Homemade tequila FACTS
Mar 08 '02
The Bottom Line Home aging is not as simple as it seems. Learn the fact about this alarmingly growing trend among tequila fans.
As simple as it sounds, it is possible for everybody to make your own reposados and aņejos. You only need some "Blanco" tequila and a barrel. But one thing is to let your tequila ROT in a scummy old barrel, and another very diferent thing is to transform it into a good quality aged spirit.
This subject comes to mind because of a booming trend among tequila fans to lay their hands on their own barrels, fill them up with tequila blanco, and wait until time and wood do their job. As simple as it sounds, most people is not aware of many key factors involved in this process, that obviously have an impact on the end product.
The most important issue regarding "home aged tequila" starts with the barrel itself: most of them are made using discarded materials from tequila factories. The reason they discard that wood is because it has either passed its useful life, or because it does not match quality standards for new barrels.
As absurd as this may sound, alcohol and wood were not meant to be toghether. Alcohol "dissolves" wood, so when they are in contact for prolonged periods of time, the chemical reaction changes both the alcohol and the wood. Some wood contain higher concentrations of tannins and other elements that "paint" the alcohol. This is not bad at all, as long as the "useful" life of that wood is observed.
People that buy barrels made from discarded materials (you can identify them because they are very cheap and readily available around Guadalajara and Tequila), are just putting their blanco tequila in contact with rotting wood. This will produce heavier coloration and a sharp, bitter finish on the final product. This can also be confirmed by a higher concentration of tannins and impurities.
Another important consideration when aging tequila at home, is the QUALITY of the blanco tequila you are using. 100% agave blanos will produce smoother and better tasting results, but if the wood is bad, you will simply spoil that good tequila.
Can I be honest with you? I have NEVER tasted a really good home aged tequila. Most people I know want to impress me with their newfound hobby, and they swear its the most delicious and pure tequila they know. But once you have it in your snifter, you can see the impurities floating, you can see the heavy dark coloration, you can feel the harsh sting on your nose and tongue. I just fail to see the benefits.
I must add that there are a few lucky ones out there with enough money and contacts to lay their hands on really good barrels, premium quality, most of them made from white oak. They will be able to produce better tasting home aged tequila, mut they still have to know basic aging and filtration techniques, not just pour tequila inside it and consume it as they please. This is the equivalent as mixing your aņejo bottles with your reposados. Not a very smart move.
I would not be telling you this if it wasnt for a good reason: now its becoming popular practice among restauranteurs to include their "house tequila" in this manner. Chances are you will be getting just a mediocre tequila, or in some cases nothing that a good bottle can surpass.
Keep your eyes open. And enjoy!
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