Mexico is known for making tequila. Let's see, Mexico had Spain, the indigenous peoples but how is the history of tequila connected to the Philippines?
Tequila is really interesting, no I am not talking about the drink but the plant and how it is made. It takes years to make tequila. The plants are very sensitive.
Tequila is made from plants called agave and they are started from seed or from cuttings. It takes a plant about 10 years to mature and be used. When they mature their branches are cut off using a kind of long-handled knife and they leave the center part that kind of looks like a pineapple. That is were the juice is.
These "pineapple" looking things are then cut and baked in stone furnaces for one to three days to convert their starches into sugars.
From the furnace the plant is shredded and then put through a press.
This juice now starts to become tequila. The juice is allowed to ferment for several days. The color and taste of Tequila depends principally on the length of fermentation.
The Amber tequila is because the juice is placed into ex-brandy or wine casks for about two months, while the golden is aged at least a year and the extra-aged for at least three years.
So far this tequila "farmer" has invested at least 13 years to get a chance at a low grade drink. But where is the Filipino connection?
In 1944 a geographer documented how a Filipino seamen on the Manila Galleon had brought stills to western Mexico, for making coconut brandy during the late sixteenth century. Basically, tequila would not have become an alcoholic drink had the seamen not wanted to make coconut brandy on the ship.
Most of the tequila that is shipped to other countries is a low grade tequila used in bars. They say that the good tequila is now made by the local small family business who will take the time to pamper the plant, store and ferment the drink. This is not a cheep hobby or business and I guess the drink is also not cheep but I do not really know how much it costs.
Bottoms UP.
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