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My name is Brent Moulton I'm a certified mixologist by the MN School of Bartending. I made it my personal hobby to learn everything there is to know about the world of spirits. I enjoy drinking a wide array of drinks from Bourbon on the rocks to the fruity so called "girly" cocktails like the Cosmo. I hope everyone enjoys the new Westside Spirit newsletter and I'm looking forward to reviewing some of my favorite liquors with each of you.

Tequila the New Luxury Spirit

Tequila has come a long way from the 1500's when the Spanish Conquistadors distilled the first agave alcohol. Tequila is becoming a well crafted spirit, ranking among other luxury spirits such as Scotch and Cognac.

Tequila is made from the Agave plant. These plants take 6-8 years to mature, when they are ready a Jimador, also known as an agave farmer cuts off the spikes of the agave plant to reveal the core. The core is called the Pina which is where all the juices are stored. The Pina is then shredded and cooked with hot water. This releases the agave sugars; the sugars are then skimmed off the top and are distilled to create Tequila. Some Tequila is distilled several times, each time finishing with a more pure form of Tequila.

Like other luxury spirits Tequila has standards. Tequila must be made in the Tequila region of Mexico and contain at least 51% agave. There are two forms of Tequila Mixto and 100% agave. Mixto's have added ingredients such as corn sugar and sugarcane. This is also believed to give you headaches and a worse hangover. Even though Jose Cuervo is one of the most sold Tequila in the world, it is in fact a mixto. Look for the words 100% puro de agave and you will know your getting the real thing. When looking at the Tequila brand you want, most of the time you will have 3 choices a Blanco, Reposado and Anejo. The different names resemble how long they have aged in charred oak barrels. There is gold Tequila also which is unaged but has added sugar to give it an amber color and make it sweeter.

Blanco "White" is unaged and has a fresh fruit, cooked agave taste. It has a medium body and a clean crisp finish.

Reposado "Rested" the Tequila is aged in charred oak barrels for 2-6 months. It will bring out more of a complexity with flavors of fresh herbals and mellow oak. It's full in body and has a warm peppery finish.

Anejo "Aged" stays in the barrel for a minimum 12 months, thus turning the Tequila a glowing amber color with a sweet toasted oak flavor. The body is full with a warm vanilla finish.

Tequila is also found in one of the most popular drinks of all time. Since the 1930's the Margarita has been mixed up from top bars to backyards. There are many different kinds and flavors out there and is a fun cocktail to create your own unique recipe. When I make mine I use 1 oz Sweet and Sour, ½ oz Triple Sec and 1 oz Tequila. I like to put mine in the blender with a little ice. If you don't like them blended, I recommend doing a 3-2-1 recipe with three parts Tequila, two parts Cointreau or Grand Marnier Orange Liqueur and one part fresh lime juice. For Tequila, I like to use a Reposado to bring out more flavor but Blanco is the traditional choice. Another great classic is the Tequila Sunrise. Use a tall twelve ounce glass, add one ounce of Tequila; fill the glass up with orange juice just leaving a little room for a dash of grenadine on top. One thing that I came across that works great for a grenadine substitute is Dr. Mcgillicuddy's Cherry. This raises the booze content of the drink and gives it a sweeter cherry taste. My personal favorite is a Tequila Sour just add one ounce of Tequila to about 8 oz of lemon sour. The mix I use is Schweppes; I found they have the best tasting lemon sour. I enjoy this drink because the sour mix allows a lot of the tequila tastes through but cuts down on the alcohol burn, which makes it a nice refreshing summer drink.

When I was down in Texas a few months ago I found out Tequila is not only for drinking, it makes an excellent chicken marinade as well. When I came back to Minnesota I had to try it for myself. I used ½ cup of Tequila, ¼ cup for Triple Sec, juice and zest of two limes and a little bit of cilantro. That will marinade about 2-3 average size fresh boneless chicken breasts. I let my chicken sit over night in a vacuum seal bag. Grill the chicken slowly in the marinade till the chicken's internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. For Tequila I used a Reposado but I recommend trying it with the others until you find the one that you like the best. Serve the chicken with a margarita or Tequila Sour and you have yourself a southern classic.

My favorite Tequila is Sauza Hornitos Reposado. I feel it has the best taste for the middle of the shelf cost. The Blanco and Reposado are $24.99 and the Anejo is $26.99 which is a good buy for a 100% agave Tequila. (Prices are current as of the date of this newsletter). The Tequila on the top shelf is most of the time triple distilled 100% agave and the price is more because of how much agave is needed to make that pure of Tequila. Everybody knows that Patron is excellent Tequila but it's not the only good Tequila.  Some of the other triple distilled Tequilas that I found impressive are Casa Noble, Cabo Wabo and Milagro select barrel.

Hope you enjoy this excellent spirit as much as I do from sipping fine Anjos on the rocks to mixing up your favorite Margarita. Till next time Adios Amigo's!