In some cultures and countries, it is customary for people to share a shot of tequila with friends. Tequila is an alcoholic beverage which has been produced predominantly in Mexico. The drink consists of a distilled beverage of the blue agave plant. This juice of the fermented plant is then heated and fermented with yeast, which gives alcohol-by-volume of 40%. The blue agave plant grows naturally only in a narrow region in central Mexico, where it has been cultivated by indigenous peoples since up to 3,000 years BC.
Process of Tequila Making
Tequila making involves a series of steps. The first step is extraction, which involves the use of stone mills to crush the mature Agave plant (about 10 years). This crushed material is cooked in large vats over fire, while being mixed with wood chips to eliminate impurities and give color to the liquid. After this, yeasts are added so that fermentation can take place and produce alcohol.
Types of Tequila
There are several types of Top tequilla brands. The most common categories are tequila blanco and tequila reposado. A category which is less known to many people is the one called “tequila oro”, which is considered to be the finest and purest of all. There are also many brands which produce a variety of quality tequilas, but only a few that produce a range of outstanding tequilas.
Tequila Oro
Tequila oro is considered to be the finest and purest of all tequilas. These are blanco tequilas which have undergone a special aging process in wooden barrels. This gives them a distinctive taste and aroma. The aging process used in this particular type of tequila makes it more expensive than other kinds of tequila, because the amount of alcohol-by-volume is low, only 40%. This value is reduced even further when 12 months have passed after the release of the barrels.