Sometimes the palenquerx who made your mezcal is the brand owner. But that’s rare. Even being a part-owner is rare. Usually the producer is a free agent. And sometimes they are asked to sign contracts with the brand that is sourcing their mezcal — sometimes those contracts require exclusivity. Is that okay? And should gringx bartenders on brand trips sign non-disclosure agreements? We do a deep dive into the fine print in this episode of Agave Road Trip!

Chava and I want to take you (and three friends) on a virtual agave road trip — and at the same time you’ll be supporting Heritage Radio Network, the world’s first food radio station! Bid on our virtual tasting package now at agavetasting.com! We’ll walk you through examples of tequila, mezcal, raicilla, bacanora, destilado de agave, and without question we’ll throw in some chocolate from La Rifa, too! Place your bid for this virtual agave road trip now!

This episode is sponsored in part by SACRED, a not-for-profit that helps improve lives in the rural Mexican communities where heritage agave spirits are made. Since obtaining our official not-for-profit status from the IRS in 2017, SACRED has gifted more than 32,000 tobala agave seedlings to families in rural Oaxaca – families whose cultural heritage is at risk as access to agave is getting harder and harder, due to the global explosion of interest in mezcal. Even as we continue to expand this program, we’ve also recently helped to launch a program that will build out three greenhouses in rural Jalisco, to help protect four at-risk varieties of agave and four at-risk varieties of trees, while at the same time preventing these rare wild lands in Jalisco from becoming more blue weber farms. To learn about these and other programs visit sacred.mx . If you love heritage agave spirits, consider helping us protect that cultural heritage with a tax-deductible donation this holiday season.

Hey, Chicago! There’s a gallery show going on that you won’t want to miss. It’s called “Agave!,” and it features artwork made primarily from agave fibers left over from mezcaleros in Oaxaca. I say primarily because there’s also a musical instrument that looks something like a didgeridoo but made from the heart and quiote of a madrecuishe. Buy that and record a version of our theme song with it, and we’ll feature it on this podcast! Agave! will be on display in the Chase Gallery at the Epiphany Center for the Arts from now until April 9. And every First Thursday, a different agave spirits company will be on hand to sample out some of the liquid agave art that we love so much. For details, visit epiphanychi.com. Hope to bump into you there!

Agave Road Trip is an award-winning podcast that helps gringx bartenders better understand agave, agave spirits, and rural Mexico. It’s hosted by Lou Bank and Chava Periban. 

Episode notes

Check the interview with palenquero Emanuel Ramos at Maguey Melate … and subscribe while you’re there if you dig deliciousness!