Before we get around to the tour of Tequila I want to address the fuel shortage. We are in the town of Etzalan and there was a line up last evening over a KM long. However at 10 AM today the pumps were closed so they must have emptied the tanks late last evening. We had to go there Magdalena on the way to Tequila this AM and all the pumps in Magdalena were closed. When we got to Tequila there was one Pemex open and the lineup was several blocks long. We noticed that one guy, ahead of us, tried to cut the line but the cops sorted him out in a hurry. We left Tequila at 4:40 pm and all the pumps were closed so I assume they ran out of fuel. When we got back home this evening our Pemex was open again and the line up at least a KM long so they must have got fuel late today. It appears that they are rotating the fuel supply to different cities.
When we got to Tequila we toured the town to find a bus tour of the town which included a plant tour. The first place we stopped at had tours but not in English. Then we headed into the center of town looking for the visitors center. While driving down the main street we spotted a street vender flogging bus tours however there is no parking on the street so I stopped and Carroll got to check the price etc. I foolishly said I'll just go around the block and pick you up. Twenty minutes later as I got totally , totally lost and drove the wrong way down a street I found my way back to the main street and picked up Carroll. She was beginning to wonder if I had left her. We told the vender we would return once we found a parking spot. Which we did.
After we parked we returned to the vender and purchased our tickets with a promise that the plant tour would be in English. We had 2 hours to kill so we stopped for lunch.
Thinks we found out from the plant tour. Tequila is located in the state of Jalisco and is one of 5 states that can grow Aguave plant to make Tequila. Any country can grow Aguave and make the juice but they can not call it Tequila. The Aguave plant is called a pineapple because once you cut off the leave it has the shape of a pineapple. They are harvested by cutting them off at the root and all the leaves. Then a machine loads them into a truck because they weigh approx 40 kg but could weigh up to 150 kg so you can not man-handle them.
When they get to the plant they are split in 1/2 and steamed at 33C overnight to get the juice out and they stay in the steam overnight. The juice is ferment in vats for 3 days and then the juice is distilled 3 time to get the pure liquid which is 55% alcohol. However , by law they have to cut it with water to reduce the % to 40 %. Then we where forced to do a taste test of the best Tequila and you have to drink it straight. I only sipped a little as I did not want to drink and drive. Actually Carroll sipped a little without choking which amazed me. They also make several less expensive versions which is use in Margaritas.
I bought a bottle of the Blue Aguvae and Carroll tasted some Tequila cut with coffee so she bought a bottle. You folks from Med Hat can have a taste when we get home.
Tomorrow we are going to Villa Corona. Cheers
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment