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The Glossary - Agave from A to ZA A granel – Bulk tequila or mezcal. Abocado – also known as joven abocado and gold. Unaged tequila to which coloring and flavoring substances have been added. Per the Norm (4.34.2), this class of tequilas can also be made by blending rested or aged tequilas with a silver tequila. Acetone – One of the many potential aromas found in some blanco tequilas, acetone (think nail polish) is generally considered undesirable and may indicate the presence of the volatile alcohols, called “heads,” of the distillation. Acocote – A long-necked tool, traditionally a gourd pointed at both ends, used to siphon aguamiel from the scooped out section of maguey to make pulque, (a fermented, milky drink thought to be the oldest beverage alcohol in North America.) Agave – A genus of plants with several hundred known species, grown cultivated and wild primarily in Mexico but also in areas south of southern United States. There are more than 300 agave species, and most agave plants take eight to 12 years to mature. The plant has a bulbous body called a pina with thick, spear-like spiny blue leaves that radiate about six feet. Agave Rigidiae tequiliana weber, var. azul, or the Blue Weber agave, is the source of tequila, best known and most widely cultivated. Agavero – An agave farmer. Agavero is also the brand name of a tequila-based liqueur. Aguamiel – Literally “honey water,” it is the unfermented juice extracted from the heart of the agave. It’s available as a popular drink in some parts of Mexico, sometimes mixed with fruit juice, and is frequently fermented into pulque. Also known as agave nectar or syrup. Aguardiente – Spirit usually distilled from sugar cane or grapes. Spanish conquistadores brought with them a taste of brandy and the skill of mass distillation, and early experiments distilling pulque eventually led to mezcal and tequila production. Alembic – Traditional pot still, one of two basic still types, but the main type used in producing agave spirits. Brought to Mexico by the Spanish, copper pot stills are the most often used, though some stainless steel stills have been introduced to make tequila. Altos, Los – The Highlands, the agave growing area in the upper plateau east of Guadalajara. Known for its red soil (tierra roja), Highlands’ agaves tend to grow larger and are said to possess more sweetness than Lowland agaves. Amatitan – Lowland town south of the town of Tequila, home of giant producer Herradura. Añejo – Literally “aged,’ añejo tequila by CRT (Consejo Regulador del Tequila) rules must be stored in oak barrels of 600 liters for at least one year. One of four CRT-approved tequila aging expressions. Rules differ for other agave spirits. Arandas – The leading tequila producing town in the Highlands of Jalisco. Production home for Cazadores and Centinela, among other brands. Atotonilco del Alto – A town and municipality in Jalisco, Atotonilco is notable as the home of Siete Leguas, Don Julio, Patron and other tequilas. Autoclave – Large pressurized steam cookers used to cook agave pinas in many distilleries, considered a modern technique.
B
Bagazo – The fibrous pulp after the piñas have been mashed or shredded. Also called bagasse and bagaso.
Bacanora – Bacanora is a 400-hundred year old spirit distilled from agaves that flourish in the Sierra Madres Mountains of Sonora.Production of bacanora was made illegal from 1915 and the onset of the Mexican Revolution. While the explanation for the ban remains unclear, the governor of Sonora at the time prohibited the production and commercialization of bacanora. This edict remained in force until 1992, when the State of Sonora repealed the law and established origin of denomination standards and regulations.The mature agaves are harvested and slowly roasted in underground pits. The roasting process contributes to its mineral nuances. Fermentation takes place in wooden or stainless steel vats for upwards of 10 to 12 days. The roasted agaves are then fermented in open wooden vats, a long process that utilizes wild, airborne yeasts to precipitate fermentation. Bacanora is double-distilled in a copper pot stills and bottled at 40% alcohol by volume.
Barbeo – Pruning or cutting the points from the agave leaves (pencas) to make the head (cabeza) grow better. The word literally means ploughing.
Barrica – An oak cask or barrel used to age tequila. Tequila is aged in white oak barrels. Normally a barrel has a 200-liter capacity (approximately 60 gallons). Barrels are typically purchased from cognac or bourbon producers.
Batea – Wooden tray or trough used to hold cooked agave heads when they are being smashed with wooden mallets or mazos, used before the tahona. Still used by some small homebrew distillers for products like raicilla or some local mezcals.
Batidor – Beater in the traditional process of making tequila. A naked worker gets into the wooden tubs with the must, which is referred to as mosto. He uses his hands and feet to beat the fibers from the mashed piñas to separate them thus facilitating fermentation.
Baume – A system for measuring the sugar content of grape juice by its density. Each degree Baume is equal to approximately 1.75% sugar in the juice. Baume is a more scientific scale than brix, since it is based on the specific gravity of a substance.
Blanco – Clear tequila that is normally bottled right after being distilled, or allowed to rest in stainless steel tanks or in oak for up to sixty days before bottling. Also know as plata or silver.
Bodega – Warehouse or storage facility for aging tequila.
Botija – A traditional round, earthen clay jug with a narrow and short neck. It was formed with leather of male goat. Seven botijas is equal to a barrel, a unit of measure for commercial use.
Brix – Also referred to as degrees brix, a measurement of the dissolved sugar-to-water mass ratio of a liquid. Each degree is equivalent to 1% of sugar found in the juice. For example, a fluid with 25 degrees brix contains 25 grams of sugar per 100 grams of solution. Brix is measured using a saccharimeter, which determines the specific gravity of a liquid.
Bronco – A mezcal considered of average quality. Often purchased in bulk by companies for bottling.
C
Caballito – Literally “little horse," one name for the traditional drinking glass for tequila.
Cabeza – Spanish for head; traditional international term for the early distillate coming off still, usually discarded but sometimes redistilled.
Camara Nacional de la Industria Tequila (CNIT) – The National Chamber of the Tequila Industry, created in 1959, works with the Mexican government to protect and strengthen agricultural, industrial, and commercial activities related to tequila and agave plantations. Composed of industry members, and based in Guadalajara, the objective of the CNIT is to represent, promote and defend the common interests of its members.
Cenizo – Common name for Agave durangensis, used to produce both pulque and mezcal, and unique to Durango and Zacatecas.
Chato – One of the common names for Agave seemanniana Jacobi, a wild agave from Oaxaca
Chihuahua – One of three Mexican states (the other two are Coahuila and Durango) which can produce sotol, an agave spirit made from the Dasylirion wheeleri or Desert Spoon.
Chiloctli – Pulque fermented with chile ancho and epazote, consumed frequently in the states of Guerrero, Puebla, Tlaxcala and Mexico.
Cimarrón – Common name for Agave salmiana subspecies Crassispina, from the highlands of San Luis Zacatecas. Also referred to as bronco and manso
Coa de jima – Sharp, round-ended tool used by the jimador to cut the leaves off the agave piña.
Coahuila – One of three Mexican states (the other two are Chihuahua and Durango) which can produce sotol, an agave spirit made from the Dasylirion wheeleri or Desert Spoon.
Cola –Spanish for tail; the last parts of the distillate to come through the still, often redistilled.
Comiteca – A Chiapas drink made from diluted, sweetened and seasoned aguamiel.
CRT – Consejo Regulado de Tequila, in English the Tequila Regulatory Council. A non-profit organization founded in 1994 that verifies the performance and the fulfillment of Mexican standards (normas) concerning tequila. It also guarantees the tequila's authenticity and quality, and protects the Denomination Appelation of Origin worldwide. Members of the Council include the Mexican government, agave farmers, tequila producers, bottlers and distributors.
Corazon – Spanish for heart, known as the middle part of distillation, containing the best flavors and aromas, and considered the most preferred portion. Fresh distillate is generally known in the spirit industry as heads, heart and tails.
Cupreata – An agave species, commonly known as papalote, used in mezcals popular in the Balsas basin. Also known as papalometl, yaabendisi, ancho, cimarrón.
Curado – Pulque, mezcal or tequila-based drinks into which fruits, spices, herbs or other flavors are added.
Image of an agave field
Editorial Contributors Jack Robertiello, Drinks Ink Email: applejak@earthlink.net View Jack Robertiello's profile
Robert Plotkin, Bar Media Email: robert@barmedia.com
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