Tequila

Red Sleeping Beauty

Any tequila connoisseurs here ? What is it . I know it's made from the agave plant. I was reading on another thread there someone mention the clear tequila is somehow the "real" one or more pure ? And the coloured/blended stuff is cheaper.

I don't know much about the drink but I'd like to know a bit more and get a few pointers/tips on what's good and where it can be got at a decent-ish price. I saw in my local off-license that they had two different bottles of "clear" tequila , both at about €30. I didn't get to have a read of the bottle though and the lad working there didn't know what I was talking about (well, neither did I but I was asking the questions).

I do know what a tequila slammer is though (:P): tequila and 7up in a glass and then "slammed" to fizz it up and knocked back.

lmtduffy

White tequila is purer only in the sense that it isnt oaked or caramelised.
It is a clear liquid like any other distilled liquid.
Think of white tequila like white rum.

Most tequila you see will either be coloured with caramel or other flavouring or else oaked to take on a brown colour like whiskey or brandy.

You can tell is a tequila has been flavoured by oak as it will normally say "anejo" on the bottle to indicate that ist been aged or rested in oak.

If it says golden tequila its likely been flavoured with caramel or other colourings.

The oak aged one would by and large be the better quality as the main reasons behind the caramel and coloured ones is that its cheaper to make.

MediaTank

Good tequila is unfortunately like all 'premium' spirits expensive. Most tequilas are not 100% agave but use grain spirit too. As the other poster said look for anejo on the bottle and 100% agave, this means that it is both aged in oak and pure agave and hence very good quality.

Anejo means that it has been aged for at least 2 years. Extra Anejo usually means 5 yesrs of aging. Treat it like a good cognac and sip from a brandy snifter.

Some brands to look out for include Patron Anejo, Casa Noble Anejo and Corzo. Though in Ireland these will be hard to find apart perhaps the Patron.

the beer revolu

These sites will tell you all you need to know about Tequila.

http://www.itequila.org/types.htm
http://www.ianchadwick.com/tequila/pure_mixto.htm


In order of age:

Silver (blanco), Reposodas, Anejo.


Types:

Mixto Tequila (blended agave & other spirit - usually corn ) or
100% Agave

Careful, mixto tequila can also be Reposodas or Anjeo so always look for 100% agave written on the label.

Red Sleeping Beauty

Cheers guys, I'll go wandering and see what I can find

MediaTank

Here'e some random tequila's from my drinks cabinet to look out for. Most were bought in the US.

Red Sleeping Beauty

I think I might've seen the third from the left on "How it's made"

MediaTank

Oh and tequila.net is another site worth visiting.

Red Sleeping Beauty

There's an office license near me with two bottles of "clear" Tequilla. One has 100% agave on the bottle. Both are €30. Is there some fine print o the bottle I'm missing ? Are they watered down or something

I asked in O'Briens just there and apparently tequilla ain't that popular.

IrishWhiskeyCha

Alan Rouge wrote: »

There's an office license near me with two bottles of "clear" Tequilla. One has 100% agave on the bottle. Both are €30. Is there some fine print o the bottle I'm missing ? Are they watered down or something

I asked in O'Briens just there and apparently tequilla ain't that popular.

Most spirits that are sold at 40% are water down ... this is not a bad thing as it is a more drinkable strength when people are not used to higher abv spirits