Why is Espadin the only Angustifolia in Oaxaca?
Mezcal geeks love to run down all the varieties of Agave Karwinskii they can name. And when we talk about Agave Americana, we talk about Arroqueno and Coyote and Sierra Negra. But the most prolific of agaves in Oaxaca is easily Angustifolia, represented exclusively by Espadin. But that’s not the sole variety of the species – at least, outside of Oaxaca. So why don’t we talk about varieties of Angustifolia in Oaxaca? And is that a possible solution to the growing monoculture in Mezcal? It’s another head-scratching episode of Agave Road Trip!
Agave Road Trip is a critically acclaimed, award-winning podcast that helps gringx bartenders better understand agave, agave spirits, and rural Mexico. This episode is hosted by Lou Bank with special guest Linda Sullivan of seynasecreto with insights from mezcalero Arturo Campos of San Juan Espanatica, Jalisco.
The 400 decisions of Tequila
I’ve spoken a lot about the 400 decisions that mezcalerxs make, but I’ve not applied that to Tequila. In an early episode of this podcast, Chava spoke about how he loved that Tequila was restricted to a single agave variety, in that it made it more interesting to see how specific techniques impacted flavor and aroma. And I was dismissive. But a few recent interactions have changed my view. It’s a years-in-the-making episode of Agave Road Trip!
Agave Road Trip is a critically acclaimed, award-winning podcast that helps gringx bartenders better understand agave, agave spirits, and rural Mexico. This episode is hosted by Lou Bank with special guest Linda Sullivan of seynasecreto with insights from John des Rosiers of Cambio Tequila and Rodrigo Mestas of Tequila Torrente.
The day celebrating the people who work at bars
Don’t read this wrong — I think it’s right that there is a National Bartenders Day. But I think that simplified name oversimplifies the people who serve us — serve us drinks, serve us food, serve us hospitality. I hash that out with Bridget Albert, cohost of the Served Up podcast, in this episode of Agave Road Trip!
Agave Road Trip is a critically acclaimed, award-winning podcast that helps gringx bartenders better understand agave, agave spirits, and rural Mexico. This episode is hosted by Lou Bank with special guest Bridget Albert of the Served Up podcast.
Another way to bring the desert to your bar
It’s more resilient than agave and it’s the perfect thing to pair with your Tequila and Mezcal. In this episode of Agave Road Trip, we celebrate nopales and how they can fit into a set of simple bar offerings!
Agave Road Trip is a critically acclaimed, award-winning podcast that helps gringx bartenders better understand agave, agave spirits, and rural Mexico. This episode is hosted by Lou Bank with special guest Lyanne Alfaro of Moneda Moves
A different approach to additive-free Tequila
The additive-free-Tequila movement was launched by Grover and Scarlet Sanschagrin of Tequila Matchmaker. As it’s gained steam, it’s gotten the pair – and the movement – sideways with the CRT, the body that regulates Tequila. How sideways? Well, it includes a raid on the couple’s home and threatening letters to brands who are using the “additive-free” language – or third parties using the language on their behalf. So what’s the solution? I think I have one, and explain it all in this episode of Agave Road Trip!
Agave Road Trip is a critically acclaimed, award-winning podcast that helps gringx bartenders better understand agave, agave spirits, and rural Mexico. This episode is hosted by Lou Bank with special guest Linda Sullivan of seynasecreto with wisdom from Tequila-geek royalty Khrys Maxwell.
The physical cost of pre-industrial Mezcal
I love these agave spirits that are made using pre-industrial methods, and I’ll often talk about the value – if not the actual cost – being greater because of the inefficiencies. But a cost that I’ve only recently recognized is the very real human cost.
Agave Road Trip is a critically acclaimed, award-winning podcast that helps gringx bartenders better understand agave, agave spirits, and rural Mexico. This episode is hosted by Lou Bank with special guest Linda Sullivan of seynasecreto.
Can culture and commerce coexist in a bottle of spirits?
An article in Food & Wine highlighted a crisis in craft distilleries in the USA. I think there's a lot of overlap between that crisis and what so many of these families in rural Mexico are experiencing — the discomfort of trying to preserve something that's art-focused in a world that’s more commodity-focused. But is the market even built for that? We try to suss it out in this episode of Agave Road Trip!
Agave Road Trip is a critically acclaimed, award-winning podcast that helps gringx bartenders better understand agave, agave spirits, and rural Mexico. This episode is hosted by Lou Bank with special guest Jordan Tepper of Apologue Spirited Liqueurs with insights from Morten LJ Koch of Mezcal Chulele.
What happens when they stop calling it Tequila?
Both Tequila and Mezcal are Denominations of Origin — Bacanora and Raicilla, too. Meaning: the Mexican government owns those word and if you want to use them in commerce, you need to follow their rules, including paying for certification. But what happens when you don’t use those words? When you simply call your agave spirit and “agave spirit”? By any other name, this is still an episode of Agave Road Trip!
Agave Road Trip is a critically acclaimed, award-winning podcast that helps gringx bartenders better understand agave, agave spirits, and rural Mexico. This episode is hosted by Lou Bank with special guest Marissa Paragano of The Tequiladies.
When did “smooth” become a dirty word?
I’ll admit, when I hear people describe agave spirits as “smooth,” I blanch. To me, smooth is the opposite of complex, and what I’m looking for in my agave spirits is that: complex. But … what about everything else I consume? Is it unreasonable … hypocritical … to expect people to want complexity from their Tequilas, Mezcals, Sotols? And am I even correct in my view of what “smooth” means to most people?
Agave Road Trip is a critically acclaimed, award-winning podcast that helps gringx bartenders better understand agave, agave spirits, and rural Mexico. This episode is hosted by Lou Bank with special guest Linda Sullivan of seynasecreto with insights from Francisco Prieto of Hacienda de Chihuahua Sotol and whiskey legend Chuck Cowdery.
The argument for pairing chocolate with Mezcal
Pickled eggs and pigs feet have disappeared from bars across the USA. You can sometimes find corn nuts and some places offer free popcorn. But I think it’s time for a bar snack revolution! We started with tinned fish a few weeks ago and now we’re back with an argument in support of chocolate. Joining me for this leg of the bar-snack campaign is James Beard Award-winning journalist Rowan Jacobsen, whose book Wild Chocolate is out now!
Agave Road Trip is a critically acclaimed, award-winning podcast that helps gringx bartenders better understand agave, agave spirits, and rural Mexico. This episode is hosted by Lou Bank with special guest Rowan Jacobsen!
G4 Tequila: Felipe Camarena doesn't have the whitest legs
"This is my playground. And we are always looking for the best profile we can get. Different profiles, different changes." Those are the words of Master Tequilero Felipe Camarena, founder of G4 Tequila. We profile Felipe and G4 in this first episode of Agave Road Show!
Agave Road Show is an advertorial podcast that helps gringx bartenders better understand specific brands of agave spirits. Sometimes other Mexican spirits. Really, whatever they pay us to profile. This episode is hosted by Lou Bank with special guest Linda Sullivan of seynasecreto.
Is Mezcal more authentic than Tequila?
People in the Tequila chat groups get pretty outraged by things like diffusers and additives, and the basis for their outrage tends to be that these things aren’t traditional. But if it’s tradition they’re looking for, why aren’t they drinking Mezcal? Isn’t that more traditional than Tequila? And what exactly is tradition? It’s the most authentic episode of Agave Road Trip ever!
Agave Road Trip is a critically acclaimed, award-winning podcast that helps gringx bartenders better understand agave, agave spirits, and rural Mexico. This episode is hosted by Lou Bank with special guest Linda Sullivan of seynasecreto with wisdom from master potter Rufina Ruiz Lopez!
There is no traditional Mezcal in the marketplace
In the comments section of the Agave Road Trip Instagram page, Craig Reynolds — founder of the California Agave Council — wrote, “Unfortunately, there is virtually no significant amount of truly traditionally produced Mezcal left in the marketplace. It’s not environmentally or economically sustainable. An unfortunate fact that is difficult to accept.” I don’t accept that, but Craig did accept my invitation to debate the matter on this episode of Agave Road Trip!
Agave Road Trip is a critically acclaimed, award-winning podcast that helps gringx bartenders better understand agave, agave spirits, and rural Mexico. This episode is hosted by Lou Bank with special guest Craig Reynolds of the California Agave Council.
The world’s most environmentally sustainable Mezcal brand
This Mezcal brand replants agave in the wild, uses solar power, and only cooks with certified wood. They convert their bagaso into biodegradable planters. They are a model of best practices in the industry. And they just left the market because no one supported them. We question what you really care about in this episode of Agave Road Trip!
Agave Road Trip is a critically acclaimed, award-winning podcast that helps gringx bartenders better understand agave, agave spirits, and rural Mexico. This episode is hosted by Lou Bank with special guest Linda Sullivan of seynasecreto
The argument for pairing tinned fish with Mezcal
Gone are the days when jars of pickled eggs and pigs feet lined the back of a bar. But a bit of food in your stomach can sure help when you’re out drinking. So what should the new bar snacks be? And how can they enhance your drinks menu? Sustainable-seafood expert Barton Seaver makes the case for canned fish. We go fishing for a new bar-snack direction in this episode of Agave Road Trip!
Agave Road Trip is a critically acclaimed, award-winning podcast that helps gringx bartenders better understand agave, agave spirits, and rural Mexico. This episode is hosted by Lou Bank with special guest Linda Sullivan of seynasecreto
The Most Important Tequila of the Century
Once a century, Agave Road Trip goes out looking for the most important Tequila of that era. Now, there are still a solid 75 years let in this century, but I’m going to go out on a limb and say, this early in the game, I’ve identified that Tequila. And the winner is…
Agave Road Trip is a critically acclaimed, award-winning podcast that helps gringx bartenders better understand agave, agave spirits, and rural Mexico. This episode is hosted by Lou Bank with special guest Linda Sullivan of seynasecreto
Does the Tequila in your margarita matter?
I saw a number of posts online suggesting that, if you’re making a Margarita, it doesn’t matter what Tequila you use – it pretty much tastes the same. Linda and I decided to put that to the test with a jury of nine tasters. What’s the verdict? To find out you’ll have to listen to this episode of Agave Road Trip!
Agave Road Trip is a critically acclaimed, award-winning podcast that helps gringx bartenders better understand agave, agave spirits, and rural Mexico. This episode is hosted by Lou Bank with special guest Linda Sullivan of seynasecreto
The politics of Mezcal
Not everybody who drinks Mezcal is politically liberal. Not everyone carrying a copita in their pocket is a Democrat. Not all of the folks traveling to rural Mexico lean left. In fact, probably most of the mezcalerxs themselves tend to be more conservative. In this politically hot season, it’s maybe a good idea to consider that the person across the bar from you maybe loves Mezcal as much as you do, but doesn’t have the same political beliefs as you. It’s an all purple episode of Agave Road Trip!
Agave Road Trip is a critically acclaimed, award-winning podcast that helps gringx bartenders better understand agave, agave spirits, and rural Mexico. This episode is hosted by Lou Bank with special guest Rimas Sydris.
Did salsa change gringos or did gringos change salsa?
A recent article in the New York Times suggested, "As more foreigners, especially Americans, visit or move to Mexico City, some taco shops have lowered the heat in their sauces. Not everyone is happy.” That makes me think about how foreign consumption of Tequila and Mezcal have also influenced the flavors — and the recipes — of those other landmarks of Mexican cultural heritage. And it makes me think about how salsa, Tequila, and Mezcal have changed daily life in the USA. It’s a cross-cultural episode of Agave Road Trip!
Agave Road Trip is a critically acclaimed, award-winning podcast that helps gringx bartenders better understand agave, agave spirits, and rural Mexico. This episode is hosted by Lou Bank with special guest Chef Gustavo Romero of Nixta.
De-caf, non-fat Tequila
Eric Kozlik of Modern Bar Cart shared with me an email exchange he’d had with a PR agency, where their selling point for a new Bourbon was that it was made using a "proprietary heirloom corn.” That made me think about Tequilas that are labeled “gluten-free.” Which made Eric think of “non-GMO.” Which made me think about the difference between “still strength” and “cask-strength,” and between casks and barrels. Which led to both of us deciding to stop thinking and start recording — which is usually how we make each episode of Agave Road Trip!
Agave Road Trip is a critically acclaimed, award-winning podcast that helps gringx bartenders better understand agave, agave spirits, and rural Mexico. This episode is hosted by Lou Bank with special guest Eric Kozlik of Modern Bar Cart.