Tequila

Tequila  Cecily Devoto     Tequila    is the most famous drink that comes from the country of Mexico. The drink originated in a small village (named Tequila) in the    state of     Jalisco. Tequila production is heavily monitored by the Mexican government, and can only be produced in five different Mexican regions. There is great speculation as where the drink originated from – either from th   e Spaniards or the Aztecs. Nonetheless, the drink is still being made today and is an important symbol of pride to the country of Mexico. Types & Classification of Tequila There are two different types of Tequila. The first is called, "100% Blue Agave Tequila" and is made solely from the Blue Agave plant. The second type is called, "Mixto" and this type of Tequila is made from at least 51% Blue Agave Juice, and no more than 40% sugar added. There are four different classifications for Tequila:  1. Blanco: This type of Tequila is clear and cannot age for more than sixty days. It can either be (100% Blue Agave Tequila or Mixto). 2. Reposado: This type of Tequila must be aged in wooden tanks/barrels for up to one whole year. <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(88, 39, 25); text-align: left; display: block;">3. Anejo: This is a very popular classification of Tequila, and is also (like Reposado) aged in wooden tanks/barrels that are 600 liters or less for at least one year. <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(88, 39, 25); text-align: left; display: block;">4. Joven Abocado: This Tequila is not aged at all, but some caramel is added to give the Tequila a golden color. <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(88, 39, 25); text-align: left; display: block;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(202, 2, 2); font-size: 26px;">The Tequila Making Process: <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(88, 39, 25); text-align: left; display: block;"> There are six steps to the process of making Tequila: <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(88, 39, 25); text-align: left; display: block;"> The first step is called harvesting. During this time, the Blue Agave plant is allowed to grow and thrive for six to eight years, and right before the Agave flower sprouts, the plant is selected. The area cut off (the shoot) causes the pina, the base, to swell with juice. The plant is then cut down, and the pina (root) is sent to the ovens. <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(88, 39, 25); text-align: left; display: block;"> <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(88, 39, 25); text-align: left; display: block;">The second step is called cooking. Depending on the type of Tequila and the distillery itself, the pina is set into ovens or autoclaves. The cooking process usually takes up to thirty-six hours in the oven, and only six in autoclaves. <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(88, 39, 25); text-align: left; display: block;">The third step in the process of making Tequila is the crushing and juicing. Traditionally, the tahona, a large stone wheel, was used to crush the agave. However, nowadays, the process is mechanized. <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(88, 39, 25); text-align: left; display: block;"> <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(88, 39, 25); text-align: left; display: block;">The fourth step of the process is the fermentation of the juices. The juices are set into fermentation tanks where water is added, and treated with yeast. Depending on the type of Tequila being made (Mixto of 100%), different types of yeast are added. With the 100% Blue Agave Tequila, only natural yeasts are added. But with the Mixto, different sugars are added just before the yeast. Because the type of yeast plays a large role in the flavored outcome of the drink, the yeasts that are added are heavily monitored. Unless the fermentation process is sped along with accelerators (which takes only a few hours), the time allotted for the fermentation is usually seven to ten days. <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(88, 39, 25); text-align: left; display: block;">The fifth step to making Tequila is distillation. The step in the process is always repeated. Once the fermentation process is complete, the //musto// is put into an alembic still, then it is heated up to 200 degrees Fahrenheit with steam injection. The vapor produced is then ran up through a pipe where it is cooled. The vapor then runs off into a holding tank, this product in the holding tank is called //ordinaro//. This //ordinaro// is then used in the second distillation process, and the product of the second distillation process is Tequila! <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(88, 39, 25); text-align: left; display: block;"> <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(88, 39, 25); text-align: left; display: block;">The final step to the process of making Tequila is the aging and blending of the drink. Depending on the type and classification on the drink, this process takes different times. However, the first stage of aging of all Tequilas is blanco which can be immediately bottled or set to age for more time. The blanco aging process takes no more than sixty days. Joven Abocado is blanco Tequila with caramel added (for color and flavor). Reposado is aged in wooden tanks/barrels for no longer than one year. This classification of Tequila has a good amount of color and flavor deriving from the wooden barrels. This aging process is closely monitored by the government. The Anejo Tequila is aged in wooden barrels/tanks for at least one year. However, in the Anejo-aging process, the barrles/tanks can not exceed 600-liters. In the aging process, the use of wooden barrels/tanks is most important, for the barrels/tanks contribute directly to the coloring and flavor of the tequila itself. <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(88, 39, 25); text-align: left; display: block;"> Governmental Control <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(88, 39, 25); text-align: left; display: block;">The government keeps a very close eye on the production of this drink, and because of this, there are multiple regulations concerning Tequila. Mexico is the only country in the world where Tequila can be made. More specifically, the drink must be made in the areas or towns in the following states: Jalisco, Nayarit, Michoacan, Guanajuato, or Tamaulipas. <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(88, 39, 25); text-align: left; display: block;">The drink can only be made from the Blue Agave Plant, and the drink must be bottled on the site where it was produced. <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(88, 39, 25); text-align: left; display: block;"> <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(88, 39, 25); text-align: left; display: block;">Sources: <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(88, 39, 25); text-align: left; display: block;">    <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Tequila." __<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tequila __<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, sans-serif;">. 2006. 5 Dec 2008 <http://www.salenas.com/tequila.htm>.

<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Laws and Regulations for Tequila." __<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, sans-serif;">In Search of the Blue Agave: Tequila's Laws __<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, sans-serif;">. 2008. 4 Dec 2008 <http://www.ianchadwick.com/tequila/laws.htm>. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, sans-serif;">

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