What is mezcal? What is the difference between mezcal and tequila?

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

No celebration is possible without alcoholic beverages. Why from time immemorial they have become an integral attribute of the holidays is unknown. Perhaps because they give fun, good mood, help to relax. Even in ancient Greece, the gods enjoyed wines and considered them the best earthly nectar. And today this tradition has not lost its relevance. But only the range of alcoholic liquids has expanded significantly.

Besides wines, people also prefer vodka, martini, whiskey and other overseas products. True, there are some among them that require some knowledge in order to be used. For example, mezcal, tequila. Not all people have even heard such names, let alone what such liquids are and how to drink them, and even more so do not know.

What is mezcal?

Mezcal is a traditional Mexican alcoholic drink. Its strength sometimes reaches 43 degrees. Mezcal is called the older relative of tequila, which appeared much later, although in the modern world it is known much more widely.

Some experts distinguish tequila as one ofsubspecies of mezcal. But it is not so. Yes, drinks have external similarities, but still there is a difference between them, the same as between rye whiskey and Scotch scotch, cognac and brandy. Mezcal was presented to the world by conquistadors from Spain, who used distillation for local wines.

How the product is made

What is mezcal, more or less figured out. But still, it is interesting what such a unique drink consists of. It, like tequila, is made from plants belonging to the genus Agave. But for the latter type of liquid, only one variety is used - blue agave, while five classes of cultivated agave are required to obtain mezcal. Do not hesitate to add wild varieties.

For the production of mezcal, the cores of the plant are harvested. Then they are steamed for two or three days in special conical stone ovens. These ovens are laid out in holes dug in the ground. On the surface of charcoal, the cores of the fruits are laid out, on top they are covered with several layers of palm fibers and sprinkled with soil. Thanks to the manipulation, the final product acquires the aroma of smoke. Agave kernels for making tequila are steamed in autoclaves or in ground-based ovens.

The extracted agave juice is fermented for three days without adding sugar to it. A long time ago, mezcal was distilled once. But since the 60s of the last century, the drink began to be distilled twice. If we compare mezcal and tequila, then the former has a sharper smell and taste. Based on the above information, you can navigate the difference between these two drinks and know exactly how mezcal differs from tequila.

Mezcal varieties

Mescal is divided into three grades. You can find them in any store in Mexico.

1. Young mezcal, or hoven. This is a white drink, that is, transparent. It is aged for six months. Joven is the most common type of mezcal.
2. What is mezcal? And this is also a calm variety, or reposado. Its maturity is up to one year. The final product takes on a golden light yellow tone.
3. Old mezcal, or Añejo. It can be aged for about three years, but not less than 14 months. This product has a deep amber tint.

In addition to the presented types of mezcal, there are also drinks in which all kinds of additives are put. So, various herbs, honey, fruits are used. The color of such aperitifs can also be very diverse, ranging from pink to black.

You can't ruin mezcal with a caterpillar

Mezcal with a caterpillar may cause disgust for someone, and someone is simply crazy about such an exotic drink. Since the middle of the last century, aperitif companies have begun to decorate the packaging of their products with all sorts of curiosities. The classic mezcal variety is bottled in square bottles. A bag is attached to the necks of the bottles of most brands of the drink, in which there is s alt mixed with dried and ground caterpillars. But the worms are chosen only those that live in the stemsagave.

This s alt is used to consume mezcal. An alcoholized caterpillar of the Bombix agavis butterfly is placed in a bottle. A live worm has a red tint in life, but quickly loses its color in a drink. Gusano rojo, or red worm, lives in the core of the agave fruit and is therefore the best. Gusano de oro, or white worm, prefers to live in agave leaves and is considered less "prestigious".

Magic Revealed

Many gourmets believe that mezcal with a worm is a medicinal or magical drink. They believe that a caterpillar placed in a liquid gives it miraculous properties. But all this is absolutely not true. Mezcal with a worm was invented solely as a publicity stunt. Manufacturers thus tried to get even more buyers into their ranks. It is not an insect and an aphrodisiac. Bottle labels always indicate that a “surprise” awaits the consumer inside.

Pear is also very tasty

Mezcal with a pear is as popular as a drink with a caterpillar. Divino Joven Mezcal is the only brand of alcohol that contains the fruit in the bottle. The fruit gives the aperitif a peculiar aftertaste and an original delicate aroma. This species has been noted many times in various competitions for drinks made from agave. The pear mezcal is made using an amazing technology, thanks to which the fruit is grown and stored right in the bottle.

Proper use of mezcal

Whatsuch a mezcal is described above, now we will learn how to drink this ancient drink correctly. So, the alcohol that you are going to drink should be at room temperature. You can drink it in two ways: the first is by sipping the liquid, savoring every drop of it.

The second method involves pouring agave drink into small narrow shots. Then you should prepare the s alt and lime. The seasoning is poured into the palm of your hand, and the citrus is cut into pieces. The mezcal is drunk in one gulp, then the s alt is licked from the palm of the hand and a piece of lime is eaten. This method is rather unusual, but very common, so using it, you will not surprise others.

But there is another way to consume mezcal. He just can provoke misunderstandings. But some thrill-seekers use it. Pour two centimeters of mezcal into a thin glass, and the same amount of tonic on top. Then we cover the glass with our hand and slam it hard on the table so that bubbles appear in the cocktail. Then we drink everything in one gulp.

Some interesting facts

Sometimes customers come across bottles of mezcal with small hard lumps floating inside. Inexperienced consumers may think that the product is expired. But this is not at all the case, and even vice versa: such a drink is unfiltered and has the most intense smell and taste.

And there is also an opinion that different types of mezcal are identical to each other. To prove the falsity of such a statement, try at least two different types of drink. After that, you will see that they differ not only in taste and aroma, but also in color, as each manufacturer uses its own manufacturing secrets. Bon appetit, that is, a feast!