Fun Facts - Agave & Tequila

-- Posted by kmyers001 on Tuesday, July 25 2006

The Agave (uh-gah-vay) plant has long been cultivated in hilly, semi-arid soils of Mexico.

Its fleshy leaves cover the pineapple-shaped heart of the plant, which contains a sweet sticky juice.

Ancient Mexicans considered the plant to be sacred. They believed the liquid from this plant purified the body and soul. In approx. 1,000 B.C., only high priests and the Aztec and Mayan leaders were allowed to drink it. It was consumed during sacrificial offerings to the gods and for medicinal use.

Agave leaves were used for a hemp-like fiber to make mats, clothing, rope and paper. The agave plant was also the source of the nutrient and vitamin-rich brew, pulque.

Distillation of pulque, tequila's distant ancestor, into something stronger may have originated by the Conquistadors as early as the 1520s.

A mature agave has leaves 5–8 feet tall, is 7–12 feet in diameter and has a life span of 8–15 years.

There are 136 species of agave in Mexico, of which the blue agave, agave tequilana Weber azul, is the only one allowed for use in tequila production. Several different species of agave are allowed for use in mezcal, including tobala, a rare and wild species.

The blue agave requires a maturation of 8 to 10 years. During that time the quiote or agave-flower flourishes. It is necessary to eventually discard the germane of the flower in order to condense the savia. The savia is responsible for the sweet content of Tequila. The maturation process is necessary to reach the Jima. The Jima is the process in which the pencas are pulled from the ground.

Although commonly thought to be a cactus, the agave plant is actually related to the lily and amaryllis. It is known as a succulent and, although it shares a common habitat with many cacti, it is not one itself.

Tequila is made from distilled sap from hearts of the blue agave plant.

There are two basic types of tequila, 100% blue agave tequila and mixto.

The 100% blue agave tequilas are distilled entirely from the fermented juice of the agave. If the bottle does not say 100% blue agave it is mixto and may have been distilled from as little as 60% agave juice with other sugars.

There are also several grades of tequila. Unaged, untreated and some treated with additives to achieve an effect similar to aging. Some American-bottled brands put a worm in their bottle to impress the gringos and boost sales, but it was a marketing ploy developed in the 1940s, not a Mexican tradition, nor sign of alcoholic strength.

Recently, a private collector paid $225,000 for a bottle of "ultra-premium" Tequila, making it the most expensive in the world ...however, industry insiders say this may change on March 21, 2007 when Tequila Ley plans to auction a bottle of Pasion Azteca, plated with gold, platinum and diamonds, valued at $1m. The auction will take place in London.

Only in recent years has the blue agave plant been recognized for its sweetener properties.

Unlike the crystalline form of fructose (table sugar), which is refined primarily from corn, blue agave nectar is sweet in its natural form.

One particular brand of pure blue agave nectar contains only 20 calories and only 5.2 grams of natural sugars per teaspoon, making it an excellent low-glycemic sugar substitute in beverages, as a sweet topping and in recipes.

The bad news is, the nectar can be fairly expensive... the good news is, because it is sweeter than table sugar, less is needed in your beverages, recipes and meals. For example, approximately 1/4 cup of blue agave nectar equals about 1 cup of table sugar.

Sources:
Tequila - A Bit of History
How Tequila is made
Guadalajara - The History of Tequila
World's most expensive Tequila fetches $225,000

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Author: K. Myers (aka kmyers001)
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