The Golden Age of Mezcal
You’re amazed by how delicious mezcal is. It’s got your attention in a way that no other spirit does. And you think, Man, where was all this amazing stuff just five years ago? Well, it was there, in the rural Mexican communities where it’s made. And it still is. Want to know how to find it? Listen in to this episode of Agave Road Trip!
What is Going on with Bacanora?
Maybe you’ve heard of bacanora, that agave spirit from the north of Mexico. But you probably haven’t. Or if you have, you’ve maybe tried one or two. Maybe. And … why is that? In this episode of Agave Road Trip, we try to figure out why bacanora is the agave spirit that never seems to get its share of respect.
Mezcal: The Pick-me-up Alcohol that Makes You Fertile but Doesn’t Cause a Hangover
Before the director of the FDA shows up at my door with a warrant … the title of this episode, that’s sarcasm. But it’s all stuff we’ve heard from mezcal enthusiasts — and, to be fair, sometimes from the folks in Mexico who make these spirits. So is there any truth to these legends? Join us for a myth-busting episode of Agave Road Trip!
They Make Mezcal in California! Or Do They?
Is it cultural appropriation to make mezcal in California? Or whiskey in Mexico? It’s a throw-down episode of Agave Road Trip this week!
Does Mezcal Change When Aged in Glass?
When you age alcohol in wood, it of course takes on the properties of the wood. But what about when you age it in glass? Some experts say no. But experts aren't always right … right? We offer our amateur take in this contentious episode of Agave Road Trip!
The Intersection Between Wine and Mezcal
When we think about spirits, we tend to think of a commodity alcohol that tastes the same from one batch to the next. And while that’s certainly true of many mezcals, there’s also a huge selection of bottles on the market that, like fine wines, have widely varying flavors that reflect a moment in time. So why hasn’t the wine world become obsessed with mezcal? We try to figure that out in this episode of Agave Road Trip!
What Does It Mean, that My Mezcal is an Ensamble?
Sometimes they’re called mezclas, sometimes they’re called ensambles, and sometimes that “a” turns to an “e” for “ensemble.” Some geeks call them field blends, as if anyone is doing any blending in a field. What does it mean when you see these terms on your mezcal label? Find out in this episode of Agave Road Trip!
There’s Something about Kendall Jenner in a Huipil
When Kendall Jenner released 818 Tequila, social-media caught fire. It seemed to make a bunch of bartenders mad. Then she appeared on Instagram wearing a huipil and the phrase “cultural appropriation” started to get thrown around. But … for years now, Chava has been begging me to wear one of those traditional Mexican garments. So if I had, would I have been appropriating that culture? In this episode of Agave Road Trip, Chava and I talk about celebrity tequila, cultural appropriation, and how fine I would look in a huipil.
I’ve Got a Theory About Long-growth Agaves
The agave has one mission in life: to reproduce. It spends its life generating the energy it needs to fulfill that mission. So ... does it tell us something when one agave takes significantly longer -- decades longer, even -- to reach maturity than another agave? I've got a theory about that, and I bother Chava with it in this week's episode of Agave Road Trip!
Maybe Syrup Isn’t All That Simple
Most cocktails call for a sweetener of some type. Maybe there’s a better way to make simple syrup? Learn how to sweeten your cocktail game in this episode of Agave Road Trip! We’re joined by 2019 World Class US Bartender of the Year Katie Renshaw so, you know, it’s not entirely amateur hour.
The Birth and Death of the CRM (NOM mini-series #4 of 3)
Okay, to be fair, that title is 100% click-bait. Or, rather, it’s click-bait if you’re one of the agave geeks who even knows that the CRM is the body that certifies mezcal. Or, rather, that the CRM is *a* body that certifies mezcal – but *used* to be the sole body. And the end of the monopoly paired with the chaos over who controls the CRM … ? Well, that’s what the “death” part of the title refers to. Listen to this episode of Agave Road Trip if you want to join us in trying to sort out exactly what’s happening with this institution.
If You Can’t Ferment Raw Agave, How Do We Have Pulque?
I feel like the title of this episode also serves as the description. Unless you don’t know what pulque is. So … pulque is a fermented beverage, and it’s made from the uncooked agave. Now you get it? Good. So dive into this episode of Agave Road Trip!
Why are So Many Mezcaleros Named Don?
I don’t recall in which online forum I saw it, but someone asked the question, Why are so many mezcaleros named Don? Which made me laugh … and, honestly, makes me laugh every time I repeat it. But it’s funny because it illustrates one of the translation problems with agave spirits. We dive deep into that problem in this episode of Agave Road Trip!
The World’s Most Expensive Bottle of Mezcal
A lot of people are blown away by how expensive mezcal is. But … is it? I mean, is it really? We talk the price of mezcal in this episode of Agave Road Trip!
If They Kill NOM 199, will that Kill Uncertified Agave Spirits? (NOM mini-series #3 of 3)
NOM 006 defines what tequila is. NOM 070 defines what mezcal is. Bacanora has NOM 168, sotol has NOM 159, and raicilla … well, give raicilla a minute – they’ll get back to you. But every other spirit sold in Mexico is, in theory, defined by NOM 199. (Except pox – where’d pox go?) But in March 2021, the Mexican government proposed abolishing NOM 199. So where does that leave comiteco, charanda, xtabentún, aguardiente, and our beloved destilado de agave? In this third episode of our NOM mini-series, we speak with Alberto Esteban Marina, former Director General of the NOMs for the Mexican government and author of NOM 199, to get his thoughts on what exactly the abolition of Nom 199 could mean for all your favorite Mexican spirits.
The Clay Copita: Authentic Hipster Culture?
A lot of mezcal enthusiasts drink their mezcal from clay copitas. Hell, we drink our mezcal from clay copitas. And we think that’s the best vessel for heritage agave spirits. But is it? And is it culturally authentic? Maybe … if you’re talking hipster culture. This and more in this episode of Agave Road Trip!
Who Decides if it’s Mezcal? (NOM mini-series #2 of 3)
Mezcal is a Denomination of Origin, kind of like champagne. It’s controlled by the Mexican government, and that government gets to define what mezcal is. Then there’s a body that certifies mezcal, and since that Denomination of Origin has existed, that has been the CRM. But recent legislative changes in Mexico have opened up certification to three additional certifying bodies. In this second part of our NOM mini-series, we speak with Alberto Esteban Marina, former Director General of the NOMs for the Mexican government, about what these changes could mean for those bottles of mezcal on your backbar.
The Diffuser: Nature’s Answer to Better Tequila
Tequila collectors the world over hate the diffuser, the industrial machine that is used to turn blue weber agave into tequila. So Chava and I attempt in this episode to show that the diffuser can be nature's way to make a better, more accurate tequila. Maybe because we're contrarians. Or maybe because science. Find out in this episode of Agave Road Trip!
What’s in a NOM? (NOM Mini-series #1 of 3)
Maybe you’ve noticed on the back of your tequila bottles there’s a number preceded by “NOM.” It’s there on the back of your mezcal bottles, too, but it means something different. Or maybe you’ve been in an online forum where agave geeks were posting about NOM 070, or NOM 006, or NOM 199. Well, that’s another shade of different again. But all those NOMs come back to one general idea: regulations in Mexico. Join Agave Road Trip for the first of our NOM mini-series — a primer on NOMs. I can’t promise there won’t be any garden gnome jokes, but I can promise they won’t be very funny.
Drink More Wild Agave
Some people will tell you that agave is at risk of becoming extinct. They'll tell you that you should primarily drink mezcal made from farmed espadin. But we tell you, gringo bartenders, that if you love mezcal, you should drink more wild agave, and you should get your customers to do so, too. Find out why in this episode of Agave Road Trip!