Tequila.Pdf

Production of tequila from agave 225

Chapter 15
Production of tequila from agave: historical influences
and contemporary processes
M. Cedeño Cruz and J. Alvarez-Jacobs
Tequila Herradura, S.A. de C.V. Ex-Hda San Jose del Refugio, Amatitán, Jalisco,
México

Introduction: Agave beverage alcohol
products
Tequila is classically associated with Mexico,
particularly with Jalisco, a statelocated in the west
of the country. This beverage is obtained by
distillation of fermented juice from only the agave
plant (Agave tequilana Weber var. Azul ) if 100%
agave tequila is required. Fermentation is carried
out by inoculated strains of Saccharomyces
cerevisiae or in some cases by a spontaneous
process. Up to 49% (w/v) sugars may come
from a source other than agave, usually sugarcane or corn syrup, if 100% agave tequila is not
required. This tequila could not be labeled as
100% agave tequila.
Different kinds of tequila are produced in 50
registered companies in Jalisco. The tequila
products made by these companies differ mainly
in proportions of agave used, production
processes, microorganisms used in the
fermentation, distillation equipment used and thematuration and aging times. The product known
as ‘silver’ or white tequila must be distilled to a
concentration not exceeding 55% alcohol in
volume (v/v) and not less than 38% (v/v) from a
fermented wort containing not less than 51%
sugars from the agave plant. ‘Gold’ tequila is the

white product to which caramel color (generally)
has been added. Rested tequila (Reposado) and
aged tequila (Añejo)are white tequila matured
in wood containers, preferably oak casks, for at
least 2 and 12 months, respectively, according
to present regulations. In practice, the aging
period is normally longer and depends on the
characteristics each company wants to give to
the final product. The products known as 100%
agave, which are becoming more popular, could
be white, rested or aged and aredistilled from
fermented wort with only agave as a source of
sugars. The labels of these products must indicate
that they were obtained using only agave and
under Mexican government supervision.
Tequila is differentiated from the beverage
known as ‘mezcal’ by the type of agave used in
its elaboration. Mezcal is made from Agave
potatorum, which grows in the state of Oaxaca.
Most mezcal producersuse a rudimentary
fermentation and distillation process (Sánchez,
1991). There is no technical reason for, or any
improvement in the organoleptic characteristics
from, the worm inside the bottles of some mezcal
brands. The worm is primarily a commercial ploy.
Worms are grown in agave plants and introduced
manually in the bottling line.

226 M. Cedeño Cruz and J. Alvarez-Jacobs
‘Pulque’is another beverage obtained by
fermentation of the juice obtained from several
species of agave, A. atrovirens and A. salmiana
among others, by a complex succession of yeast
and bacteria that produce ethanol, a diversity of
chemical compounds, and some polymers that
give a sticky consistency to the final product
(Rzedowski, 1978; Sánchez Marroquin and
Hope, 1953). Pulque is sometimesmixed with
fruits or vegetables, but has poor stability as it is
neither distilled nor pasteurized.
Agave plants still serve as food in some states
of México; and other fermented regional
beverages are produced (e.g., ‘Sotol’ in the state
of Chihuahua and ‘Bacanora’ in the state of
Sonora), but only tequila and more recently
mezcal have reached international recognition.
Another differencebetween tequila and mezcal
and all other regional drinks is that both are
subject to an official standard that for tequila is
NOM006-SCFI-1993 (Secofi, 1993), and
production is supervised by the Mexican
government.

Origin and history of tequila
The word ‘tequila’ is believed to originate from
the tribe of ticuilas who long ago inhabited the
hillside of a volcano bearing the same name...