Tequila Factory Tour!!

Mexico, what is the first thing you think about when someone says I’m going to Mexico? I would venture a guess that about 95% of people will think about Tequila. I for one am definitely a part of that 95%. I love tequila. The best tequila being the small family owned distilleries as opposed to the mass distilleries such as, Jose Cuervo , Patron and Sauza (the three major tequilas that almost every Canadian knows).

Going to Mexico and getting to visit the local family owned distilleries and buying their tequila is not only rewarding in that you get to support the locals but they offer some truly amazing tequilas. If they offer any of the new popular fruit tequilas it’s still 100% agave tequila not a tequila-based liquor. They actually ferment the fruit in with the tequila to give it the flavor, such as peach flavored tequila (one of my favorites).  If you talk to any Mexican they will tell you it’s not real tequila if it’s not 100% agave.  

On a recent trip to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, I went to two tequila distilleries. One was a medium sized distillery the other was a small distillery in the family’s back yard. It was amazing to see a working distillery and to walk through every step in the process.

The process of making tequila starts with the agave plant. There are many different species of agave however it is only the blue agave plant that is used in the production of tequila.

 

Aloe Vera Plant. Photo Courtesy of Wikipedia

                                                                                                           

                                                      

                                                                                Blue Agave Plant. Photo Courtesy of Me.

I see a strong resemblance between the agave plant and the Aloe Vera plant.  In the Aloe Vera plant you take the leaves and the sap inside is used in first aid treatments (think of your last sunburn). The Agave plant in its similarity to the Aloe Vera plant however it is not grown for its leaves. The agave plant is grown for its large root. Stay tuned for the distillery process in Tequila factory tour part 2.