Agave Spirits: PULQUE
What is Pulque
Pulque (pronounced pool-kay) is not a distilled agave product. Like beer, it is a fermented product of low alcohol (approx 4-8%) produced from the sap of the agave plant called aguamiel, or honey water.
Agave Type
Up to 6 varieties of agave are uses with agave salmiana and agave pulquero being the most common types
Region/Location
Pulque is drunk in many parts of Mexico and is not specific to a particular region.
How is Pulque Made
A cavity is cut into a ripe agave plant to harvest the sap which is extracted using a wooden tube or a hollow gourd into a pitcher. The sap is then placed in a wooden barrel and fermented for about 3 hours using natural yeasts or cultivated yeasts. This results in a mildly alcoholic liquid that is milky and slightly sour.
Pulque Flavour Profile
Pulque is a slightly sweet, milky drink with a sour yeast-like taste much like a whey ferment. It has some tang and is naturally lightly carbonated. Freshness is the key factor as it goes rancid very quickly. Pulque can be flavoured with fruits such as strawberries, mango and coconut. Some refer to it as an acquired taste.
Pulque Categories
none
How to Drink Pulque
Pulque is traditionally drunk neat, out of ceramic cups.
Photo Credit – Wikimedia Commons