Agave Road Trip

Shout out this episode to Steve Catbagan , Denver, and its groovy agave scene ; Arik Torren and his Lot 001 Brands , and fog nets . And of Cambio Tequila ! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Shout out this episode to Quiote Mezcaleria ! And when in Chicago go visit the desert house at the Chicago Botanic Garden . It’s as close to Mexico as anything 1,800 miles north of Mexico! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

The previous episode that inspired this episode is “The secret origin of Tequila Oro.” Shout out this episode to Jason Cox at 5 Sentidos ! Shout out to Tequila Cascahuin ! Maybe dibs in Chicago actually was documented…? Click here! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

That incredible beer-not-beer was made by tlachiquero Marco Antonio of pulqueria El rincon de Mayahuel  in San Felipe, Guanajuato. I was introduced to Marco by Malena Villasuso and Juan Pedro Valdes of Mezcal Villasuso . This episode was recorded outdoors at Bárbaro Asador de Campo , an amazing table-in-farm restaurant in Queretaro, where we stopped to have lunch with our travel companions: enviro...

This episode was inspired by a bottle by Victor Ramos , sourced from his tasting room in Miahuatlan, Oaxaca, labeled “Mensoncle de Arroqueno.” It’s the first time I’ve seen that spelling, but it refers to the heart of the agave — like mezontle. mesonte, and Mezonte . (Hi, Pedro!) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-...

Shout outs this episode to Oaxacan speakeasy Hembra , Marco Ochoa of Mezcouting , Sylvia Philion of Mezcaloteca , and Enrique Martinez of Metsal! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Check out the diverse selection of Mexican spirits being imported by Lot001 Brands ! They have Mi Casa Tequila , Parejo (which offers Sotol and Lechugilla expressions), Rancho Tepúa (which offers Bacanora, Lechuguilla, and Palmilla expressions), Whiskey Maíz Nation , and Pelacañas Rum ! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-no...

Shout outs this episode to Mezonte , Off Premise: Wine, Agave, Whiskey & Craft Beer , and Alambique Serrano Single-Origin Oaxacan Rum ! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Mezcal geeks love to run down all the varieties of Agave Karwinskii they can name. And when we talk about Agave Americana, we talk about Arroqueno and Coyote and Sierra Negra. But the most prolific of agaves in Oaxaca is easily Angustifolia, represented exclusively by Espadin. But that’s not the sole variety of the species – at least, outside of Oaxaca. So why don’t we talk about varieties of Angu...

In addition to our quoted friends at Cambio Tequila and Tequila Torrente , we also mention this episode Felipe Camarena of G4 Tequila and Greg Rutkowski of Finca 18 and 30 Topes Mixto de Agave , and Chava Periban of the podcast “Heritage Mezcal.” And Steve Dahl . And Dark Matter Coffee’s Star Lounge . To learn more about the fascinating agricultural practices of Tequila Torrente, read “ A Better W...

National Bartenders Day is the first Friday of December. That’s December 6 in 2024! Listen to Bridget’s podcast, “Served Up,” here ! To listen to the episode I was on, click here . Healthy Pour is a boutique coaching and consulting firm dedicated to transforming the global landscape of work. Founder Laura Louise Green has deep roots in the hospitality industry and does much of her work with hospit...

If you’re in Santiago Matatlan, Oaxaca, go drink pulque at Reina Cortes Cortes’s A&V La Casa del Pulque . Drink the pulque — all the pulque — but also check out Quiote de Maguey Escabeche from Mujeres 5 Estrellas ! Check out Lyanne’s article that inspired this episode: “ Meet the Cactus Powering a New Generation of Latino-Owned Businesses,” Inc. , September 16, 2024 Tia Lupita Foods offers a range...

If you’re not already all over the Tequila Matchmaker app , you should be. Scarlet and Grover have built an amazing resource for anyone interested at any level in Tequila. They started the Additive-Free Alliance , a coalition of Tequila brands, retailers, consumers, and producers of other agave-based products who are dedicated to processes that do not use additives. “An Undercover Operation, a Rai...

Shout out to Lalo Angeles of Lalocura for his insights about the damage done to the palenqueros who mill agave by hand. Shout out to Jake Lustig of Mina Real and Mezcal Don Amado for his efforts to reduce smoke in the lives of the people from whom he sources his spirits. Shout out to Neta for supporting the healthcare of mezcalero Celso Garcia. Shout out to Dark Matter Coffee and Maguey Melate for...

Want easier access to beautiful spirits? Add your signature to ShipMySpirits.org ! Live in Illinois and want easier access to beautiful spirits? Send a letter to Deputy Governor Andy Manar ! Read the article that inspired this episode: “U.S. Craft Distilleries Are in Crisis,” Food & Wine, July 31, 2024 That quote from Peter Holland, rum expert and Foursquare Distillery’s UK brand ambassador, appea...

Agave Road Trip is a critically acclaimed, award-winning podcast that helps gringx bartenders better understand agave, agave spirits, and rural Mexico. This episode is hosted by Lou Bank with special guest Marissa Paragano of The Tequiladies .  Note that this episode was recorded on September 25, 2024 -- before some of the latest developments regarding additive-free Tequila. Marissa is also a boar...

Dig whiskey? Dig the blog of the mighty Chuck Cowdery ! Want to know more about Hacienda de Chihuahua Sotol ? Click here ! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Thanks to road-tripper Shain Bela Lugosi in San Diego for pointing me to Oslo Sardine Bar ! Caputo’s offers the most amazing mail-order selection of chocolate ! Read Rowan Jacobsen’s Wild Chocolate book, on sale now! When in Chicago, drop into Dark Matter’s Sleep Walk Chocolateria ! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-se...

People in the Tequila chat groups get pretty outraged by things like diffusers and additives, and the basis for their outrage tends to be that these things aren’t traditional. But if it’s tradition they’re looking for, why aren’t they drinking Mezcal? Isn’t that more traditional than Tequila? And what exactly is tradition? It’s the most authentic episode of Agave Road Trip ever! Agave Road Trip is...

In the comments section of the Agave Road Trip Instagram page, Craig Reynolds — founder of the California Agave Council — wrote, “Unfortunately, there is virtually no significant amount of truly traditionally produced Mezcal left in the marketplace. It’s not environmentally or economically sustainable. An unfortunate fact that is difficult to accept.” I don’t accept that, but Craig did accept my i...

This Mezcal brand replants agave in the wild, uses solar power, and only cooks with certified wood. They convert their bagaso into biodegradable planters. They are a model of best practices in the industry. And they just left the market because no one supported them. We question what you really care about in this episode of Agave Road Trip!  Agave Road Trip is a critically acclaimed, award-winning...

Gone are the days when jars of pickled eggs and pigs feet lined the back of a bar. But a bit of food in your stomach can sure help when you’re out drinking. So what should the new bar snacks be? And how can they enhance your drinks menu? Sustainable-seafood expert Barton Seaver makes the case for canned fish. We go fishing for a new bar-snack direction in this episode of Agave Road Trip!  Agave Ro...

Once a century, Agave Road Trip goes out looking for the most important Tequila of that era. Now, there are still a solid 75 years let in this century, but I’m going to go out on a limb and say, this early in the game, I’ve identified that Tequila. And the winner is…  Agave Road Trip is a critically acclaimed, award-winning podcast that helps gringx bartenders better understand agave, agave spirit...

I saw a number of posts online suggesting that, if you’re making a Margarita, it doesn’t matter what Tequila you use – it pretty much tastes the same. Linda and I decided to put that to the test with a jury of nine tasters. What’s the verdict? To find out you’ll have to listen to this episode of Agave Road Trip!  Agave Road Trip is a critically acclaimed, award-winning podcast that helps gringx ba...

Not everybody who drinks Mezcal is politically liberal. Not everyone carrying a copita in their pocket is a Democrat. Not all of the folks traveling to rural Mexico lean left. In fact, probably most of the mezcalerxs themselves tend to be more conservative. In this politically hot season, it’s maybe a good idea to consider that the person across the bar from you maybe loves Mezcal as much as you d...