Mexico is a country with a wide range of alcoholic beverages such as the traditional tequila and mezcal, some others without alcohol such as tejuino and tascalate, but there are also others that come from the distillation of maguey, such as raicilla.
Raicilla is a Mexican alcoholic beverage that is produced in Jalisco and two varieties are used for its preparation: the lechuguilla agave and the raicillero agave of the inaequidens and maximiliana species endemic to the state.
Production process behind the Raicilla
The process of making the raicilla consists of: choosing the ripe plant, jimar, cleaning, and roasting. It is cooked in sealed ovens that burn at 130 degrees Celcius, then cooled, cleaned again, and ground, the resulting liquid is fermented for up to eight days, everything is poured into stills to cook, and finally distilled.
The alcohol proof of the raicilla ranges between 36 and 45 percent alcohol.
Curious facts about Raicilla
The Mexican Institute of Industrial Property (IMPI) protects the “Raicilla” as a Denomination of Origin; With this denomination of origin, established national producers are supported so that this traditional Mexican drink reaches the whole world duly protected, with adequate recognition.
The color of the raicilla is brown, its flavor is sweet and velvety, so to taste it, it must be taken cold; There is a special glass to taste it made of blown glass by artisans from San Pedro Tlaquepaque, Jalisco.
In some regions of the Jalisco coast, they add orange juice, grapefruit, passion fruit, and mineral water to give it a tropical flavor.
In addition, another curious fact is that ten kilograms of agave are needed to produce a liter of raicilla.
