From the depths of Southwest Mexico, mezcal has conquered top shelves in the best bars in the planet, and has established itself as a Latin American alternative to whisky. Whatever, by the time you reach the worm, it’s the last shot. But the worm doesn't just affect the marketing; it actually changes the drink's chemistry, De León said. Mezcal has expanded into the European and Asian markets at a fast pace. We’ll that that! Can’t get more “organic” than that! This is the claim that all worm-using Mezcal producers make. Hayes is a native New Yorker who emerged from the great halls of academia with a useless Philosophy degree and a useful passion for fine beverages. Mezcal, on the other hand, can be produced in any region of Mexico, and can be made from any species of agave, not just blue agave. Why are some red and some white? Yes, it is heavenly. "Mezcal just makes you happy," he said. "But one story is that… if the worm remains intact in the bottle, the percentage of alcohol in the spirit is high enough to preserve the pickled worm," according to the Beverage Testing Institute.
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If the worm stays preserved, then the mezcal is probably quality stuff. The uninitiated may think that some bottles of tequila have worms in the bottom, but experienced tequila-drinkers know that it's actually mezcal, a similar Mexican liquor, that features a wormy surprise at the bottom of the bottle. We mean, just look at this. As engrained in our popular culture as the worm in the tequila bottle (or tequila lollipop) may be, that image is actually common misconception. Read the whole story at Slate. Throw an Awesome Cinco de Mayo Celebration, Jell-O Shots, Popsicles, Cupcakes, and More Ways to EAT Margaritas on Cinco de Mayo. Some of the ingredients in even smaller concentrations can affect the aromas and taste. Given how much is going on in the beverage, it’s certainly possible that these worms add some sort of “something” to the overall taste, but unlikely. When a bottle of mezcal contains a worm, the mezcal is described as being con gusano, or "with worm" in Spanish. Whether or not you believe that a beverage like snake wine or worm-infused Mezcal will come with “essential” benefits, one might wonder why anybody would want to take on the characteristics of a larva. Mezcal Worm . Notice any needed corrections? are being planted in the Gracias a Dios palenque (the term used for agave fields) in Oaxaca. Don’t drink the tequila, I say. His pride in the liquor is almost as bright and clear as the drink itself. By law, only liquor distilled from the blue agave and produced in designated areas can be classified as tequila. It is produced by extracting the heart of the agave plant, roasting it and mashing it to a pulp, then combining it with water and allowing it to ferment in barrels. Depending on how long it's aged, flavors can range from stingingly bitter (joven) to smoother and smoky (añejo). A pretty chant in a lost language. Depending on the color of the critter lounging at the bottom of some mezcal bottles, the gusano is an edible caterpillar from either a moth or a butterfly.. By signing up to the VICE newsletter you agree to receive electronic communications from VICE that may sometimes include advertisements or sponsored content. After comparing mezcal and tequila in one study and determining the best temperature for mezcal's fermentation in another, he and his colleagues turned to the worm, the gusano. Hell to the yes. The practice of bottling mezcal with a worm began in 1950, when art school student-turned-mezcal maker Jacobo Lozano Paez saw a potential marketing gimmick. More from Delish: Cinco de Mayo Cocktail Menu The difference lays in three factors: the type of plant, the region that it comes from the production methods. You can really taste the terroir in every sip. Combine Gran Patron Platinum tequila, 150th Anniversary Grand Marnier, lime juice and sweet and sour mix in a bar shaker. Nice story…….back in the 70’s a walk across the border of Juarez, Mexico I brought back a mini bottle of tequila with a salt packet tied to the rim and a worm in the bottom.