Mezcal - Mexican alcohol with worm

Culture

Of course, a holiday in Mexico also includes tasting the typical mezcal or tequila. There are many misconceptions about the famous Mexican spirit. Is it true, for example, that there is a worm in every bottle of mezcal? And aren't mezcal and tequila the same thing? We get to the bottom of these misconceptions and explain what mezcal actually is.

What is mezcal?

Mezcal is a Mexican spirit and is made from the inside of agaves. The name mezcal comes from the Aztec language and means "cooked agave". It can be distilled from 23 different types of agave, each with a different flavour, which is why there are many different types of mezcal. What makes it special is that it is still mainly produced by hand in family businesses, where the agaves are often still heated in ovens underground. As a result, it has a very fine flavour and should not simply be downed, but rather enjoyed.

Difference between mezcal and tequila

Tequila
Every tequila is also a mezcal, but not every mezcal is also a tequila. As already mentioned, mezcal can be made from different types of agave, but tequila can only be made from one type, the agave tequilana or blue agave. This is grown in the state of Jalisco, the home of tequila, where an almost monoculture of this type of agave has developed. Mezcal, on the other hand, is mainly produced in the state of Oaxaca, although production is permitted in 6 other states. Another difference is that tequila often only consists of 51% agave, with the addition of foreign sugar, usually from sugar cane. In addition to the so-called "mixtos", there is also tequila with 100% agave. Mezcal, on the other hand, always consists of 100% agave. Tequila is also usually produced industrially, not by small family businesses like the other mezcal. There are also a few other differences, which means that mezcal and tequila are not the same thing.

Manufacturing process

The agave plants are harvested before they flower for the first and only time in their lives, which is after around 8 to 15 years. The leaves and roots of the plants are cut away so that only the heart remains, the so-called piña, or pineapple in Spanish, as it resembles an oversized pineapple. The piñas are then cooked for 3 - 5 days using steam in a hole in the ground between burning wood and stones. The hearts are then crushed using a millstone and the resulting paste is fermented in barrels or vats. After fermenting for 1 - 3 weeks, the mezcal is distilled twice and then stored for at least 2 months to several years. Depending on the length of storage, the result is the light-coloured Mezcal Joven, the caramel-coloured Mezcal Reposado or the dark caramel-coloured Mezcal Añejo.

The thing with the worm

So what's the story behind the worm in mezcal? The so-called worm is not actually a worm at all, but a butterfly caterpillar. This can be found in some mezcal bottles, but has no real meaning, it's just a marketing gimmick. But with or without the worm - mezcal is an absolute delight that you should definitely try on your next holiday in Mexico!

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