Have you ever wondered about how to drink tequila?
It's very common to see people using shot glasses, lemon and salt - but is this right or should other drink materials be used?
With the tequila boom around the world in recent years, there has been a global growth of 140% in consumption of the spirit since 2002, and 34% in 2018, according to data from Euromonitor .
As a result, the drinking habits and rituals spread and were lost, raising questions about how to drink tequila. After all, is there really a right way?
We've already mentioned that there are several ways to consume the spirit, depending on your taste, your surroundings, and the quality of the product. Find out more!
How tequila is made
The drink is made from a plant called Agave Tequilana Weber or Agave Azul, as it is better known.
Its manufacturing process involves 6 steps, which we will summarize for you to better understand:
1. Cultivation and harvesting of agave
Blue agave is cultivated for 5 to 10 years and is finally harvested by jimadores, who cut and remove its leaves and roots. What remains of the plant is the piña .
2. Hydrolysis
It is the "breakdown" of complex carbohydrates from agave into a simpler, more fermentable type of sugar.
3. Extraction
After cooking, the agave piña is crushed in mills and rinsed to separate the sugar from the fibers.
4. Fermentation
Phase in which yeast ferments sugar and transforms it into alcohol.
5. Distillation
The fermented liquid has a low alcohol content, so it is distilled. This is how blanco tequila is produced, with an alcohol content between 35% and 55%.
6. Aging
This step only applies to aged drinks, which are stored in oak barrels.
If you want to know more details about this process, be sure to check out our post on the tequila production process .
What are the types of tequila?
According to the Consejo Regulador del Tequila (CRT) , the Mexican body that is the highest authority on the subject, there are 5 classes:
| SILVER OR WHITE | GOLD OR YOUNG | RESTED | AÑEJO | EXTRA AGE |
| It is generally bottled immediately after distillation, meaning it does not undergo aging. | It is a mixture between a silver and another class of drink, which already has a woody color. | They are aged for 61 days to 12 months in oak barrels. | Drinks aged for at least 1 year. | They spend at least 3 years resting in barrels |
The types of appreciation ritual
How to serve tequila: caballito or shot?
To understand how to drink tequila, we need to start with how to serve it. A good bartender can guide you through a sensational experience, but let's give you some tips!
We already know that shot glasses are widely used, especially in Brazil, but there is another type of glass that is traditional in Mexico: the caballito .
It's also small, but there are some differences between the two types. The shot glass, as the name suggests, is designed to be drunk all at once.
The ideal way to drink a caballito is sip by sip. It also has a straighter design, meaning its base and mouth are the same size.
What is the order: salt, lime and tequila?
Pay attention, because now comes the good part: we'll teach you some ways to drink tequila!
The most popular way is, without a doubt, to drink it in shots with salt and lemon. Here's the step-by-step guide:
• Serve a shot of tequila in a shot glass;
• Cut a lemon into 8 pieces, making the first cut vertically;
• Place the salt between your thumb and index finger;
• With your other hand, pick up the lemon;
• Put salt on your tongue;
• Drink your drink in one go;
• Finally, suck on the lemon wedge.
If you're looking for a way to drink tequila with these same ingredients but in a more flavor-conscious way, some Mexican tequila experts recommend the following ritual:
• Sprinkle salt over the lemon slices;
• take a slice to your mouth, squeeze out the juice and do not swallow;
• Then take the drink to your mouth and mix everything as if it were mouthwash.
“Up, down, to the center and in!”
If you didn't understand anything in the sentence above, don't worry: we'll explain it to you!
It's part of the classic ritual of how to drink tequila in style, serving the drink in a shot glass, among a group of friends:
• When saying “Arriba”, extend your arm and put the glass up;
• When saying “Abajo”, put the glass down;
• When saying “Al centro”, put your glass forward and toast with everyone in the circle;
• When you say “Inside”, this is the moment to put the drink inside!
Why doesn't everyone drink tequila like this?
There are different rituals for drinking distilled spirits because there is a huge variety of types of the drink: stronger flavors, woodier ones, smoother ones, drinks of higher or lower quality... and so on.
If you have a quality product on hand and are looking to drink tequila like a pro, check out some valuable tips:
✔️ Serve the drink in medium-sized glasses, as if it were white wine, and in small quantities. This will ensure it stays at a good temperature and oxygenated.
✔️ Oxygenation is a very important process when tasting a drink, as it enhances its aromas and flavors. Swirl the glass as if to stir the liquid, so that it comes into contact with the air.
✔️ Prepare your palate: always take a small first sip, when a stronger flavor usually appears in your mouth. Then, inhale a little, take another sip (this time to savor it), and exhale.
✔️ At this moment of releasing the air after swallowing the drink, we feel the flavor in an amplified way, and it becomes more pleasant and smooth.
In short: how to drink tequila?
Cold
It's very common to see various types of spirits consumed with pre-chilled bottles, either in refrigerators or in ice buckets. This method works particularly well on hot days.
With ice
This is the best tequila recipe for those who enjoy a light, diluted flavor as the ice melts. The pro tip here is to use filtered ice. Believe me, it makes a difference!
Discover some classic drinks made with tequila
Margarita
Ingredients:
- 40 ml of tequila
- 20 ml of Cointreau®
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ice
- salt (for the rim of the glass)
Preparation method:
First, wet the rim of the glass with lemon juice, then dip it in salt to form a crust. In a cocktail shaker, combine the drinks, lemon juice, and ice. Finish by pouring into the glass.
Tequila Sunrise
Ingredients:
- 1 shot of gold tequila
- 3 shots of chilled orange juice
- 1 dash of Grenadine (can be substituted with blackcurrant)
Preparation method:
Pour the tequila and juice into a glass and stir. Then add the grenadine or blackcurrant. Add ice to taste.
Quetzalli
Quetzalli is a delicious bottled drink made with quality tequila , passion fruit, lime, and agave syrup. Come try it and fall in love!
How do Mexicans drink tequila?
After all this information, you may be wondering what the most traditional way to drink tequila is in Mexico, the country where the drink originates.
There, the natives place the bottle in a bucket of ice and enjoy their drink neat and very slowly, using a caballito .
Are you looking for different ways to enjoy the perfect tequila? Come and discover our drink !
Conclusion
As we've seen, there's not just one right way to drink tequila: the rituals vary greatly depending on what you expect at the time, the type of drink you have available, the typical food you want to pair it with, and the environment you're in.
So, don't be afraid to try the different rituals and tequila drinks. This world is rich and has much to explore!
Flavia Godoy
Former tour guide passionate about travel, culture, exciting conversations and good drinks!
