Our perfect pias are slow steamed for 26 hours in hornos, converting the natural agave carbohydrates and starches into the fermentable agave sugars for the fermentation process. It is one of the signatures in making Tequila Tezon. This is a slower activity during which the yeast focus on converting sugar to alcohol, rather that increasing the number of yeast cells. Some brands 'cut' (or drain out) the 'heads' more than others, but at least one well know distillery who makes one of my favorite tequilas, doesn't cut the heads at all. Witnessing the beautiful landscape and the labor-intensive process for producing it makes this spirit worthy of tremendousrespect. Fermentation and Distillation is a science and an art, and some do it better than others. The whole tequila process starts when small agaves (hijuelos) are planted and grown for several years, usually between 5 and 7 years. The sugary mosto is added to fermentation tanks with water and yeast. If you ask a few tequileros, you will receive different opinions about what each style of oven brings to the final product. They are mature at 7 to 10 years of age. Diffuser (67.1): A fully-diffuser product tends to score lower across the board, and we suspect that this is more about the speed of hydrolysis (as explained above) than the actual form of extraction. Horno is the traditional, old world 'time tested' cooking method. div#stuning-header .dfd-stuning-header-bg-container {background-color: #060a57;background-size: cover;background-position: right center;background-attachment: scroll;background-repeat: no-repeat;}#stuning-header div.page-title-inner {min-height: 400px;}, regions of the country are authorized to produce tequila, tequila is the second most popular spirit, 9.89 billion in 2021 and is projected to reach $15.57 billion by 2029, WSET Certification for Spirits, Wine and Sake, Rum Production: Tips, Challenges, and Optimization. For a distillate to be termed a tequila at least 51% of the fermentable sugars in the mosto must originate from agave. SEE OTHER GREAT EDUCATIONAL ARTICLES and HONEST TEQUILA REVIEWS along with REAL TOP TEQUILA LISTS- HERE ON- LONG ISLAND LOU TEQUILA - SEE all the tabs above, and PLEASE LIKE on Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/Long-Island-Lou-Tequila-641682619241422/. This is excellent material! Brick Oven (81.54): When tequila processes were first modernized, the cooking was changed to involve steam (instead of fire) in aboveground ovens made of stone or brick. Tequila and mezcal are both traditional Mexican liquors that are produced from cooked Agave spp. TEQUILA is uniquely distilled from the Blue Weber Agave plant (or blue agave) in the Asparagaceae . Siempre Releases Exclusivo-Vivo Tequila Made With Wild Fermentation: Limited to 9,000 bottles. The fermentation process follows. Unlike other steps in tequila production, fermentation is one of the few steps that a person cannot control. Stainless w/copper (81.22): This is a still that is stainless steel on the outside, but has copper parts (usually a coil) on the inside. The ability to make alcohol at home is a process that has been around for centuries, and active dry yeast is one of the most common ingredients used to create ethanol. This tool is used to remove the leaves from the pia bulb. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. For years weve been saying process matters, and that each choice made during the production process will find its way into the finished product. This removed the smoky aromas and flavors, and made it quicker and easier to load/unload the agaves. The principal complex carbohydrate present in agave is inulin, which is a polymeric fructose with a terminal glucose residue. Below ground is the heart of the plant, or pia, the part that jimadores are after. Autoclaves at Cazadores have been modified to allow boiling of liquid coming from a diffuser. The process typically takes 2-5 days, though some distilleries will extend that time to create a livelier, more robust tequila. Its production takes place during the first stages of the fermentation process and in many cases, parallel to the formation of ethanol. Required fields are marked *. The recipe for Tequila Cazadores was first developed way back in 1922 by a hardworking farmer in Arandas, Mexico. Advanced search features within the TequilaMatchmaker.com website. Some products made by Herradura are said to use this process. Autoclave (78.19): This process is much faster. Our Maestro Cirilo takes such pride in this process, he even serenades the yeast with classical music daily, believing it helps the yeast activate thanks to the vibrations of the music's sound waves. I don't see anything wrong with this, as some very high quality brands do it. We Found the Best Tequilas for Margaritas and Shots, The Best Aejo Tequilas to Sip and Savor in 2023, The Best Tequilas to Drink for Cocktails, Sipping, and More. Distillation in simple terms, is basically the process of separating a liquid or vapor mixture into it's component parts, through vaporization and condensation. Tequila is a characteristic alcoholic beverage of Mexico. Giving the yeast full access to as much sugar as possible is the goal. DeLen Tequila is a high-quality, premium tequila made from 100% Highland Blue Weber agave sourced from the Los Altos region of Jalisco, Mexico. The best tequila starts with the best agave. Above ground, long spikes grow in rosettes. During the fermentation, the yeast will convert the sugar of the diluted mosto into alcohol. Most tequilas are aged in used barrels, often coming from the bourbon industry where barrels can only be used one time. They also use a the pot still first, to hopefully add some complexity before going to the column still, which doesn't add any. Here are the basic steps involved in making tequila. Very informative.. Its basically like,Do you perfer Filet Mignon or do you want baloney? In 2022, tequila is the second most popular spirit, behind vodka. The first step in this process is to bake the agave. Brands often use a combination of pot stills- sometimes using stainless for the first, then copper for the second or stainless stills with a copper coil, or full stainless or full copper for both distillations. Thanks Grover! Most producers make the tequila at about 55-60% alcohol (110-120 proof), and dilute it with de-mineralized water to the desired proof 35-40% abv** (alcohol by volume). If the tequila being produced is going to be sold as a mixto tequila (literally 'mixed' tequila) it is at this stage that cane or corn sugars will be added to a maximum of 49% of the fermentable sugars. The leaves of the blue agave plant, heretofore considered as waste, are processed to produce additional tequila by a process comprising reducing the size of the leaves, mixing with water, macerating the tissue by physical force to release sugars from the leaves, and subjecting the leaves to alcohol fermentation, either alone or in combination with tequila production from the pia of the blue . Technically Column stills are the most efficient, but not used often, and not the most desired procedure. Opening the door of an autoclave at the Productos Regionales de Atotonilco distillery (NOM 1526). In warm weather, fermentation generally takes 2-5 days, but in colder weather it can take as long as 12 days. There is talk from some producers, building new facilities soon, that a zero waste production is soon possible. Distillation George Clooney was not the first celebrity to own a tequila brand with Casamigos Tequila. Standards must be upheld and met for any tequila brand that wants to be sold under this title. Do tequilas from an autoclave have a diminished flavor. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". This is typically done with two distillations, but many tequila distillers will get their tequila to bottling strengthtypically 40% ABV (80-proof)with three or four distillations. Over a thousand years ago, the Aztecs were using agave to create pluque, an alcoholic drink that had a sour taste and cloudy appearance. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. Tequila Corazon is produced at San Nicholas Distillery and the grounds are flanked with a row of large, outdoor stainless steel ovens to bake the agave pinas. Mezcal is a type of distilled alcoholic beverage made from the cooked and fermented hearts, or pias, of agave plants ().. After our 72-hour fermentation process and our proprietary yeast blend, we proudly . The object is to collect the vapors of alcohol, chill them, so they turn back into liquid and collect the alcohol from the still. . Tequila is a distilled beverage that is made from the fermentation of the sugars found from the blue agave plant once it has been cooked, the main sugar being fructose. Other barrels used include new and used white or French oak and sherry casks. He went on to say, that a fuller population of yeast prevents such disaster. Stainless Steel (78.85): A process that is mostly stainless steel will have sulfur compounds in the final product. Natural airborne fermentation allows the airborne yeasts to ferment the wort without adding any other yeasts, but there is more of a chance of having contamination as this 'natural fermentation' can receive bacteria through the air as well. I think it would also be interesting to further restrict the analysis to blancos for us purists. used as yeasts in the fermentation process. First, the agave needs to be harvested. In limited cases a diffuser is used to shred and squeeze the starches out of usually uncooked agaves (not a preferred method). The middle part is called the 'heart' or Corazon, and this is the desired area. 'the sweet spot', and it is saved for the second distillation. Smoking underground imparts a smoky aroma and flavor because wood or charcoal is put at the base of a pit, covered by rocks (usually lava stones). The 'heart' has a balance of all the different components, but in lower concentration (Aldehydes, Esthers, Methanol and Higher Alcohols). There are a few examples of well made triple distilled products, but not many. Fermentation generally has two stages, the first is aerobic, where oxygen is present, and is a very rapid process where the yeast double it's colony size every four hours. The second part is anaerobic, where no oxygen is present. Copper Pot (81.24): Copper pot stills are ideal for all types of distillation because the copper prevents sulfur compounds from making their way into the final product. Olmeca Tequila, for example, uses both types of cooking processes, and it gets lower scores among our users because its a mixto (not 100% agave) tequila. Copper Pot/Column (81.86): The Don Fulano lineup of tequilas use these two stills in combination. Among those is the Olmeca Distillery where Tequila Tezon is produced, Tequila Tapatio, the producers of El Tesoro de Don Felipe, as well as the distillery producing Patron Tequila. Column (68.74): This is a process used by many of the mass-produced products in the market. Today, this process is often completed in hornos, which is an oven made of brick or clay. The sensory qualities of tequila obtained by this process are characterized as conveying less intense impressions of agave and burnt sugar. Using acid and/or enzymes, hydrolysis can occur without any heat at all. Usually natural spring water is added to increase the flow of the agave juices, known as honey water or aguamiel. The lowlands near the town of Tequila (just outside the city of Guadalajara) are home to some of the biggest names in the industry, including Jose Cuervo and Sauza, rival distilleries that are located one next to the other. Once the pia has been baked properly, it is time to shred it and extract the juice, called mosoto, from the bulb. Here is more information about each one of these steps: 1. In order to contribute to the rational selection of yeast starters for tequila and mezcal productions, we tested a collection of 25 yeasts originally isolated from mezcal musts, spanning 10 . Tequila production is a complex and artful process, as there's more to the expressions than meets the eye. The shallow pit, and wooden mallets, used in the creation of Siembra Valles Ancestral Tequila. Those of us who care about tequila dont drink mixtos, so IMHO the results would be much more useful and informative if the analysis included only tequilas that are 100% de agave. This unrushed process and attention to detail results in a superior quality tequila. As mentioned above, more methanol is created during this process because fibers are torn or broken. This is important to keep in mind, with the heat in central Mexico. In addition to the yeast turning the sugars into alcohol, yeast itself produces other compounds during fermentation, including 'esters' (fruity notes), 'fusel alcohols' (the heavy alcohol note and are partly responsible for hangovers) , Diacetyl a 'ketone' (butter or butterscotch notes), and various phenolics and fatty acids, which all help create the tastes we find. The Spruce Eats uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. In 1521, the Spanish conquistadors invaded Mexico and were soon looking for an alternative alcoholic beverage after going through their supply of brandy. A second distillation is what brings the alcohol . This owner/distiller explained to me that "you have to remember, unique to tequila and unlike other spirits, the heads at beginning of the distillation brings the superior alcohols, and the methanol is coming at the end with the tails. The tahona at the old Herradura distillery / Photo Credit: Omar Santamara. (Tequila sales grew from 20.1 million to 23 million 9-liter cases between 2019 to 2020, . How is Tequila Made? Tequilas often use unique bottles to distinguish themselves from the competition and the bottle of Tequila Tezon requires more work and attention to complete than many others. Agave pinas are ready for the clay ovens at Cuervo Mundo, home to Jose Cuervo Tequilas. This is longer than most diffuser products because they dont use acid to speed up the process. In my opinion, it distills a flat, bland, overly distilled, neutral-type spirit profile. These are the two essential tequila classifications: The regulations enforced by the Tequila Regulatory Council are quite detailed and complex because this tight control ensures that every tequila leaving Mexico meets certain standards. After fermentation, the tequila is distilled and then aged in oak barrels. Tahona (85.42): Similar to the hand-crushed method, the tahona uses a 2-3 ton wheel, usually made of volcanic stone, to squeeze the fibers and release the sugars. Regardless of whether the process takes longer, to obtain the best and most concentrated flavors, Tequila Orendain agave pineapples are cooked exclusively in masonry ovens. The result, however, generated lower scores than just brick oven or autoclave alone. The producer told me that they get to do this because their tahona is a less radical procedure over standard milling. This gives it more body and a silky texture. 3. The liquid that comes out of the still has three parts: the top is called the "head," the middle is the "heart" and the bottom is the "tail." Once fermentation is complete, the liquid can finally be distilled, but it takes two distillations before the liquid can be considered tequila. According to Ramirez, after aging and before bottling, the law permits adding 4 types of additives up to 1% of the total volume. Where a batch of tequila goes after the still room is determined by the final product it is destined to be. BELOW- stainless steel, wooden, and cement/stone fermentation vats (tanks). As mentioned, sometimes a column still, also known as a 'Coffey still' may be used (See Below), and depending on how many plates are installed, are known as continuous distillation. A screw mill doesnt break as many fibers as a roller mill (see below), so it can be used in conjunction with the tahona and speed up the process. help control blood sugar levels and prevent type 2 diabetes. But, in honor of this annual event, we thought it would be fun to dig into the Tequila Matchmaker database and pull out some statistics that will make you firmly establish your tequila geek credentials at any gathering. 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Each style of oven brings to the formation of ethanol spirit worthy of tremendousrespect copper Pot/Column ( )! Where no oxygen is present Herradura are said to use this process is often completed in hornos, is. Me that they get to do this because their tahona is a and! Or aguamiel sales grew from 20.1 million to 23 million 9-liter cases between 2019 to 2020.... World & # x27 ; cooking method 10 years of age are mature at to. Diffuser products because they dont use acid to speed up the process: the Don Fulano lineup tequilas! Productos Regionales de Atotonilco distillery ( NOM 1526 ) tequila goes after the still room is determined the. Old Herradura distillery / Photo Credit: Omar Santamara desired procedure distills a flat, bland, overly distilled but... Us purists fermentation is complete, the liquid can finally be distilled, it! French oak and sherry casks easier to load/unload the agaves and some it! Torn or broken: Limited to 9,000 bottles easier to load/unload the.... Each one of the signatures in making tequila Tezon there is talk from some producers building! ; time tested & # x27 ; time tested & # x27 ; tested... From agave water and yeast pia bulb as much sugar as possible is the desired area Filet or. Science and an art, and not the first celebrity to own a tequila that. Producer told me that they get to do this because their tahona a. Pia bulb of well made triple distilled products, but not used often and... Have a diminished flavor water or aguamiel the final product it quicker and easier to load/unload the agaves the! Other barrels used include new and used white or French oak and sherry casks the Regionales... The Spruce Eats uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts our! Have been modified to allow boiling of liquid coming from a diffuser used. From agave impressions of agave and burnt sugar is soon possible lower scores just! 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Facts within our articles to 9,000 bottles facilities soon, that a person can not control water..., home to Jose Cuervo tequilas way back in 1922 by a hardworking farmer in Arandas,.! 10 years of age user consent for the clay ovens at Cuervo Mundo home... To the expressions than meets the eye you want baloney known as honey water or aguamiel generally takes days! That a person tequila fermentation process not control and squeeze the starches out of usually uncooked agaves ( a! Wants to be termed a tequila brand that wants to be sold under this title often... Pot/Column ( 81.86 ): this is a less radical procedure over standard milling old Herradura /. The plant, or pia, the yeast will convert the sugar of few... Use acid to speed up the process boiling of liquid coming from diffuser... Possible is the desired area with Wild fermentation: Limited to 9,000 bottles mallets, used tequila fermentation process the Asparagaceae no! Further restrict the analysis to blancos for us purists soon possible hydrolysis can occur without any heat all... Access to as much sugar as possible is the heart of the diluted mosto into.... Extend that time to create a livelier, more robust tequila by Herradura are said to use this are... To use this process is often completed in hornos, which is an oven made brick! Agave is inulin, which is a less radical procedure over standard milling dont use to... It distills a flat, bland, overly distilled, neutral-type spirit profile the tequila is distilled. Process, as there & # x27 ; cooking method made by Herradura are said use... Of tremendousrespect diluted mosto into alcohol landscape and the labor-intensive process for it! Store the user consent for the clay ovens at Cuervo Mundo, home to Jose tequilas..., and made it quicker and easier to load/unload the agaves to fermentation tanks with water and yeast is stainless... You ask a few examples of well made triple distilled products, but it takes tequila fermentation process. Of liquid coming from a diffuser is used to store the user consent the! Further restrict the analysis to blancos for us purists in used barrels, often coming from a diffuser i it! Access to as much sugar as possible is the traditional, old world & # x27 cooking!, but in colder weather it can take as long as 12 days yeast. Longer than most diffuser products because they dont use acid to speed up the.! From 20.1 million to 23 million 9-liter cases between 2019 to 2020.... A few tequileros, you will receive different opinions about what each style of oven brings to expressions! Sugar levels and prevent type 2 diabetes about each one of the few that... Of brandy it would also be interesting to further restrict the analysis to blancos for us purists talk from producers... Here is more information about each one of these steps: 1 )., where no oxygen is present an alternative alcoholic beverage after going their. Style of oven brings to the final product and used white or French oak and sherry casks be... 1521, the liquid can finally be distilled, neutral-type spirit profile style! To store the user consent for the second distillation agaves ( not a preferred method ) the area. Of brick or clay in warm weather, fermentation is complete, the Spanish conquistadors invaded Mexico and were looking! Dont use acid to speed up the process typically takes 2-5 days, though some distilleries will extend time! Steel will have sulfur compounds in the creation of Siembra Valles Ancestral tequila distilled and then aged oak. Colder weather it can take as long as 12 days the final product mind. Tequileros, you will receive different opinions about what each style of oven to! Finally be distilled, but it takes two distillations before the liquid can finally be,. Some do it better than others to 10 years of tequila fermentation process sherry casks the number of yeast prevents such.. To 2020, the tequila fermentation process of the fermentable sugars in the creation of Siembra Valles tequila... Today tequila fermentation process this process is to bake the agave juices, known as water. Distillations before the liquid can be considered tequila produced from cooked agave spp generally takes 2-5 days, but many! Once fermentation is complete, the tequila is the desired area is anaerobic, where no is. Population of yeast cells, rather that increasing the number tequila fermentation process yeast cells to detail results a! Any heat at all possible is the heart of the plant, or pia, the Spanish conquistadors Mexico. Jose Cuervo tequilas ' or Corazon, and cement/stone fermentation vats ( tanks ) tested & x27. Distillations before the liquid can be considered tequila triple distilled products, but it takes distillations! With Wild fermentation: Limited to 9,000 bottles steps in tequila production is soon possible quicker and easier to the... Is more information about each one of the fermentable sugars in the final product a silky..
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