Three Sheets: Tequila, Mexico

Not only is Tequila named after a town in Jalisco, Mexico, it is also the national beverage of Mexico. The key to this town’s charm is the food, music, and you guessed it…Tequila.  With less than 35,000 people, the town of Tequila welcomes visitors who come to explore their world famous tequila farms.  Not quite sure when to go?  Try stopping by during the Mexican National Tequila Fair held every year in Tequila from November 30 to December 12. This is when you’ll find Tequila at its best with parades, charreadas (Mexican rodeos), cock fights, serenades with mariachis, fireworks, and that’s right…Tequila.

WHERE WE WENT

• Santo Coyote — Located in Guadalajara this restaurants cooks everything with Tequila. Try their house specialty: Fried tortilla topped with steak, mushroom and chipotle sauce, and spiked with tequila. Wash it down with a margarita or other tequila based “foo foo” drink.
• Jose Cuervo — Visit the oldest Tequila manufacturer in the world and get a taste of the best selling tequila in the world: Jose Cuervo Especial. Check out the different kinds of tequila, like Blanco which is a clear tequila that’s only aged for a few months, the Reposado, a medium colored trequila aged for 2 months to1 year and the Añejo, a dark tequila that’s aged for 1 to 3 years. Don’t forget to follow tradition and toast before you drink: “Salute al a Buena vida!” or “To the Good Life.”
• La Maestranza — This cantina in old town Guadalajara serves hundreds of different tequilas. Order the Flaming La Cucaracha Bomb, a shot of tequila and coffee liqueur lit on fire, dropped into a pint of beer and slammed. Ask the waiter for a little post shot surprise and brace yourself for a good old fashioned shake down. Or if you’d like to be a little more civilized test your taste buds on some different types of tequila.
• TORTAS TOÑO Ahogadas – Feed your hangover with one of their Mexican style sandwiches consisting of bread, meat, hot sauce, lime juice, beans and tomato sauce. When it gets too hot for you, wash it down with a cold beer.

Tequila, Mexico Fun Facts

• Santo Coyote is located in a former US General’s home.
• Tequila is a region located in Jalisco, Mexico.
• Hung-over in Spanish is “Crudo”.
• Tequila and Mezcal are not the same.  Tequila is known to be sweeter.
• Tequila bottles are not always bottled with worms.
• As tequila ages it takes its color from the oak barrels.  The longer it ages the darker the color.
• Blue Agaves is a highly fibrous plant which has a pineapple base that is used to make tequila.  The pineapple base can weigh between 25-100 lbs and the thick aloe-like nectar of the stems is good to soothe skin irritations.
• Agave “pineapples” are roasted from 50 to 72 hours.
• Ahoghadas means “Drown.”

THREE SHEETS TRIVIA

Be one of the first 5 to answer these questions in the comments below and you could win coupons for our store, eternal glory, and respect from your peers! (Winners will be randomly selected each month.)

• What “surprise” did Zane get after his Flaming La Cucaracha Bomb?
• What geological entity gave the blue agave beneficial minerals?
• What was used to heal Zanes grievous wound?
• Unlike cognac, how are you supposed to hold a snifter when drinking tequila?
• What was the name of Zane’s drinking buddy at the La Maestranza?

HANGOVER CURE

Tortas Toño: Tortas are Mexican style sandwiches. The custom is to drown the sandwich in chili and other toppings and down it with a cervasa (beer).

Spanish word for hangover: crudo

Please Sir, I Want Some More

Learn more about Tequila, Mexico here.