Process of the Tequila
Por: Regina Sámano
Tequila is a distillate originating in the municipality of Tequila in the state of Jalisco, Mexico. It is made from the fermentation and distillate, juice extracted from the agave, in particular the so-called blue agave. It is perhaps the most well-known and representative drink of Mexico in the world.
1. AGAVE The elaboration of Tequila begins with the planting of agave which is a Greek word that means admirable or noble. They are cultivated in clayey soils with a semi-dry climate without abrupt changes in temperature.
2. CRUSHING
The purpose of this process is to prepare the fibers of the agave to extract the sugars through tearing the agave pineapples as thin as it can go through three consecutive tearers.
3. EXTRACTION
During this process the sugars contained in the torn fibers of the agave are extracted in the form of a solution of water and sugar of agave through a diffuser to carry out a process of gentle extraction. From here you get the juice of agave and bagasse. The latter is transformed as composite for the fields.
4. COOKING The sugars contained in the agave, such as inulin, are complex compounds that must be transformed into fermentable sugars by a hydrolysis process. It takes up to 6 hours to complete the conversion of inulins to fructose and glucose.
5. FERMENTATION Fermentation is carried out in stainless steel tanks using a proprietary blend of yeasts and nutrients. Each tank lasts from 24 to 28 hours with temperatures ranging from a start of 32 ° and ends up to 37 °.
6. DISTILLATION The first distillation is carried out in distillation columns, in this step the water is removed and the alcohol is concentrated from the fermented wort. Depending on the brand the second distillation is done in stills to obtain a tequila with an alcohol range between 55-65%.
7. FILTRATION
All tequilas are filtered using different media, starting with a cold filtration through a carbon filter that removes excess fatty compounds that can give a turbid appearance to the tequila. They ensure that there are no particles present in the liquid and give the shiny finish to our tequilas.
8. ADVANCEMENT
The rest tequilas are matured in containers of oak wood for at least 2 months. The aged tequilas mature for at least 12 months in white oak barrels, and the extra-aged tequilas rest for at least 36 months in white oak barrels.
9. MIXING / ASSEMBLY In this process is added demineralized water is added to adjust the graduation and tests are done to ensure consistency in the profile according to the standards of each brand.
Do you like some tequila in particular?
When you arrive for vacations at some of our Hoteles Solaris do not hesitate to visit "La Bodeguita" where you can find different tequila brands at a great price and enjoy this 100% Mexican drink.
