Mezcal

The mezcal (or mescal ) is a Alcoholic drink Mexican elaborate starting from the Agave (not to be confused with the Mescaline, alkaloid hallucinogen extracted the Peyotl). There exist several kinds of sisal plants and each one produced a slightly different mezcal. The Tequila is a mezcal coming from the sap of blue sisal plant (specifically of the sisal plant “ Tequilana Weber ”) in the area of Tequila in Mexico. In fact, the Mexican standard ( Normalized Oficial ) requires that at least 51% of the alcohol of a mezcal come only from this variety to be able to receive name tequila .

Production

The mezcal is produced starting from the heart of the sisal plant. The sisal plant matures during 6 to 12 years before harvest takes place, called jima : the sharp-edged sheets ( pencas ) are pruned by the farmer of sisal plant ( jimador ) using a tool slicing, the coa , to keep only the heart or piñas (Spanish word for Ananas). The piña , which resembles a giant pineapple from 30 to 60 kg, is then cooked with the vapor at a temperature of approximately 55°C during 24 to 50 hours. This cooking makes it possible to transform the starches contained naturally in the plant into Sucre S which after Fermentation will give the alcohol.

Palenque S, broad

Traditionally, the piñas were baked in Palenque S, broad (8-12 ft diameter) rock'n'roll-lined conical pits in the ground. The pits were lined with hot rock'n'rolls, then sisal plant leaves, Petate (palm fiber chechmates), and earth. Five The piñas are allowed to cook in the pit for three to days. This lets them absorb flavors from the earth and Wood smoke.

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After cooking, the piña is cooled and rests up to one week. Then it is ground to extract pulp from it. This last operation is carried out in a press or on a concrete or stone disc on which turns a stone wheel.

The “mashed potatoes” obtained, added with 5 to water 10%, are then placed in large tanks of 5 000 with 50 000 liters where sugars will be transformed into alcohol by Fermentation, under the action of its clean Levure S. This hard fermentation up to 30 days. Catalyst S (of the brewers' yeasts, for example), making it possible to accelerate fermentation into 2 to 4 days, are sometimes added. Cane sugar or corn can also be used during this fermentation. The Mexican legislation requires that only 51% of alcohol come from the fermentation of the sisal plant.

The fermented juice obtained, called mosto , is then distilled twice in a Alambic in Stainless steel or Cuivre. The result of the first distillation, once the removed fibers, is called ordinario and titrates between 20° and 30° vol. It is replaced in the still for the second distillation which will make assemble the degree of alcohol until 55°. Sometimes, of water is added to reduce the degree to 40° ( mixtos , diluted with water). At this stage, the mezcal can be bottled or out-of-date.

Ageing proceeds relatively quickly compared with other alcohols. It is held in barrels out of wooden for two months and until several tens of years. During this period, the mezcal takes a gilded color and its taste is modified by the wood of the barrels. The older it is, the darker its color will be and the more important the influence of wood on the taste will be.

Classification of the Ages:

Blanco - white (clearly), old of less than two months;
Reposado (rested) - old of at least two months and up to one year;
Añejo - old of at least a year out of barrels of oak.

The worm

the producers add a caterpillar of the devastating butterfly of the sisal plant Hypopta agavis (in Spanish Chilocuil , Chinicuil , or Tecol , words coming from the Nahuatl). These Larve S (which is thus not worms) nourishes succulent sheets of the Maguey. The caterpillar S reds are known like Gusanos rojos , " towards rouges" , giving this name to a popular mark of Mezcal.
There is a second species of " vers" placed in the bottles of mezcal, bringing a color and single savor to the beverage, less appreciated, it is that of Scyphophorus acupunctatus (curculionidé coleopter).

" vers" in the bottle of mezcal are promotional gadgets. The origin of this practice goes back to a man named Jacobo Lozano Páez. In 1940, whereas it tasted sisal plant prepared, him and its test found that the worm changed the taste of the sisal plant. (Of the worms of sisal plant are sometimes found in the piña after harvest, signs of a sisal plant infested). Contrary to a spread belief, the Tequila is not authorized (by the law) to contain the worm.

External bonds

Mezcal: Discover the secrecies and its legend… until tasting

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