Tequila
is a brand which is exclusively produced from
one plant, the blue Weber agave. It may only
be produced in Mexico, in fact in 5 regions:
in the State of Jalisco as well as in certain
towns of the States of Nayarit, Tamaulipas,
Michoacán
and Guanajuato.
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Distillates which are made according to the same process outside
these towns have to be called Mezcal (mostly with a worm), corresponding
to the generic term for all agave distillates.
The "Blue
Agave" needs about 8 to 12 years until it has fully
grown up and can be reaped by the "Jimador".
The plant is digged and the pointed leaves are torn off, so that
there is only
the heart left. The hearts which are also called "Pina",
have got a weight of up to 170 pounds.
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They are cut into pieces and cooked in brick or concrete heaters in which
they stay between 24 and 36 hours and are finally squeezed out. During
this procedure they give off the so-called "Honey Water" (Aqua
Miel) which can then be fermented to distillable alcohol.
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german
version
