National Tequila Day 2022: Drink some amazing facts

(CNN) – It’s National Tequila Day in the United States – Sunday, July 24. After the year we’ve been in so far, you can’t blame anyone for wanting to take a shot or two (responsibly, of course).

In honor of the holiday, here are six surprising facts you probably didn’t know about tequila.

It’s from a plant (which means it’s healthy, right?)

Fear not, gluten-free folks! Tequila is just right for you to drink. Tequila is made by fermenting the juice from the blue agave plant, which has a pulp called piña because it looks a bit like a pineapple.

Once the bena is harvested, it is brought to the distillery to be roasted to release its juices, which are then fermented, distilled and aged before being packaged.

Tequila is a type of mezcal, but not all mezcal is tequila

Tequila makes margaritas fun. As for the exact combination of ingredients, your imagination is the limit.

Well, it’s a bit confusing, so let’s break it down. Mezcal Tequila is made from agave, but tequila can only be made from the blue agave plant. More than 30 types of aloe vera can be used to make mezcal, according to Food and wine. The flavor profiles can be a little different, with mezcal being more smoky.

Tequila must be made in a certain area of Mexico

Do you know how real champagne should be made in the Champagne region of France? it’s a Something similar here. In order to label tequila, production must take place in the state of Jalisco or in some neighboring country. But most tequila production takes place in Jalisco.

Tequila was born in, you guessed it, tequila

and yes, The city in Jalisco. It’s the birthplace of the iconic drink, with indigenous Mexicans brewing blue agave juice before it became the staple it is now. Several distilleries are still located in the city, which has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2006.

If not for women, tequila might not even exist

Historically, it was the women of tequila (as in the city) who grew blue agave plants, called hijuelos (little babies). Today women can still be seen working in the fields from February to July, when the plants sprout.