Sunday, July 24, is National Tequila Day in the United States. After the year we’ve had so far, it’s hard to blame anyone for wanting to take a shot or two to get their breath back (responsibly, of course).
In honour of the holiday, here are six interesting things about tequila that you might not have known.
National Tequila Day 2022: Drink some amazing facts
It’s from a plant (which means it’s healthy, right?)
Have no fear, gluten-free individuals! You can drink tequila without any trouble. Tequila is made by fermenting the juice from the blue agave plant, which has a core called pia because it looks like a pineapple.
After the pia has been picked, it is taken to a distillery where it is roasted to release its juices, which are then fermented, distilled, and aged before being put into bottles.
Tequila is a type of mezcal, but not all mezcal is tequila
OK, it’s a little hard to understand, so let’s break it down. Both mezcal and tequila are made from agave, but only the blue agave plant can be used to make tequila. Food & Wine says that more than 30 different kinds of agave can be used to make mezcal. The tastes can be a little bit different, with mezcal having a more smoky flavour.
Tequila must be made in a specific area of Mexico
You know that Champagne can only be made in France’s Champagne region? It’s about the same here. Tequila can only be called tequila if it is made in the state of Jalisco or in some nearby states. But Jalisco is where most tequila is made.
Tequila was born in, you guessed it, Tequila
Yes, the city is in the state of Jalisco. Indigenous Mexicans used to ferment the juice of the blue agave plant there, which is where the famous drink got its start. This was before it became a common food. The town, which was named a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2006, is still home to a number of distilleries.
If not for women, tequila may not even exist
In the past, the blue agave plants, called hijuelos, were grown by the women of Tequila, which is the name of the town (little children). From February to July, when the plants start to grow, you can still see women working in the fields.
Another celebrity joins the tequila club
Celebrities like to put their money into tequila for some reason. In early 2022, Mark Wahlberg joined the group. Not only does the actor drink it all the time, but he also put money into a brand of tequila called Flecha Azul, which was started by Mexican PGA golfer Abraham Ancer and businessman Aron Marquez.
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The picture at the top shows a Volcan De Mi Tierra cocktail made with tequila. (Photo by Ilya S. Savenok for WARDROBE.NYC via Getty Images) This is a new version of a story that was first published in 2019.