February 18, 2010

Dear patrons,

For the next few weeks I will take you step by step through the art of tequila production. Today I will focus on the prime material, the blue agave.

In Mexico alone there are about 230 different agave species. The only kind of agave that can be used to produce tequila is categorized, Blue Tequilana Weber Agave.

It takes agaves about 6 -10 years to reach full maturity. From the time agaves are planted, farmers help in maintaining them healthy by weeding the land around them, controlling their growth and prevention them from getting plagues. The Goal is to conserve the maximum level of starches in the agave’s core.

Close to maturity, an inflorescence called, quiote begins to grow from the center leaves of the agave. It is rare to see a flowering stalk on a cultivated agave field. If the quiote is not cut, it will shrink the agave heart and the agave will be robbed of its rich starches.

It is up to the Jimador (harvester) to care for the agaves and decide when it is time for harvesting. When it is time, the Jimador sharpens his coa (a round sharp hoe) and cuts all the agaves surrounding pencas (leaves). When uprooted and all the pencas have been cut the only thing that remains after this process is the core or heart of the agave. The heart is said to look like a perfectly round pineapple. The heart is cut in half or fourths to make it easy to carry them to the trucks that will transport them to the distillery.

Folks, this is only the beginning to what one day will become tequila. The above is a synopsis and intended to help you understand this lengthy process. Please join me next week to discover the next step to producing tequila, the cooking process.

Salud!!

Mario Marquez

Tequila Ambassador, Café Coyote and Cantina

February 11, 2010

Dear valued customers,

We invite you to join us this Sunday for a special Valentine’s’ lunch or dinner. Our special menu will feature a delicious three-course meal paired with three tequilas. The cost is only $ 25.00. You may substitute the tequilas for a Grande Rose Margarita if you prefer.  Have our talented musicians help you serenade your loved one. This will be an unforgettable moment that you can forever conserve.

Tonight people fell in love with our featured tequila, Fortaleza. It was only a month ago that we set up their mobile Cantina. The majority of our guest had never heard about this brand. Indeed it is a brand that is not available in all you local liquor stores and restaurants. In the United States, Tequila Fortaleza is only available in California and Nevada.

At Café Coyote we are proud to bring in small Mexican family tequila brands that conserve their traditional production methods. Fortaleza is one that we appreciate because of its quality and history.

If you have ever heard of the Sauza family, tequila Fortaleza carries a legacy behind this family name. Guillermo Erikson Suaza, owner of this brand is a fifth generation family member.

Guillermos’s Tatarabuelo (Great-Great-Grandfather) was the first to import tequila into the United States in the 1860s.  The tequila process that Guillermo uses is almost an exact duplication that his Great-Great Grandfather used.

7 to 8 year old agaves are grown to reach an average weight of 100 pounds. After the agaves are harvested they are taken to the distillery to be steam cooked in a 16-ton masonry oven for 33 hours. The cooked agaves are then stone milled for seven hours in the Tahona. This Type of stone milling is almost unheard of today. The must is pumped into wood vats for a natural fermentation. The dead must is then double distilled in small copper pot stills to make tequila.

As you can see, this is a labor intense and artisan production. Next time you are at Café Coyote try their entire line: blanco (not aged), 6-9 month reposado and over 2 year añejo.

Salud!

Mario Marquez

Tequila Ambassador, Café Coyote y Cantina

February 4, 2010

Dear Coyote Guests,

We are now in the romantic month of February and the weather seems to be more welcoming. There is no place nicer than Old Town to spend some quality time with your loved ones. Café Coyote is always alive. You cannot miss us. We are located on San Diego Avenue, Old Town’s busiest street. Our tortilla artisans and magnet shaped side patio will draw you in from the street.

If you are walking or driving by on a Thursday evening, you will notice people gathering around sampling our featured weekly tequila. This week we left it up to Tequila Corralejo. Corralejo is produced in Jalisco’s neighbor state, Guanajuato. The distillery is built inside a historic hacienda that was the birthplace of Mexico’s founding father, Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla. Miguel Hidalgo led the war of independence in 1810. We are now in the year 2010. This year is one to celebrate because it commemorates Mexico’s 200 years of freedom from Spain.

 Tequila Corralejo is famous for its tall, skinny blue bottle. This is only one of 5 styles in their portfolio.

Corralejo blanco is bottled without any aging directly from the distillery’s copper pot stills. Don Leonardo Rodriguez, founder of Tequila Corralejo refers to the blanco as “the truth” because it magnificently captures the authentic character of the Tequilana Blue Weber Agave.

Corralejo reposado is aged for 4 months in barrels of three different types of wood-French, American and white oak. This unique aging process is what gives this semi- aged tequila its woody aromatic complexity.

Corralejo añejo is aged for 12 months in barrels of new American oak. The barrel is burnt at the inside in order to achieve its Smokey taste. This añejo comes in a red bottle. In Mexico the color red stands for prosperity.

We did not get to try Corralejo’s triple distilled reposado or their two-year, Gran Corralejo añejo. I hope we get to sample them next time around. For those of you who missed out on last months Tequila Fortaleza’s Tequila Thursday experience they will be joining us again on February 11^th. We received so many requests for this brand that we decided to bring them back. Show up early because this tequila runs out fast!

Salud!!!

Mario Marquez

 Tequila Ambassador, Café Coyote y Cantina