It is vital to remember that tequila is produced in five different areas of Mexico. It comes from blue Agave, which is something you need to understand beforehand. You can drink it in a cocktail or on its own, depending on your preferences and needs.
You should check here to learn how to detect brands that feature high levels of additives.
When it comes to color, it can range from light gold, Blanco, clear and vibrant gold, which means that it is aged. If they are extra-aged, you can rest assured, which means that you will get a richer gold tone as a result.
You should know that only Mexican states can legally produce it, including Nayarit, Michoacán, Tamaulipas, Guanajuato, and Jalisco. Mostly they are bottled in Mexico, the EU, and the US
It comes from the agave plant, which resembles cactus in appearance. Keep in mind that Agave is a native plant of Mexico, which means that it has been used for thousands of years for numerous reasons and properties.
When it comes to premium tequilas, you should know that they come from 100% blue agave, while low-end ones come at least 51% of it combined with corn syrup, molasses, and other ingredients.
What is Tequila?
We have mentioned above that tequila is a distilled beverage from blue Agave, and it is the main alcohol drink in Mexico. Even though we can differentiate various agave plants, you should know that only Weber Blue is essential for this particular beverage.
Since the plants come with red volcanic soils and silicate-richness, you can rest assured because more than three hundred million plants are harvested each year. Keep in mind that the agave plant was popular for thousands of years. For instance, Aztecs have created sour tasting, cloudy, and pulque alcohol beverage after fermenting the plant between 250 and 300 AD.
The drink had a religious perspective, which means people drank it at holy rites and religious ceremonies.
However, everything changed after the conquistadors settled in Mexico in the 16th century. Since they drank brandy daily, they ran out of supply at one point in time, which is why they wanted to find an alternative.
During the 17th century, tequila entered mass production, and the first license was made by Spain’s King Carlos IV to the Cuervo family. Today, you can find more than twenty-two thousand registered agave farmers in the regions mentioned above.
We are talking about 125 thousand hectares that cultivate a few hundred million agave plants annually.
Regulations You Should Remember
Since the very beginning, the Mexican government started to understand the importance of tequila popularity, so they implemented strict regulations to control their brand and its production process.
Therefore, they have implemented regulations in combination with the registration of all grown Agave within their boundaries. At the same time, they have created Tequila Regulatory Council that makes a Norma Official Mexicana or NOM number on each bottle.
We are mentioning a label that you need to get to start making your tequila, which is why you should learn more about it.
One of the most important regulations is that each bottle should feature at least 51% of Blue Agave. At the same time, the legislation allows addinga neutral spirit inside with cane sugar juice, among other things.
Of course, you can also find premium brands that will provide you options with 100% of Blue Agave, and they come with a proper label that will offer you peace of mind. On the other hand, beverages that feature less than a hundred percent of Agave are known as amixto.
You can visit this link: https://www.crt.org.mx/index.php/en/ to learn more about regulations in general.
Finally, you should know that all of them have to undergo an aging process, which is approximately between two and three weeks. At the same time, they need to feature a hundred percent natural ingredients and at least thirty eight percent of alcohol.
When it comes to ABV, you should know that Mexican regulations allow between thirty-five and fifty-five ABV. However, usually, they feature between thirty-five and thirty-eight percent.
Final Word
We have mentioned above the basics you should know about tequila production to help you decide the best brand for your particular taste and needs.In addition, you should check out Cleveland tequila blog to learn more about local places that serve this drink.
It is vital to understand that tequila also comes with specific medical properties, which you should research before making up your mind.
