Tequila, or cactus vodka, is a strong alcoholic drink made from blue agave. The strength of this drink ranges from thirty-five to fifty-five degrees. Tequila production is quite a fascinating process.
Initial stages of production
Tequila is made from blue agave. This plant is pre-processed before tequila production begins. With special sharp knives, the collectors cut off all the leaves, leaving a fibrous bulb from the plant that resembles a huge pineapple. This bulb weighs between forty and fifty kilograms. From this amount, up to sixteen liters of tequila is obtained.
After pretreatment, the "heads" of the agave are split into pieces (two or four) and cooked in traditional stone ovens at a temperature of 60 to 80 ° C to convert the starch from the fibers into sugar. This takes twelve to seventy two hours. Then, in industrial presses and special mills, the resulting mass is squeezed out.
After that, the liquid is sent to huge vats, where a fermentation process takes place, during which sugar is converted into alcohol. We can say that this is the most important stage in the preparation of tequila. At this stage, manufacturers add special yeast to the mix. Fermentation of the mixture takes different times depending on the season. In winter, the process lasts a little more than four days, in summer - less. During the fermentation stage, active bubbling occurs, which causes the yeast to work. The end of boiling indicates that the fermentation process is over.
Distillation, aging and bottling
The next step is liquid evaporation or distillation. Traditionally, Mexicans use the double distillation method. Their distillation stills are similar to those used to make whiskey and cognac. After the first distillation, the strength of the resulting drink is approximately twenty-five degrees. After the second, it can reach fifty-five degrees. This tequila is completely transparent.
The resulting tequila is transported to warehouses, where it is poured into special oak barrels. In them, it is aged from two months to a year, after which it is diluted with water (always distilled) to the required strength in a specialized workshop. After that, the tequila is additionally filtered and bottled.
There are four types of tequila. White tequila is a non-aging beverage. After a month's aging or even immediately after distillation, it is bottled. There is a second type of unseasoned tequila - golden tequila, which is flavored and tinted with caramel. Tequila, aged in barrels from two months to a year, acquires its characteristic golden color due to contact with the wood of the barrels. The fourth most expensive type of tequila is aged in barrels from one to five years.
