Tequila is a distilled beverage made primarily from the blue agave plant, which is native to Mexico. It can only be called tequila if it is produced from blue agave plants grown in specific regions of Mexico and follows traditional production methods. The blue agave plants take 8-12 years to mature, after which the core pineapple-like pina is harvested and cooked to extract its fermentable sugars. The extracted agave juice is then fermented and distilled twice before aging in oak barrels, resulting in tequila varieties that differ based on aging time. Tequila production and labeling is regulated by Mexican laws to ensure quality and authenticity.

1. TequilaTequila
• National drink of Maxico.
• Tequila is made from the blue agave plant,
which is a member of the lily family.
• There are more than 400 agave species called
maguey is often confused with cacti.
• Agave plants are distinguished by the
succulence of the leaves rather than the stems.
• The agave in USA known as century plant or
aloe, because it was mistakenly believed to
bloom once after every 100 yrs.

2. HistoryHistory
• In 1758, the King of Spain granted Jose Antonia
de Cuervo, the father of tequila, a parcel of land
in the town of Tequila to grow agave and
produce tequila
• By government decree (9 Dec, 1974), Tequila
can only come from a specific geographic area
of Mexico known as Tequila, which is within the
state of Jailson (about 40 miles northwest of
Guadalajara) and parts of the states of
Michoacan and Nayarit.
• If produced outside these geographical limits, it
is called mescal.

5. HarvestingHarvesting
• Agave azul tequilana weber, or Blue agave,
used to make tequila. Due to a unique
combination of altitude, soil conditions, humidity,
annual rainfall, average temperature and
exposure to the sun, southwest Mexico is the
only known place in the world where Agave azul
(or blue agave) grows naturally.
• Blue agave grows on red lava soil.
• It takes up to 8 - 12 years for a blue agave plant
to mature.

6. HarvestingHarvesting
• Jimadors, the workers who harvest agaves, are
experts in blue agave cultivation.
• The Jimadors use a coa (a steel-tipped hoe) to
un root the blue agave plant and a machete to
cut the spiny leaves from the body of the plant to
reveal a large pineapple-shaped heart called
Pina.
• The pinas, weigh 70-75kg, are then shipped to a
distillery to begin the tequila-making process.
• 7kg of pine is required to make 1lt. Of 100%
agave tequila

9. PinaPina

10. Production ProcessProduction Process
• Pine
• Cooking (Horna)- 24-36 hrs. at 85-90 0c
Pressing (Tohana) -formation of aguamiel
or honey water
• FERMENTATION-
• Double pot still distillation (104US –106US
proof).

11. Cont..Cont..
• AGING- Mexican law, distilled tequila must
be aged in oak barrels
– Blanco (white) -Aged for 14 - 21 days,
– Oro (gold) -Aged up to two months
– Reposado (rested) -Aged up to one year
– Anejos (aged) -Aged for at least one year

12. DIRECCION GENERAL DeDIRECCION GENERAL De
NORMAS(DGN)- 1970NORMAS(DGN)- 1970
Norma Official Mexican De Calidak(NOM).
• It must be made from 100 percent natural
ingredients
• It must be produced with no less than 38 percent
alcohol by volume
• It must be made from blue agave grown and
harvested only in the Mexican states of Jalisco,
Guanajuato, Michoacan, Nayarit
• The fermented agave juice must be distilled
twice and the finished product must result from
the agave juice processing

13. Cont..Cont..
• The final product must be produced form
no less than 51 percent reduced sugars
from the blue agave.
• It must be labeled with 'hecho en
Mexico' (made in Mexico), 'NOM'
(Norma Official Mexicana), the
producer's four-digit registration and
identification number and the tequila's
age (resposado, anejo, blanco, oro).

14. Brand NamesBrand Names
• Torado
• Monte Albun
• Con Guseno- worm inside
• Jose cuervo
• Cuesvo 1800
• Mariachi
• Two Finger
• Don Emilio
• Herradura
• Guano Roso
• Pape Lopez

15. Service of TequilaService of Tequila
• Drink is served cold and straight in a small shot
glass.
• Season your tongue with citrus and salt, by first
squeezing a wedge of lime and then pouring salt
on to the back of the hand and licking at I each
turn.
• The hand should be held at a 45 degree angle
away from the body, with the thumb extended
downwards, and the juice and salt deposited
along the groove between the thumb and
forefinger
• The tequila is then thrown back in one gulp like
schnapps, carrying the seasoning with it.

16. MezcalMezcal
• MESCAL OR MEZCAL is one of Mexico’s
alcoholic drink (pale in colour) made from the
juice of Agave Tiquelano. The juice is fermented
to make beer called Pulque (5-6%) alcoholic
strength .It is distilled by continuous method of
distillation
• Mescal is often bottled with pickled agave worm
(caterpillar of night butterfly) in the bottom of
bottle. It is intended to be eaten as last drink is
poured out. Worm eating encourages the
heroism in those already brave enough to
swallow

18. CaterpillarCaterpillar