Is It Tequila Or Mezcal
If youve come all this way looking for brands of tequila with worm in it, youre going to be slightly disappointed. There never has been any brands of tequila with a critter at the bottom. Its a misconception. The Mexican spirit that does have a worm in the bottle is called Mezcal. Yes, both tequila and mezcal are similar, so its easy to see how the mistake can be madebut there is no worm in tequila.
Tequila Semantics: Does Tequila Have A Worm In It Is The Worm In Tequila Alive
Mezcal with a jar of worms
First of all, does tequila have a worm in it? It is important to realize that there is actually no worm in tequila bottles. All high-quality premium brands of tequila will never feature a wiggling little critter inside its bottle. True imbibers of the alcohol can attest to the fact that worms are only found in tequilas lower-class sister, which is known as mescal.
Therefore, whenever you find a bottle of tequila with worm inside, there is a 99.9% chance that it is not even really tequila at all. Mescal is an umbrella term that is used to describe multiple kinds of distillates that are derived from the agave plants that mostly grow in the state of Oaxaca in Mexico. While tequila can only be made with one species of plant called blue agave, mescal is produced from a wide variety of agave plant species.
Why Is There A Snake In Tequila
Tequila Con Vibor, as this potent admixture is known locally, is the result of a live rattlesnake being drowned in a jug of mezcal liquor. Regional lore maintains that the dying serpent releases a cocktail of medicinal chemicals upon it’s expiration, supplementing the strength and charm of the liquor.
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The Real Story Behind The Tequila Worm
In this era of craft spirits and, yes, even lawsuits about the hand-craftedness of craft spirits, its unlikely somebody would plunk a bottle of tequila in front of you, point at the worm floating around on the bottom, and challenge you to eat it.
Unlikely for two reasons: well, were all much classier these days, and thank you very much. But the second, far more important reasonthere is no worm in the bottom of the tequila bottle. Not trying to invoke a there is no spoon vibe here, just, the worm in the bottom of the tequila bottle is an old school myth, a misunderstanding born of some marketing savvy and probably bolstered by the rowdy one-upsmanship of tequila swilling machismo.
The worm were all thinking of actually belongs in a bottle of mezcal, tequilas huskier, smokier cousin . And even then, the worm wasnt a traditional aspect of mezcal production, even though to this day, some misinformation endures about the virility and hallucinations youll supposedly get as a reward for your worm-eating bravery.
drop!
Some think the worm in the bottle started as a marketing ploy, to get people to drink more mezcal in the 1940s and 1950s. Word has it a former art student-turned-mezcal entrepreneur named Jacobo Lozano Paez got the idea to actually put the gusano into the bottle of finished mezcal after realizing that the gusano changed the flavor of the spirit.
How Tequila Differs From Mezcal
Tequila and mezcal both originate from Mexico and are made from agave, a form of succulent that grows in the Mexican desert. Both are widely popular throughout the world, but they arent the same thing.
Here are some key differences:
- Tequila is made with rigid standards. For starters, tequila can only be produced from blue agave, while mezcal can be made from 28 varieties of agave.
- Mezcal is traditionally from Oaxaca, Guerrero, and Michoacan. Tequila comes from the Jalisco region.
- Tequila can either be made in small batches or mass-produced, whereas mezcal is made on a much smaller scale with a traditional process.
- Mezcal takes time to make and age, making it more expensive than younger tequilas.
The confusion is often from the names of silver and gold tequila and mezcal varieties. Not only do these spirits look similar, but the labels can also describe them as white, dorado, reposado, joven, and añejo.
Still unsure if you can tell tequila apart from mezcal? This video outlines the key differences between tequila and mezcal while giving you some great visuals:
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Is The Worm In A Tequila Bottle Alive
Mezcal bottles do not contain tequila. Instead, those lovely critters are found at the bottom. This worm is officially a mezcal worm, not a tequila worm, because it is always found dead in the bottom of a mezcal bottle, and not a tequila bottle. Tequila is a type of mezcal, further complicating the situation.
Why Is There A Worm In Tequila
Tequila has a robust, robust flavor while mezcal has a smokey, aromatic flavor. The tale of the worm began in the 1950s when a Mexican mezcal maker observed that a moth larva had been incorporated into his spirit. My marketing strategy for the mezcal maker is to include a worm in each bottle because he thinks it enhances its taste.
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Why Dont You Eat The Worm In Tequila
worm in tequila isnt really in the beverage as is commonly believed. An unidentified Mexican mezcal maker discovered a moth larva in a batch of mezcal during the 1950s, and that was the start of the worm legend. The owner of this mezcal business found that it actually tasted better with the worm in it.
What Is A Tequila Worm
Everyone calls it the tequila worm, but heres another thing thats going to blow your mind. Its not in tequila, and its not a worm. Gasp!
Unfortunately, mezcal moth larva or mezcal caterpillar dont sound that great either.
So yes, youve read that correctly. The tequila worm is, in actuality, the larva from a species of moth. The Mexicans call the larvae gusano de maguey, or worm of agave. Maguey is the Spanish word for agave, the plant from which both tequila and mezcal are distilled.
There are two kinds of moth larva that can be used. The first is from the beetle Scyphophorus acupunctatus. The beetle larva has red coloring. The second is from a moth species called Comadia redtenbacheri, of the Cossidae moth family. This is the white larva you see most often, though its common for both kinds of larva to be used.
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What Happens If You Eat The Worm In The Tequila
Heres one more myth we want to bust: Does eating the worm make you hallucinate? ? Nope. In most cases, you wont be able to see any things after eating the worm because it has more to do with the mezcal you drank than the larva itself. Mezcal worms taste has been described as similar to chicken by some people who have eaten it.
Tequila Must Be Made With At Least 51% Blue Weber Agave
In order to be called a tequila, the spirit must contain at least 51% blue Weber agave or agave tequilana, which is a type of desert succulent.
The higher the percentage of blue agave in the tequila, the finer the spirit. This makes sense, because these sweet plants take a whopping 8 to 12 years to mature and can only be harvested once. Lower quality tequilas may be filled out with a neutral spirit made from cane sugar juice, making them cheaper to produce and generally inexpensive for consumers.
Mezcal has a little more freedom. There are over 30 strains of agave that can be used in mezcal production, so long as they are native to the approved regions and contain the appropriate sugar levels.
Currently, agave espadin is used for about 90% of mezcal production: its easy to cultivate, wildly grown and commonly domesticated, and has the similar tropical and floral notes enjoyed in blue agave. However, it still takes years to mature, and if you want a more complex flavor and aroma in your mezcal, you can count on paying a higher price for plants left to mature for an additional decade.
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The Truth About The Tequila Worm
Contrary to popular belief, tequila doesnt actually contain the worm. The worm was reserved for mezcal, which is known as tequilas big brother. So whats the difference? Tequilas consist of at least 51%, whereas mezcal must be 100% agave . Mezcal is a smokey, aromatic spirit while tequila is more robust.
The legend of the worm started in the 1950s when a Mexican mezcal maker discovered a moth larvae in a batch of mezcal. This mezcal maker thought the worms presence actually improved its taste. He placed a worm in each bottle as a marketing strategy. Over time, other manufacturers followed suit due to its popularity.
Today, tequila does not contain a worm in the bottle . But if you do find a bottle, theyre usually in lower-ended mezcal.
Why Is Tequila So Gross
The awful, harsh flavour as the shot hits your tongue and attacks your tastebuds. And the mouth-twisting lemon to erase any trace of the drink, simply proving that tequila is totally disgusting. Its the drain water posing as tequila that the rest of us are drinking giving the decent stuff a bad name.
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Why Is There A Worm In Jose Cuervo Tequila
I just found a larval worm moth on an agave plant. Those are not worms, theyre worm moth larvae. It is not tequila, it is mezcal that is in the bottle with the worm. Worms have been prepared and pickled for about a year, so they are safe to eat. You shouldnt mix a bait worm into your Jose Cuervo bottle.
How To Eat The Tequila Worm
Wondering if the worm in the bottle is edible? As it just so happens, it is. Many regions on Mexico use the worm as a source of food and call it gusano de maguey.You can find a fried version that is used as a snack or chaser when drinking tequila or mezcal.
Want to enjoy mezcal in a more traditional way? Grab some sal de gusano and orange slices. Mexican drinkers top the orange slices with some of the worm salt and pair it with either a neat glass of mezcal or tequila. Alternate bites and sips for an out-of-this-world experience.
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Why Do Some Tequilas Have A Worm In The Bottom Of The Bottle
Chances are you never really saw up-close a bottle of tequila with a worm in the bottom but im pretty sure you know what im talking about. But have you ever wondered why? Whats the deal with worms and tequilas?
Its time to find out, but before we get into it, lets just clarify that the worm were all thinking of belongs in a bottle of mezcal and not tequila mezcal is tequilas smokier cousin .
Anyway, heres how it goes.
Even though we cant be 100% sure, most drink historians believe that the whole worm in a bottle of mezcal myth most probably started as marketing ploy back in the 1950s. You see, at the time, tequila was flooding the US market and mezcal companies were desperately trying to differentiate themselves. To do so, they added a worm in the bottom of the bottle. It didnt matter that Mexicans never had mezcal with a worm in bottles sold in the US a moth called gusano de maguey was added. But how did they come up with this?
Because some brands of mezcal were adding the heart of the plant as a way to enhance the flavor of the drink , it made sense to have the worm in the bottle since this specific moth could be sometimes found in the heart.
Nowadays you dont see a lot of bottles with worms and that is partially due to the whole cocktail renaissance we witness during the last decade. That being said, its not at all impossible youll find a worm in a mezcal bottle. Just avoid it the good stuff is entirely worm-free.
What Colour Is Snake Blood
Snake blood is red, but within the red spectrum the blood color can vary from dark brown to a yellow tinge. Like other animals, they bleed if someone cuts them, but some have the ability to use their blood as projectiles. Not all snake blood is poisonous, and some can even have beneficial effects on humans.
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How To Fish With A Trick Worm
When twitched, a trick worm jumps back and forth like a walking plug, almost in a walking-the-dog manner. It can be fished in many ways but the most effective is to twitch it just under the surface, then pause and let the worm sink. Sometimes bass come up and hit the worm on top and you can see them.
Are Tequila Worms Psychedelic
It’s called a gusano in Mexico. Even though the worm is closely associated with the agave plant, we can’t really figure out when it started appearing in Mezcal bottles. … Some great Mezcals are made with the worm in the bottle, but most aren’t. And, no, the worm doesn’t have any hallucinogenic effects.
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Brands Of Tequila With Worm The History And Why Its There
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Ah, the legendary pickled worm inside the bottle of tequila. You might want to call it the alcoholic version of the Loch Ness monster, because youve probably wondered once or twice if its just a myth. Though theres a lot of hype surrounding tequila worms, you might have thought recently, Wow, theres not one bottle of tequila in this store with a worm in it! Whats up?
Turns out, youve been misled. Yes, tequila worms are real. And yes, you can still find them in bottles. There are a couple of things you need to know, though.
Without further ado, here are all your questions about that little worm inside the bottle of tequila answered.
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Once tequila was granted protected status in 1977 , the worm system was rendered unnecessary. However, branding is harder to shake even though today youll be hard-pressed to find a bottle with a worm at your local liquor store.
“The tequila had already personality,” says Torres. “The plant, the bottles and region with the laws protecting all of that. So, they didnt have to use the worm for the rest of the mezcal. But they were using the worm for marketing and for flavors because they are making some salts with the worm. Nowadays, you can use the orange at the end of the tasting with worm salt, or worm with chili powder. This moment is now for the ritual.”
The questions remains: If you do run across one of these increasingly rare little larva buddies, should you eat it? Answers vary.
An internet commenter compares it to “wet rotten leather washed with ashtray juice,” while others chew it like a gummy bear and claim it as a delicacy. And Torres notes many of his guests still swear by it, although he doesnt partake in the ritual himself. But he does see the appeal, particularly for those looking to indulge in his countrys traditions.
“Its part of the experience,” says Torres. “If you want to do it go for it! But if not, you have lots of options that are really tasty.”
Thats something we can all raise a glass to.
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Why Do Tequila Bottles Have Worms In Them
Oct 29, 2013 by a2k
When saddling up to the bar, millions of people worldwide choose to throw down a few shots of the ultimate Mexican party spirit known as tequila.
With a long legacy dating back 2,000 years, tequila was first commercialized in 1656 by Jose Cuervo. By the late nineteenth century, the potent alcoholic drink was imported into the United States and started growing the international popularity it continues to enjoy to this day. While most tequila fans fully appreciate the strong smoky taste and power of tequila, most of us have no idea why tequila bottles have worms in them. Where this tradition has come from?
Does Worm In Tequila Make You Hallucinate
The worm does not give you hallucinations, and it is not an aphrodisiac. The credit here goes to the amount of Tequila or Mezcal a person consumes. Oddly enough, there are many kinds of gusano de maguey , but only the Chinicuil Gusano is used. So, when you eat the worm, you are partaking in tradition.
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Why Do They Put Snakes In Tequila
Tequila Con Vibor, as this potent admixture is known locally, is the result of a live rattlesnake being drowned in a jug of mezcal liquor. Regional lore maintains that the dying serpent releases a cocktail of medicinal chemicals upon its expiration, supplementing the strength and charm of the liquor.
How To Sell Worms For Bait
In addition to retailing your worms, you can wholesale them to stores. Theyre found in the sporting goods department of some Walmart stores, and usually bought from local suppliers. Bait shops are the most obvious wholesale market. You can also try selling to pet stores that carry worm-eating animals.
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