Aaron Paul, Bryan Cranston Interview on Dos Hombres Mezcal, Breaking To a great extent, this is all speculation. This is the larva of the moth that lives in the heart of the agave plant. First things first: The "worm" at the bottom of some bottles of mezcal isn't actually a worm, as noted by Vice. A research team examined limonene's ability to destroy lung cancer cells and published the findings in 2018 in the journal OncoTargets and Therapy. The thought behind the gesture is that a high proof, high-quality spirit would preserve the insect and prevent it from rotting. The mezcal worm is also used as a rite of passage when drinking mezcal with friends. All mezcal comes from agave, but there are more than 30 different types of the spiky green plants growing throughout Mexico. We poured the four bottles of mezcal into smaller air tight 250ml glass containers. Is it? According to Anthony Dias Blue's Complete Book of Spirits, that "worm" is actually a larva from one of two types of moths, known as maguey worms, that live on the agave plant. Citronellol is a terpene found in agave, as well as many other plants. That sounds like an awesome experiment, very similar to ours. Surprising Reasons Behind The Worms In Mezcal - Scoopify We also asked co-founder of Mezcal Vago, Judah Kuper, the same question last year. When exposed to air, this oxidizes to acetic acid, which is ester. Designed by JOHO Marketing. Overall, the Mezcalero No. Palate has beets and root vegetables with a bit of cigarette ash. Jonny, Very similar but more mellow with fewer of the burnt notes present. Tyler, Almost identical nose and palate but a bit more blended in flavor. Chris, Softer nose. This "worm" is actually the larva of a moth referred to as a gusano. Mezcal can be considered cleaner and more pure than tequila, especially if the later is mixed with artificial sugar and way to many margarita mixers. The practice of adding worms to mezcal was started by Andres Paniagua and Jacobo Lozano. I spent a weekend in Mexico City and drank too much mezcal. "It has an aroma and a flavor that people like.". "Cis-3-Hexen-1-ol has been recognized as a pheromone involved in mechanisms and behaviors of attraction in diverse animals such as insects and mammals," De Len said. What is the best mezcal? - AdvertisingRow.com More mellow but less exciting. Jonny. In the 14th edition of its Report on Carcinogens, the National Toxicology Program declared that urethane was "reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen" based on evidence from animal-based lab studies. Which is how it ended up drowned in a bottle of mezcal. To be clear, thats speculative. Given how often Ive been told that gusanos are an aphrodisiac, it doesnt take a great leap to imagine that someone, somewhere, would have thrown some gusanos into their finished mezcal to make a medicinal extract for erectile dysfunction vino de Viagra, if you will. What Are the Effects of Drinking a Worm From a Tequila Bottle? The fact that mezcal is a clear spirit also plays a role. While that has nothing to do with aging, its worth noting that this stuff remained stellar. My theory is that the mezcal with gusano has its origin shortly after the Mexican Revolution, he says. Cis-3-Hexen-1-ol doesn't have a sexy name, but it has some pretty sexy effects. ; THE WORM DOESN'T JUST AFFECT THE MARKETING; IT ACTUALLY CHANGES THE DRINK'S CHEMISTRY. Definitely agree about them being less astringent and rounder on the palate. If you don't want to taste it and are the unlucky chose one to eat it, pour the mezcal worm into a shot glasses with the mezcal and shoot it. Short finish. Tyler, Lavender flavors, a bit of alcohol present. It's called a maguey worm, but it's actually a caterpillar, with red and (less desirable) white varieties added to mezcal. But I have seen mezcal with a scorpion in the bottle, up in Durango, and that appears to be a reflection of the Oaxacan gusano practice. That sap will ferment into delicious pulque. For the aejo variety, a second fermentation can raise the alcohol percentage up to about 55 percent. As pulque researcher Gonzalo Alvarez says, Ive seen and tasted pulque that is prepared with worms, chiles and salt that have been ground together with a mortar and pestle. "People say if you eat the worm in the bottle you'll hallucinate," says Reyes. We all preferred the No-air mezcal as it was a bit bolder and held a strong punch with its various notes and characteristics. Maestro mezcalero Eduardo Angeles of Lalocura has a different view. Get InsideHook in your inbox. This experiment was fun to read and be a part of; I greatly enjoyed it! I mean, the proof is in the pudding/nosing and then tasting ? A bit of nail polish on the palate as well. Jonny, Strong notes and aromas. Very sweet. You'll pick up a gentle smokiness that makes the Mezquila great for adventurous . Learn more. Notes of chocolate, rose pedals. Mezcal (/ m s k l /, American Spanish: ()), sometimes spelled mescal, is a distilled alcoholic beverage made from any type of agave.The word mezcal comes from Nahuatl mexcalli [mekali], which means "oven-cooked agave", from metl and ixcalli [ikali]. The world of agave spirits is so vast, it doesn't have a name. Mezcal is a type of Mexican liquor that is made from the agave plant. But the worm doesn't just affect the marketing;it actuallychanges the drink's chemistry, De Len said. And now, here are five mezcal con gusanos I recommend: For more tips and tricks from the worlds best bartenders, sign up for The Spill, a weekly guide to imbibing all good spirits. Chris, Strong notes of green pepper, coffee, jalapeno, lavender, and mint. The Best Place To Buy Mezcal Tequila With Worm Near You The older one said, you mean the liquor with a worm at the bottom? The mezcal worm began as a way to distinguish mezcal from tequila and was transformed into an added element of . Was it too hot initially, and mellowed over time? These larvae are called gusano and bottles of mezcal that contain the creepy critters are referred to as con gusano. Depending on how long it's aged, flavors can range from stingingly bitter (joven) to smoother and smoky (aejo). Mezcal is one class of those spirits. Interesting and funny that I did kinda the same thing with 4 Rey Campero Espadin bottles of different lots. So, if you have already bought a bottle of Mezcal with a worm or you are in a party and someone insists you drink it, you may consider these 3 tips: There are always exceptions to the rule and few brands produce with quality, add worms with the singular reason of enhancing their Mezcales with an earthy and fungal vibe. El Recuerdo Abocado Con Gusano Mezcal | Travel Distilled Overall, the Rey Campero Tepextate was our favorite from the evening. My brand has absolutely nothing but organic agave and water,"Jimenez shared. "That's a crock. However, it does affect the mezcal's flavor profile. Mezcal owes much of its reputation as a "healthy" spirit to the agave plant from which it's distilled. Traditionally the word "mezcal" has been used generally in Mexico for all agave spirits and it continues to be used for many . Yes, when it comes to Mezcal, the worm at the bottom of the bottle has grown beyond a cultural phenomenon and into a world-renowned icon of sorts. Unfortunately, they didnt taste very good, but maybe they werent really all that enjoyable to begin with? "Mezcal just makes you happy," he said. In short, the worm that you see in a bottle of mezcal was a marketing gimmick. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is strictly prohibited. Like the Elote, the Excess-air mezcal was our favorite for the Rey Campero Tepextate. Although, do bug guts have a flavor, per se? While the study only examined the terpene in isolation and focused on rats rather than humans and did not examine mezcal specifically, the findings suggest that mezcal, which contains agave and thus citronellol, might be able to lower blood pressure in humans. These little mezcal fun facts are explained in detail. We sipped cocktails and thought about what it should be. Impossible to tell without actually having it in front of me, but generally, it should be ok as long as nothing entered the bottle. Mezcal (or mescal) is the same as thing as tequila, but it is not tequila at all. But its not hard to imagine that this was a longstanding policy of the Mexican government, especially following the Mexican Revolution, which returned farmland to Indigenous people. The company Nacional Vinicola, now known as Gusano Rojo ("red worm") wasone of the first to include the worm in its mezcal. But until Mariano Azuelas 1949 novel Sendas Perdidas, all published references I could find that include both mezcal and gusano are separate and culinary in nature; basically, somebody went to Mexico, drank some mezcal and ate some gusanos. Drink with caution: it is not dangerous, but it is a common practice to attract the attention of tourists and chances are the Mezcal itself is of poor quality. These atoms are very chemically unstable and will essentially steal electrons from cells in the body. All rights reserved. However, since the alcohol content of Mezcal and tequila is usually in the same range of 38% to 55% ABV, the shelf life of the two is roughly the same. A Guide to Mezcal: How It's Made and Which Bottles to Try - Serious Eats So we know that time can play an integral role in improving mezcal, but what about other elements, like the amount of air in the bottle and the oxygenation and/or evaporation process that occurs when theres very little mezcal left in the bottle? We all agreed that the finish on the Excess-air mezcal was much longer and more pronounced. These Are the 5 Mezcals You Should Bring Home from Mexico City Most are produced from the espadn variety of agave and are 'joven mezcals' (young/unaged); unlike with tequila, joven mezcal is ready to be sipped. Im looking forward to being in OAX again next month. While a mezcal worm might not be at the top of your list when it comes to late-night, alcohol-fueled cravings, especially if you drink mezcal every night, according to a 2013 report issued by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, we should all be adding more insects to our diet. It has light density to the drinker's eye with a silver nuance and a pale-yellow color. Camille Austin, the global portfolio ambassador for Casa Lumbre Spirits, sang the praises of the agave plant in a 2019 interview with Maxim: "It is a plant that is made up of many organic compounds, or terpenes, commonly known as essential oils, that lend to the herbal, citrus and fruity flavors, as well as the 'magical' feeling we get when we drink mezcal. The word "mezcal" comes from the term mexcalli. Honestly, nothing is certain regarding the inclusion of the worm, which is actually a moth's larva, but it does make the drinker seem like a toughie drinking it. They found that it relaxed the muscles that line blood vessels, causing them to widen and blood pressure to decrease (a process known as vasodilation). Flavors of cinnamon, sand, and slate. Jonny, Notes of clay. Oaxaca, Durango, Guerrero, Guanajuato, Michoacn, Puebla, San Luis Potosi, Tamaulipas and Zacatecas are allowed by law. Some have posited that oxygen or oxidization would have a negative impact on the spirits over time. Picture source: 21food.com. I find that its very similar to 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. Now you know the real story of the red maguey worm and mezcal. Free radicals are highly reactive atoms created when oxygen molecules inside the body split, as explained by Medical News Today. It's easy to see why it was an apt gimmick for touristsit appears both exotic and traditional, and givesdudes a testing ground for their masculinity. What Brand Of Tequila Has The Worm In It - Home - LiquorTalkClub.com Yes, some bottles of mezcal include a creepy crawly surprise at the bottom, but no, it won't make you hallucinate if you drink mezcal and eat it. If you're struggling with hypertension, choosing to drink mezcal every night may help keep your blood pressure in check. I do similar things with my Mezcals; however, I divide my Mezcal into a 350 ml bottle (with synthetic cork and fully loaded, with a small air pocket), and keep the rest in its original bottle. No sour finish. Sign up for InsideHook to get our best content delivered to your inbox every weekday. One day, no one will be able to con you into buying a bottle of bad tequila for three times what it's worth. Nah, that was just some bullshit gimmick, I mean real, artesanal Mezcal made by hand in Mexico. Mezcal and tequila will stay deliciously enjoyable for years to come . When a bottle of mezcal contains a worm, the mezcal is described as being con gusano, or "with worm" in Spanish. In the 1940s, a distiller named Jacobo Lozano Pez found that leaving the worms in his mezcal changed the flavor. Mezcal is any ol' type of agave liquor. You guys write about this in your review for the bottle. 99K views, 7.8K likes, 645 loves, 487 comments, 1.1K shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Zack Mwekassa: La France trs en colre 10 Tasty Mezcal Brands For Sipping - Drinks Geek | Your Trusted Drinks teriyaki chicken donburi wagamama . Why is this a false narrative? First, you have to harvest a mature agave plant. The best place to find and buy worm salt online is here. Does mezcal have a worm? Long finish. Chris, Lighter nose and more creamy notes and vanilla on the palate. Are you still interested in learning more? Tastes of grilled elote. And then theres xumilin. To consume a tequila worm, you must first take a shot of the alcoholic beverage with it. If you're among thefive percent of Americans who identify as vegetarian or three percent who follow a vegan lifestyle, you'll need to do your research before opening up a new bottle of 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. Why does mezcal taste so bad? - Quora The Worm is Just for Flavor | AP News The worm floating at the bottom of Mexican liquor bottles has confused many drinkers. Unfortunately, the jury's still out when it comes to mezcal and inflammation. Mezcal with the Worm. The Effects, Myths, and Truth. Dos Hombres on Instagram: "Three years ago we sat in a sushi bar in New Lou Bank is the founder of SACRED, a not-for-profit corporation that helps improve the quality of life in the rural Mexican communities where heritage agave spirits are made. Bingo!!! But if you dont want to go to the trouble of cooking the plant, you can just carve a huge hole into its center and harvest fresh, sweet sap. Terpenes serve numerous functions in plants, from attracting pollinators to helping to repair damage, but many are also bioactive in humans and may have positive health effects, including positive influences on "mood and stress levels.". In this post, we will try to unearth some more interesting facts behind the best mezcal with worms. What is Mezcal? Everything You Need to Know About This Smoky Tequila Why is There a Worm in Mezcal? - Thebacklabel Despite the ick factor, the gusano de maguey at the bottom of a bottle of mezcal what we know as the worm is actually a very healthy snack. Hes also the co-host of Agave Road Trip (with Chava Periban), a podcast that helps bartenders better understand agave, agave spirits and rural Mexico, and the author of El Gusano, a comic book about a boy who transforms into a human-sized gusano. The larva is usually either a gusano rojo ("red worm") or a chinicuil ("maguey worm"), the caterpillar of the Comadia redtenbacheri moth. The race is on." 'That drink can't be rum and coke' Flowers. Generally, weve found that older bottles tend to mellow and get better over time. That would be a big plus because, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 45 percent of American adults have hypertension, and high blood pressure was linked to over472,000 deaths in the United States alone in 2017. Worm Salt Is a Thing and Is So Much Tastier Than it Sounds - Wide Open Eats In the article, Fausto Zapata, a co-founder of El Silencio mezcal, explains that adding a worm was just a marketing tactic to get more people to try, or be dared to try, mezcal. The worm gives it flavor, he shared. ADVERTISEMENT Yet for the export market producers have found that wormless mezcal has no appeal. Approximately 50 percent of women and 25 percent of men will break at least one bone in their lifetime as a result of osteoporosis. What Is Mezcal? Meet Tequila's Smoky Cousin I Taste of Home In 2014, a studyin the Journal of Medicinal Foodsuggested that agave fructans prevented bone loss and encouraged formation of new bone by raising calcium concentrations in both bone and circulating blood. It's a common urban legend that tequila comes with a worm in the bottle. Once a bottle of mezcal is opened, the contents may begin to evaporate slowly and some flavor may be lost over time, but the mezcal will remain safe to consume if it has been stored properly. QuiQuiRiQui Matatlan Mezcal. Especialista en vinos y espirituosos con experiencia en educacin y consultora comercial. The worm in the bottom of mezcal has a very special purpose and you'll never guess what it is. A inicios de 2015, co-fund Agavache para promover los destilados mexicanos de Agave desde una perspectiva de identidad cultural y responsabilidad social. Mexican Appetizers are a Delightful Way to Start Your Meal, What is Mezcal and What You Should Know About That Worm, The Truth About the Tequila Worm in the Bottom of the Bottle. There are two types of moth larva that can be used: the first from a beetle with red coloring known as Scyphophorus acupunctatus and the second from a Cossidae moth known as Comadia redtenbacheri. 10 interesting facts about mezcal, a Mexican spirit Yet, I believe Ill always be a LaLocura fanboy; closely followed by Real Minero and some Rey Comperos when I seek a more copper pot flavored/made Mezcal; something a drop more hot or edgy. Curious about why you sometimes feel awful the morning after drinking? Mezcal: The history, craft & cocktails of the worlds ultimate artisanal spirit, Divided Spirits: Tequila, Mezcal and The politics of production. Mezcal Fun Facts Mezcal is a distilled liquor made from the agave plant. There is no "worm" at the bottom of a Tequila bottle. This particular agave plant grows in Jalisco, Mexico. Unraveling mezcal's mysteries with chemistry is all well and good, but for De Len, there are some pleasures that just can't be explained. Mezcal Reviews on Instagram, Copyright 2016-2023 Mezcalerbro LLC Privacy Statement Terms of Use, Hacienda de Bauelos and Derrumbes Zacatecas, Mezcalosfera Tobala/Verde/Madrecuixe/Cuixe/Espadin Felipe Corts, Mezcal left in a bottle that has been opened will stay the same or actually improve, Mezcal left in a bottle that has been opened will improve to a certain point, but then go bad if there is too little mezcal left in the bottle, Mezcal left in a bottle that has been opened will eventually go bad. But the brilliant marketer who spread the word that mezcal with the worm is different was actually telling a shred of truth, according to science. Agave can yield both distilled and fermented drinks. The best one seemed to turn hot/alcoholic and the worst that started out this way seemed to open up more. Each is made using 100 percent Blue Weber agave, which is between seven and nine . Required fields are marked *, Copyright 2017. Does mezcal go bad? Learn all about the latest and greatest spirits. The worm in the bottom of mezcal has a very special purpose and youll never guess what it is. This iconic salt is a finely ground powder of chili, sea salt, and dried agave worm and has an umami rich flavor that offers a bold counterpoint to any mezcal. The palate is like a basket full of fresh peppers. What I seek is the heart of the distillation, and less blended heads and tails to achieve the same alcohol content, given no dilution. Overall, my sense is that the open bottles are a bit less astringent and rounder on the palette. We pulled a few lower ABV mezcals off the shelf earlier this year. Tequila is also. Yep, add a tasty, wiggly snack the Red Maguey Worm. The artisans who make what we know as mezcal, tequila or agave spirits are still at work learning more about the resources they have at hand and how to integrate them into their centuries-old traditions. It adds nothing to the flavor of the liquor, most likely. It may also have been made before that, but it became far more generalized after the revolution. 1: Worms In Mezcal Add Flavor To The Drink. But if you spot a worm in the mezcal bottle, take a pass. If theyre sealed, they should be fine, and theyll likely get better as they age. Remember that it is not the authentic Mezcal: the worm adds flavor and usually it masks lousy flavors. They had all been open for a little over a year and all the bottles had just over 25% left. Overall, the El Jolgorio Barril showed slight differences between the two different aged mezcals. That espadin is 48-49% and the best to me was having a good mouthfeel with the agave flavor. According to a National Toxicology Program technical report, ethyl carbamate, also known as urethane, is a natural byproduct of fermentation. Legend has it thatan employee of the bottling plant, Jacobo Lozano Pez, came up with the idea. That being said, too much of any alcohol can give you a hangover, so it's important to drink responsibly when enjoying mezcal. Oaxaca Mezcal Brands and Which Ones are Worth Buying But, Im convinced the more expensive bottles (like $150 and up) house mostly only the hearts (the less conengers laden part) for both distillations. It's the caterpillar form of a species of moth that lives in agave plants. Its possible it is a marketing ploy and simply started with Legitimo or some earlier brand. We werent sure. Oxidative stress has been linked to the aging process and a number of chronic diseases and conditions. The answer to that question is a matter of quality, not safety, assuming proper storage conditions - when properly stored, a bottle of mezcal has an indefinite shelf life, even after it has been opened. While the first 2 or 3 glasses taste bad, once you reach 4 and upwards you kind of get used to itprobably is that being tipsy helps. Here are ten of the best mezcals for sipping. It's the caterpillar form of a species of moth that lives in agave plants. However, branding is harder to shake - even though . I believe you would have found this if you had let your experiment run for 2 yrs or so, maybe less, but 7 months seems too short. According to Town & Country,mezcal can be made from any type of agave, while tequila must be made from blue agave. To maximize the shelf life of mezcal for quality purposes, store in a cool dry area away from direct heat or sunlight; keep tightly closed when not in use. According to the Mayo Clinic, congeners are compounds that increase the likelihood and severity of a hangover. If you drink mezcal, you already know it always makes a big impression, whether sipped neat or mixed into a modern take on a classic cocktail like the margarita. However, some people do really enjoy eating the worm and others will be adamant in telling you that the little guy does give you special powers. "Mezcals with the worm have a greater amount of unsaturated compounds and unsaturated alcohols such as cis-3-Hexen-1-ol.". To further complicate the matter, tequila is a special type of mezcal. I started to wonder whether the rumors were true. In addition to avoiding brands that include the gusano de maguey(what we know as the worm), you'll want to keep an eye out for and stay far away from pechuga mezcal. But does mezcal deserve all the hype? Usually, Meocuilines are cooked in exotic dishes and Chinicuiles are added to Mezcal or mixed with salt (called Sal de Gusano). Chemically, mezcal and tequila are both similar and different, according toDe Len. Some of the ingredients in even smaller concentrations can affect the aromas and taste. However, under Mexican law the only distilled liquor of the agave plant that can be called tequila is the liquor distilled from the blue agave plant. Appreciate the update PhD! Lalo, as he is known to his friends, believes the practice dates back a hundred years or more. The older one said, you mean the liquor with a worm at the bottom? The most common is espadin, which can be cultivated on farms. So 7 months was as long as we could resist temptation. September 24, 2020 2:06 pm ET. No, it doesnt prove your machismo or machisma, depending on who you are hanging out with. Whats your ritual for keeping mezcal after the bottle is opened (assuming you dont just drink it)? After,other producers started to us the tactic as a way todifferentiate themselves from tequila back when mezcal started to gain popularity from Oaxacan tourism.Today, it widely regarded that the producers who use the worm in their mezcal is of lower quality. My question goes back to the aged in glass topic What if we have bottles that havent ever been opened, still sealed? It has a little bag of salt sealed with it on the top. The simplest way to think about it, explains Sydney Block, co-founder of Catedral Mi Padre Mezcal, is that all tequila is mezcal but not all mezcal is tequila. Even today, the marketing gimmick still helps separate themselves from the other producers. Informe Consejo Regulador del Mezcal 2017 and 2020. They found that limonene did possess anti-tumor effects, but this experiment was limited to cells grown in a laboratory.