OnTap Magazine

TEQUILA VS MEZCAL: WHAT’S THE ACTUAL DIFFERENCE? Simply put, tequila is a type of mezcal. Both are made from the agave plant, although tequila is specifically derived from the blue agave, while mezcal can be made from any of the 40+ different species. The main difference, however, according to Kennan, is the flavor. Mezcal has a smoky flavor that tequila lacks, and the reason for that is the baking process. The ovens used to make tequila are non-wood fired, so electric or steam, whereas mezcal follows a more traditional process, relying on wood- fired ovens–hence the smoky flavor. But good quality product, whether tequila or mezcal, must be made from 100% agave. Traditional baking process for a smoky flavor “If it says ‘made with’ or ‘from’ then it is a ‘mixto,’” Kennan explains. These less pure versions of the beverage, in her view, are what have historically contributed to “tequila” gaining a bad reputation. Kennan feels that mezcal gives the consumer a “totally different high,” than tequila does. Both are “clean” and give a “minimal hang-over,” she argues, as long as you “drink with respect.” By that I understand her to mean: not in excess. It should also be noted that, like Champagne, no agave-spirit made outside its place of origin in Mexico can be called a tequila or mezcal, even if they are the same product. THE SPIRIT-MAKING PROCESS The first step in processing the agave is removing the leaves from the plant, leaving you with what is called the “piña,” or pineapple. In Kennan’s words, the piña is a “big, starchy ball of energy.” Once you’ve assembled your piñas, you put them in an oven. There they will bake for about 48 hours during which time the white starch, or the carbohydrates, are converted into fermentable sugars. (Kennan tells me that those sugars post- bake often have the aroma of candy floss.) After the baking is complete, you crush the piñas, producing juice. That juice gets fermented by adding yeast, and then distilled. The liquid you now have is called a “blanco,” clocking in at about 80-90% alcohol. Adding spring water at this point can take it down to between 38 and 43 percent, thereby becoming a beverage you can theoretically sip on its own. A good blanco, according to Kennan, should provide fruit–perhaps green mango–sugar and freshly cut grass flavors. You should also taste the smokiness from the ovens coming through. A “reposado,” which means “rested,” has been aged for a certain number of months, in oak barrels. In Leonista’s case, Kennan compares their Reposado Black to a whiskey. Leonista uses American oak, brandy barrels specifically, given their ample availability here in South Africa, to age their Reposado. EDUCATING THE MARKET South Africa has been introduced to tequila in a negativeway, Kennan explains, referencing the often cited “last one in, first one out in the morning” description. For her, the agave spirit should not be associated with the shooter experience, she would rather the consumer slowly sip the product. This points to what she perceives to be their biggest challenge: Kennan and her homebrew set-up Kennan's garage distillery The distillery oven 30 | Autumn 2023 | ontapmag.co.za