▶ Yongjae Lee’s meal – tequila, mezcal, pulque… history of mexican traditionalism
Hollywood actor George Clooney (63) did not appear in a single movie from 2016 to 2020. There isn’t much activity these days either. Of course, he is a celebrity who has no problem making a living even if he does nothing, but he does not sit still and do nothing. He ran the tequila brand ‘Casaamigos (meaning house of friends)’, which he launched with two friends in 2013. He revealed his intention, saying, “I wanted to drink a soft tequila that suited my taste.”
Was it really a brand launched with that intention? In 2017, Casa Amigos was sold to Diageo, the world’s largest liquor conglomerate, for $1 billion. The contract was to receive $700 million in a lump sum and an additional $300 million depending on sales over the next 10 years. In many ways, it was a testament to his brand value, as shown by his ability to instantly raise awareness of Nespresso, an instant capsule coffee.
■American celebrity launches liquor brand
American celebrities establishing alcohol brands, especially high-alcohol liqueur brands, has become a trend. The same goes for Ryan Reynolds, who plays Deadpool in the movie ‘Deadpool and Wolverine.’ Strictly speaking, he is from Canada and bought a stake in ‘Aviation American Jeans’ in Portland, Oregon, USA.
Even after the brand was sold to Diageo, he is still involved in its operation, including appearing in advertisements. It has recently acquired Wrexham Lager Beer in the UK and is attempting to expand into the global market.
It is worth noting that celebrities’ interest is especially focused on Mexico’s traditional liquor. There is Brian Cranston, the main character of the American drama ‘Breaking Bad’, which tells the story of a high school chemistry teacher who turns into a drug manufacturer after being pushed into a corner and suffering from hardships in life. He and co-star Aaron Paul purchased a stake in ‘Dos Hombres (Two Men)’ in 2019. Dos Hombres is a traditional Mexican alcohol mezcal brand.
Tequila is still familiar to us. Until recently, it did not enjoy the image of a high-end liquor. As a strong drink for parties, it was consumed as a cocktail called ‘Margarita’ or ‘Tequila Shot’, which can be drunk even if made roughly. Put salt on the back of your hand, lick it, and when the salty taste spreads, take a ‘one shot’ of tequila and suck on the lime juice. In short, tequila has been burdened with the yoke of being a cheap drink for a long time.
Now the situation is quite different. As Clooney’s success story proves, tequila has been elevated to a drink to be savored. It is used elaborately in more cocktails than the roughly mixed margarita, and products that have been aged over time, like whiskey, are also chosen by connoisseurs. Building on tequila’s position, mezcal, which has a very different feel, has also significantly expanded its base by breaking away from the tastes of enthusiasts.
■’Pulque’ with a shelf life of only three days
But for a moment, you may be wondering what mezcal is. Mezcal is a liqueur that is still expanding its presence, so it is somewhat unfamiliar to us. What’s interesting is that three traditional Mexican liquors, including these two, are made from the same ingredients. And these three, pushing and pulling together, are leading the Mexican traditionalist renaissance.
These three drinks are all made from agave, a Mexican cactus. Depending on the processing method, the wine is finished with a different texture. When discussing traditional Mexican alcohol, you should look at Pulque before tequila or mezcal. If you cut off the leaves of an agave plant and dig a hole in the center core, the sap will accumulate. If this is scooped out and fermented twice a day, it becomes pulque.
Unlike distilled tequila and mezcal, which have an average alcohol content of 40 percent, pulque, which is only fermented, has an alcohol content of 2 to 7 percent, which is about the same as beer. On the other hand, it is similar to makgeolli in that it is cloudy in color, thick, and has a moderate sourness. Pulque, made from Maguey, a type of agave, is the ancestor of tequila and mezcal. Since it is a low-quality liquor made with only basic fermentation, the history of pulque is estimated to be over 2,000 years. Only magwes grown for more than 12 years can produce the sap that can ferment pulque.
Pulque, which boasts a long history, grew explosively after Mexico’s independence and enjoyed its heyday, but soon went downhill due to policy oppression. In the early 20th century, immediately after the Mexican Revolution, the government condemned pulque as a low-quality alcohol for low-income people while pushing beer as a substitute.
The reputation of pulque has been maintained by small-scale producers who adhere to traditional brewing methods, and it has recently begun to become known again little by little. In particular, as pulque begins to be accepted as a cool drink by the younger generation, it is slowly gaining momentum. As mentioned earlier, it is similar to makgeolli and continues to ferment even after bottling, gradually increasing in alcohol content and becoming more sour. As a result, Pulque’s weakness is that long-distance distribution is not easy. It is sold in cans, but its shelf life is only three days.
■Mezcal, which puts bugs in a liquor bottle
The next alcoholic beverage that continues the history of traditional Mexican alcohol is mezcal. In order to increase the alcohol content, distillation through heating and condensation is necessary, and it is presumed that this technology was introduced to Mexico after 1565 when trade with the Philippines began. Therefore, the history of mezcal can be considered to be up to 500 years. The biggest characteristic of mezcal, which is made from the sap of agave, is that the core is first roasted. After removing the leaves and roots, the remaining core is gathered together in a large pit, set on fire, and covered with soil.
Mezcal is completed by pressing the core, which has been roasted for three days, fermenting the extracted sap, putting it in a clay or copper jar and distilling it. In general, the alcohol content is raised from 37.5 to 55 degrees through two distillations. Mezcal is often bottled with moth pupae that breed on agave plants, but there is disagreement as to why. It is said to infuse flavor and also proves that it is safe to drink. Some say it’s just a promotional strategy.
Because the raw materials are roasted over a fire to impart a unique smoky flavor, mezcal is more popular than tequila. Nevertheless, its popularity is increasing day by day, and in Mexico, it is common to drink it ‘straight’, that is, as is. Similar to tequila, you can drink it with sliced orange, fried pupa powder, red pepper powder, and salt. On the other hand, outside of Mexico, it is actively used as a base liquor for cocktails, especially classic cocktails such as Old Fashioned and Negroni.
■Blue Agave ‘Tequila’
Tequila, the most well-known but the youngest of Mexico’s traditional liquors, is actually the name of a city. It is an area 65km away from the state of Guadalajara, which can be considered central Mexico. Thanks to the red volcanic soil, the raw material, blue agave, grows well, and it has a unique scent and sweet taste, and was selected as a UNESCO cultural heritage site in 2006.
The reason why tequila was born later than mezcal is because of the time difference in the spread of distillation technology due to location. As mentioned earlier, the logic is that distillation technology spread through trade with the Philippines would have spread to the central and inland regions of Mexico via the coastal region. Thus, it was not until approximately the mid-18th century that tequila began to appear in earnest.
Lee Yong-jae, food critic>
How does the production process of mezcal contribute to its unique flavor profile compared to tequila?
1. How has the perception of tequila changed over time, and what factors have contributed to its current popularity as a high-end liquor?
2. What is the history and production process of mezcal, and how has it differentiated itself from tequila in the global market?
3. Can you explain the history and significance of pulque in Mexican tradition, and how has it influenced the development of tequila and mezcal?
4. What is the future outlook for traditional Mexican alcohols like pulque and mezcal, and how can small-scale producers maintain their unique craft while adapting to changing consumer preferences?
5. Have you tried any traditional Mexican alcohols, and if so, what was your experience? If not, would you consider trying them, and why or why not?
