How is tequila made?
The word tequila can only be used by established distilleries or factories in the region authorized to use this denomination, such as the entire state of Jalisco and some towns in neighboring states. Let's take a look at its interesting manufacturing process.
The tequila process from start to finish
The tequila process is a work of art from beginning to end and leads to the creation of a 100% Mexican drink. In this Tequila 1800 advertisement we can see the process from growing the agave plant to it becoming a drink.
Campo de agave e hijuelo de agave transplantado (2020) by Mundo CuervoFundación Beckmann A.C.
The cultivation of the blue agave
Tequilana weber blue agave is the only raw material for the production of 100% agave tequila. The heart or center of the plant is called mezontle or "pineapple" because of its similarity to the tropical fruit, and it is the section used to make tequila, since it is where sugars are concentrated during photosynthesis. The heart of the plant or mezontle is protected by fibrous stalks called "pencas".
It usually takes between 7 and 10 years from the sowing of the agave until to be ready for harvest. Then the majestic inflorescence of the agave, called "quiote", becomes visible. It grows about 4 inches per day to reach a height of 10 to 20 feet.
During the inflorescence, besides flowers, fruits and seeds, small plants are produced that are known as bulbillos (little bulbs), which can be used for the asexual reproduction of the plant. However, for asexual reproduction of the tequilero agave at a commercial level, the hijuelos (shoots), structures that are formed from rhizomes, are used.
Proceso de Jima en los campos de agave de Jose Cuervo (2020) by Mundo CuervoFundación Beckmann A.C.
Jima or harvest
Before the jima or harvest, the stalks are pruned or shorn three or four times, a process called barbeo, to encourage the growth of the heart of the plant and not of the stalks. The jima or harvest of the tequila agave is carried out once the plant has reached its optimal maturity and the plant dies. A deep jima, which eliminates the stalks completely, allows a product of higher quality to be obtained with fresh & herbal aromas.
Pineapples at the time of the jima have an average weight of 75 pounds and a sugar content of about 20%. There are majestic pineapples weighing more than 500 pounds and total reducing sugars of up to 30%, and occasionally or according to growing areas, a reduction of up to 32% of sugars are recorded per plant.
Proceso de la jimaFundación Beckmann A.C.
Patio de Hornos dentro de la Destilería La Rojeña en Tequila, Jalisco. (2020) by Mundo CuervoFundación Beckmann A.C.
Cooking of the pineapple
The ancient process of tequila production was carried out in underground ovens, where the agave was cooked. Holes were made in the ground and logs and stones were placed inside them which would burn red-hot; water was added to them and the agave was cooked from the steam that was let off.
Currently the agave continues to be steamed in artisans ovens. An oven can contain up to 40 tons of split pineapples and the process lasts about 36 to 40 hours. During the cooking process, starches are converted into sugars. The agave pineapples are cooked slowly until their consistency is soft, sweet, juicy and coffee-colored.
"Piñas" de agave al interior del horno de mampostería. (2020) by Mundo CuervoFundación Beckmann A.C.
The change from pre-Hispanic furnace where the agave was grilled with firewood, to artesanal homemade ovens (which use steam for cooking) differentiated the tequila from the mezcals produced in other regions of Mexico like Oaxaca.
"Tahona", maquinaria antiguamente usada para la molienda del agave. (2020) by Mundo CuervoFundación Beckmann A.C.
During the 20th century, more efficient production processes and quality-raising systems were adopted in the tequila industry to satisfy the growing international demand for the drink.
Proceso industrial de molienda del agave. (2020) by Mundo CuervoFundación Beckmann A.C.
Grinding
After cooking the agave, it is allowed to cool, as the unloading and loading of the ovens is manual. Once cold, the agave is placed on the conveyor belt that leads directly to the wrenching machine that cuts the agave into small pieces and then, press it into the mills. There, it is crushed and washed with water to extract all the sugary juices from the agave. The resulting juice is called a wort.
This separates the fiber or husk, which once dried, serves as a fertilizer on the land as compost, or as a cattle feed or to make handmade textiles.
Fermentación del jugo de agave dentro de la Destilería La Rojeña en Tequila, Jalisco (2020) by Mundo CuervoFundación Beckmann A.C.
Fermentation
Fermentation is one of the most important stages of the process, since the transformation of sugars into ethyl alcohol happens. Here is the opportunity for tequila producers to create a unique aroma profile for their products. At this point, the wort is put in contact with yeasts that are selected and developed from the agave's own juice in a natural way. The fermentation time varies according to the ambient temperature.
Alambiques de destilación, dentro de la Fábrica La Rojeña en Tequila, Jalisco (2020) by Mundo CuervoFundación Beckmann A.C.
Distillation
The fermented juices are transported to the distillation stills, where they are heated to their boiling point. Distillation is performed on hammered copper stills, as it was in the ancient times. The stills have three parts: the pot or boiler, where the wort is deposited for heating; the column or capital, which collects and conducts the steam; and the coil, where the steam is cooled and turn into liquid.
Proceso de elaboración de tequilaFundación Beckmann A.C.
Two distillations are necessary in the production of tequila: the first one is called shattering from which we obtain the so-called "ordinary tequila" and from the second distillation or rectification we obtain "white tequila," The rectification increases the alcoholic richness and eliminates undesirable products, obtaining a product of higher purity.
Barricas de reposo y añejamiento de tequila, dentro de la Fábrica La Rojeña en Tequila, Jalisco (2020) by Mundo CuervoFundación Beckmann A.C.
Rest and aging
In the cellars, the process of maturing or aging the tequila is carried out in French or American white oak barrels. There the tequila acquires the characteristics of the smell and flavor of the wood. The factors that have the greatest impact on the sensory profile of the product are the roasting of the barrel, the temperature and humidity of the aging area, the initial alcoholic strength and, of course, the rest or aging time.
During the aging, tequila goes through two important processes: on the one hand, it extracts wood compounds, obtaining particular color and flavors, and on the other, it undergoes an oxidation process that impacts the quality of the smells and flavors of the drink.
At the end of the process, a panel of tequila masters evaluate the sensory characteristics of each batch of tequila to guarantee the quality of the product that reaches the market, checking the pH, turbidity, color and percentage of alcohol, among other characteristics.
Corazón de la planta de Agave Tequilana Weber. (2020) by Museo Nacional del TequilaFundación Beckmann A.C.
Essence of agave: Jose Cuervo's exclusive process
Essence of Agave is how we refer to a process that allows for the maximum extraction of aromas from the cooked agave to carry them throughout the manufacture of the tequila until the final distillation and bottling.
Cava Reserva de la Familia en la Destilería La Rojeña (2020) by Mundo CuervoFundación Beckmann A.C.
The tequila production process can be summarized in four key processes: the "jima" (harvest) (declared for UNESCO as World Heritage), the steam cooking of the agave pineapples in artisan ovens, which gives tequila a special flavor and aroma, the fermentation and the aging.
