tequila distillery at Hacienda Cuisillos. In the same century, the Tequila town in Jalisco started producing tequila. The first organic tequila was made using Blue Weber Agave.

In 1758, the King of Spain granted Jose Antonio de Cuervo land to grow blue agave plants. By the end of the 1890s, “tequila” was used to describe agave spirits produced in the area.

Today, tequila has come a long way, from being a drink to shoot to a sophisticated spirit you can enjoy in cocktails or on its own. Different aging processes make different tequilas.

Must Read: What is the Difference Between Tequila and Mezcal?