Tequila is a spirit made primarily from the blue agave plant near Tequila, Mexico. The process begins with harvesting mature agave plants, cooking their pina cores, shredding and pressing the cooked pina to extract juice. The juice is fermented with yeast to produce alcohol, then distilled twice to increase alcohol concentration before aging and bottling. Common types of tequila include blanco/silver (unaged), joven/gold (unaged with flavorings), reposado (aged up to one year), and añejo (aged one to three years).

1. TEQUILA

2. TEQUILA IS A SPIRIT MADE PRIMARILY IN THE AREA SURROUNDING TEQUILA, A TOWN IN THE WESTERN MEXICAN STATE OF JALISCO. IT IS MADE FROM THE BLUE AGAVE PART OF THE LILY FAMILY .

3. THE PROCESS OF TEQUILA BEGINS WHEN A BLUE AGAVE PLANT IS RIPE, USUALLY 8 TO 12 YEARS AFTER IT IS PLANTED. LEAVES ARE CHOPPED AWAY FROM ITS CORE AFTER THE RIPENESS IS ASSESSED. THE “PIÑA” WILL BE VISIBLE WHEN ALL THE LEAVES (PENCAS) HAVE BEEN CLEARED. PROCESS OF TEQUILA MAKING

4. MATURE BLUE AGAVE PLANTS HARVESTING OF PINA

5. PIÑAS ARE HAULED TO THE DISTILLERY WHERE THEY ARE CUT IN HALF OR CHOPPED AND PUT TO ROAST. STARCHES TURN TO SUGAR AS THE PIÑAS ARE ROASTED IN FURNACES CALLED "HORNOS".

6. PINA SPLITING OF PINA BEFORE ROASTING

7. MATURED HEARTS OF PINA PINAS BEING TRANSFERRED TO A ROASTING CHAMBER

8. TRADITIONAL BRICK OVEN USED TO COOK PINAS COOKED AGAVE HEART BEFORE IT IS CRUSHED AND PRESSED

9. THE ROASTED PIÑAS ARE THEN SHREDDED, THEIR JUICES PRESSED OUT AND PLACED IN FERMENTING TANKS OR VATS. ONCE THE JUICES ARE IN THE VATS YEAST IS ADDED. DURING FERMENTING, THE YEAST ACTS UPON THE SUGARS OF THE AGAVE PLANT CONVERTING THEM INTO ALCOHOL.

10. SHREDDED PINA. THE JUICE IS BEING PRESSED OUT BY A GRINDING MILL

11. JUICE BEING PUMPED INTO A FERMENTATION TANK / VAT

12. THE FERMENTATION PROCESS: CONVERSION OF SUGAR INTO CARBON DIOXIDE AND ALCOHOL

13. JUICES FERMENT FOR 30 TO 48 HOURS THEN THEY ARE DISTILLED TWICE IN TRADITIONAL COPPER STILLS OR MORE MODERN ONES MADE OF STAINLESS STEEL. THE FIRST DISTILLATION PRODUCES A LOW-GRADE ALCOHOL AND THE SECOND A FIERY COLORLESS LIQUID THAT IS LATER BLENDED BEFORE BEING BOTTLED. THE RESULTING LIQUID IS THEN AGED ACCORDING TO ITS TYPE.

14. THE DISTILLATION PROCESS: ALCOHOL EXTRACTION FROM MASH RESULTING IN COLOURLESS LIQUID

15. SOME TYPES OF TEQUILA ARE THEN BOTTLED IMMEDIATELY AND SOME ARE KEPT FOR MATURATION IN OAK CASKS

16. AFTER MATURATION TEQUILA IS BOTTLED AND THEN SOLD

17. TEQUILA IS SERVED AT ROOM TEMPERATURE THOUGH SOMETIMES PEOPLE LIKE IT CHILLED. IT IS NORMALLY SERVED WITH SALT AND LIME HALVES. IT IS TRADITIONALLY SERVED IN A 2 OUNCE GLASS CALLED “ CABALLITO”

18. TYPES OF TEQUILA BLANCO / WHITE / SILVER: UN-AGED TEQUILA JOVEN /GOLD: UN-AGED TEQUILA WITH COLORANTS AND FLAVOURS LIKE CARAMEL REPOSADO: TEQUILA WHICH HAS BEEN RESTED FOR NOT LESS THAN 2 MONTHS AND NOT MORE THAN 12 MONTHS ANEJO: TEQUILA WHICH IS AGED BETWEEN 1-3 YEARS. AMERICAN WHISKEY OR COGNAC BARRELS ARE USED TO AGE THIS

19. FAMOUS TEQUILA BRANDS SAUZA JOSE CUERVO CORRALEJO DON JULIO