Process of Making Tequila

Tequila is a unique flavored wine originating from Mexico. The raw material used is the heart of a plant called agave. The most famous and typical one is Tequila.

Raw Materials

Agave is a succulent plant. This plant has a large rhizome, which Mexicans call the heart of the agave, and is shaped like a huge pineapple. Its characteristic is that the sugar content is high, and it is suitable as a raw material for brewing. For outstanding tequila, special use of blue agave of the best quality is required. This particular variety grows between the plateaus and mountains of the state of Jalisco at an altitude of more than 1500 meters.

Collection

The harvested agave hearts will be boiled in a container in advance, which can remove the external wax and some leaf impurities. Nowadays, the brewing technology is more advanced, and high-temperature steam injection is used to achieve the effect of pre-cooking.

Cook And Cool

Using a stone oven, cook the agave hearts that have been cut to the right size in advance and cook until soft, about 2 to 4 days. Under the slow fire of 60-85 degrees, the fibers of the agave heart will soften, the natural juice will flow out, and the original flavor will be retained. Carbohydrates in plants are also converted into fermentable sugars. If you taste the cooked agave, it will feel like taro. After cooking, it needs to be cooled for 24-36 hours, and then ground to remove the pulp.

Fermentation

During fermentation, sugar is converted into alcohol in large wooden barrels or stainless steel tanks. Yeast can be added to speed and control fermentation.  yeast that grows on agave leaves is used; but, many wineries today use a cultivated form of wild yeast. Fermentation usually takes 7 to 12 days. After a long period of fermentation, it will produce a rich wine, and the alcohol content now is between 5% and 7%. It depends on the method used.

Distillation

The fifth step in making tequila is distillation, in which the ferment is separated by heat and steam pressure in stainless steel tank stills or distillation columns. double-distilled in copper pot stills, stainless steel stills are now used, and while some tequilas are triple-distilled, most are only double-distilled. The first distillation, also known as “deztrozamiento” or “smashing”, takes several hours and produces a liquid with about 20% alcohol called “ordinary”. The second distillation, called “rectification,” takes three to four hours and produces a liquid with an alcohol content of 55%. After a second distillation, tequila is considered silver, or “Blanco” tequila.

Aged Wine

The clear tequila from the second distillation can be bottled. In contrast, it must be aged in oak barrels. Over time, wood can give tannins a softening and mellow spirit and add character. Unlike more spirits, there is no rule governing the largest fill strength of tequila going into barrels.

The casks used may be new or before used to age tequila or other spirits, most American whiskey.Casks can be roasted or charred for added color and flavor. The type of wood, the amount of the previous filling, the thickness of the slats, etc. all combine to affect how the tequila matures.

Blends And Additives

Additives such as caramel color, glycerin, syrup, aged agave, and oak extract can also be added to all aged tequila categories. Up to 75 grams per liter of sugar and 85 grams of other additives per serving, but must be less than 1% of total volume.

Filtration And Dilution

It is generally accepted that tequila must have a small alcohol content of 38% alc./vol. But it is allowed to bottle tequila at concentrations between 35% and 55%. Distilled or demineralized water is used for dilution to bottling concentration. Before bottling, tequila can be filtered through a medium such as charcoal or cellulose at ambient temperature.

Bottling And Packaging

Mixto tequila distributed outside of Mexico is usually sold in “bulk” form and exported in cans or cans at high alcohol levels. It is then diluted and bottled in the country where it is sold or exported. By law, “100% Tequila” tequila is bottled in designated tequila areas.

Like other categories of wine, each bottle of tequila may come from many barrels of similar age. Blended to ensure the stability of the tequila flavor, but also for this reason. you can see rare products on the market, it feels as Scotch whisky or French cognac, each bottle of tequila comes from a specific barrel of wine, and can be traced back to the barrel number, year, Producer name, and sales volume. Moreover, all tequila sold in bottles must be inspected by the Tequila Liquor Specification Committee before they can be sold drinks.