What agave is used for mezcal?

What agave is used for mezcal?

Mezcal can be made from more than 30 varieties of agave. According to spirits writer Chris Tunstall, the most common varieties of agave used for mezcal are tobalá, tobaziche, tepeztate, arroqueño and espadín, which is the most common agave and accounts for up to 90% of mezcal.

Is Espadin blue agave?

What is this? Espadin is to Mezcal what Blue Agave is to tequila, 90% of all mezcals produced in Mexico are made with this type of agave. It has a short growing period (only about eight years) and a relatively high yield per maguey as you only need around 17 pounds (8 kilos) of espadin to produce a bottle.

What is Espadín?

Espadín is the most commonly sourced agave varietal for mezcal. Its sky-reaching sword-like leaves protect the piña. Typically, an Espadín agave will take 5-8 years to reach maturity, though we like to leave ours alone for 8. The extra time is well savored.

Are there different types of mezcal?

There are three legally defined mezcal categories, as set out by the Consejo Regulador del Mezcal (CRM): Mezcal, Mezcal Artesanal, and Mezcal Ancestral. Each category dictates the methods and equipment producers can use to make the spirit.

What is the difference between agave and mezcal?

What it is: Mezcal is a Mexican spirit made from the agave plant, just like tequila. So tequila is a type of mezcal, but not all mezcal is tequila. Mezcal is made from 50 different varieties of agave, but only one type of agave plant (blue agave) makes tequila.

Is mezcal Espadin a tequila?

Mezcal is, in essence, tequila. Unlike mezcal, which can be made from as many as 50 agave species, only one kind of agave is used to make tequila: agave tequilana Weber, or Weber blue agave. A pulverizer is then used to grind up the cooked plant.

Which is better mezcal or tequila?

Mezcal is stronger than tequila. Both of these drinks are pretty strong, with at least 40% ABV, but mezcal has a stronger concentration of alcohol. It measures at 55% ABV, 15% stronger than regular tequila. There are different strengths of tequila and mezcal, but the standards for each drink are 40% and 55% ABV.

Is agave a mezcal?

Mezcal overview Mezcal is made from 50 different varieties of agave, but only one type of agave plant (blue agave) makes tequila. Mezcal’s signature smoky flavor comes from cooking the agave in pits in the ground, which brings a depth and smokiness you don’t find in tequila.

Is tequila a maguey?

Is Tequila Made From Maguey? The only type of agave that can be used to make tequila is the blue agave, or agave tequilana, but mezcal can be made from over 30 varieties of agave (also known as manguey). A green agave espading is used for most mezcals.

Is there a difference between tequila and agave?

Both mezcal and Tequila are made from agave, so what’s the difference between them? Basically, Tequila is a type of mezcal. While mezcal can be produced from up to 50 species of the agave plant, Tequila can be made from just one: agave tequilana Weber, or Weber blue agave.