Welcome to our series sharing Food Holidays: July 23rd, 2022. Today is National Tequila Day. I don’t know about you but this is my favorite liquor and I wouldn’t mind having a shot this evening. But I am home with Charlie by myself and I will not drink if David isn’t here. Would you like to come over for a drink then I could have a shot.
5 facts about Tequila:
- Over 50 million liters of Tequila are consumed in America annually.
- Studies have shown that consuming Tequila can cut your risks of Dementia by 37%.
- Some Tequila is aged in barrels but many barrels are aged up to 30 years to create the perfect flavor.
- Tequila also has a component that can help lower LDL levels, aka bad cholesterol
- A 1918 flu epidemic led to a Tequila boom in Mexico. Doctors advised ailing patients to drink Tequila, Lime, and Salt as a remedy
Is there any better way to enjoy Blue Agave juice than bottoms up? We can’t think of any, but we can tell you that there’s an entire holiday dedicated to Tequila. July 24th means National Tequila Day, means twenty four consecutive hours, 1440 consecutive minutes, and 86,400 consecutive seconds of honoring good times had with Tequila over Salt & Lime. Enjoy those good times responsibly, don’t swig Tequila behind the wheel, and read up on its storied history in Mexico, the broader American Southwest, and beyond.
HISTORY OF NATIONAL TEQUILA DAY
Tequila’s precursor, a milky, frothy Agave drink known as Pulque, dates all the way back to Mesoamerican times circa 1000 B.C., when indigenous Mexican tribes would commonly harvest and ferment Agave. It wouldn’t be until the 16th Century A.D., however, that the contemporary Tequila we know and love would be first produced, around a territory of land that wouldn’t officially become known as Tequila until 1666.
That wouldn’t stop Spanish aristocrat Don Pedro Sánchez de Tagle from opening the world’s first Tequila Factory 66 years prior in Jalisco, the Mexican State where the modern Cty of Tequila is located. It definitely wouldn’t stop Don Jose Antonio de Cuervo from founding the first Vino Mezcal de Tequila de Jose Cuervo in Tequila over a century later in 1795, birthing the world’s most successful Tequila brand to this day.
The origins of Tequila are fairly well documented, but unfortunately, the history of National Tequila Day’s origins are a little murkier. Not much can be found on who originated the holiday, what originated the holiday, and why it takes place on the dates it does. Perhaps the originators drank a little too much to remember. Regardless, common zeitgeist rules that National Tequila Day takes place on July 24th in the United States, and the Mexican Senate just ruled in 2018 that their own Tequila Day occurs on the third Saturday of every March.
TRADITIONS OF TEQUILA DAY
With Tequila, you choose the moment. Whether you are a Social drinker who wants to share a drink with friends or just relax at home after a long day at work, National Tequila Day is all about enjoying Tequila.
There are several categories of Tequila including Blanco, Añejo, Reposado, and Joven, which are tasted and experimented with by connoisseurs and newbies alike. Contrary to popular belief, Wine is not the only drink that can be paired with food. Did you know Tequila can, be paired with foods?
If your planning on dinning out today restaurants may offer deals or promotions on Tequila .
BY THE NUMBERS
5 – is the number of regions in Mexico where Tequila is produced.
51% – is the percentage of Tequila that is derived from Blue Agave.
8–12 – is the number of years it takes for Blue Agave plants to be harvested.
7 feet – is the maximum height of Blue Agave Plants.
NATIONAL TEQUILA DAY FAQS
Is National Tequila Day an expensive holiday?
While there’s plenty of pricey Spirits ranging from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand a bottle, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t more affordable bottles on the market. If you’re firmly intent on boozing on a budget, look up the Tequilas under $20.
Is National Tequila Day an actual holiday?
In a legal, federally-recognized sense, no, not in the United States currently. While you probably won’t get off of work from Tequila Day, that doesn’t mean that you can’t personally celebrate the Holiday.
Is Tequila diet friendly?
Yes! Pure Spirits can be carb free, Gluten-Free, Kosher, and Keto-friendly!
NATIONAL TEQUILA DAY ACTIVITIES
- What better way to celebrate National Tequila Day than by enjoying Tequila that gave the holiday it’s namesake? Consider visiting a new area bar or liquor store you haven’t checked out before.
- If you’re even a casual drinker, you’re likely already familiar with the quintessential Tequila Sunrise, the Margarita, or the never-fail, classic combo of Juice and/ Soda. Do you know how to mix up a Serrano-Spiced Paloma, or a color changing Margarita? Try something different this year and opt for a more creative Cocktail, whether it’s one of the above, or one of the countless recipes you could discover through a quick scroll on Google or on YouTube.
- We’re all for holiday hedonism, creature comforts, and enjoying good times in the company of friends and loved ones, but please do so responsibly. We cannot stress this enough. If you’ve had a few rounds too many to hop behind the wheel, don’t be afraid to hail a designated driver, including a cab to help you get home safely.
5 FACTS ABOUT TEQUILA
- Many liquors are aged, but the Agave Plant alone needs 8-12 years of growth before farmers can harvest and ferment the plan into Tequila.
- While it’s true that most Tequilas are derived from Agave Plants, Sotol Tequilas are actually derived from a similar Mexican plant with a milder and nuttier taste known as “Desert Spoon”.
- =Without a doubt, the U.S. is the biggest recipient of Mexican Tequila exports at 204 million liters in 2019; that’s over 40 times more imports than even a Country like Germany!
- Agave is harvested with a special machete tool known as a Coa de Jima, and the farmers tasked with harvesting it are known as Jimadors.
- The “Tequila Worm” is actually found mostly at the bottom of Mezcal bottles, a similar spirit, and it’s “additive effects” are largely suspected to be a marketing ploy myth.
WHY PEOPLE LOVE NATIONAL TEQUILA DAY
- As we’ve mentioned before, the blue Agave plant must grow almost a decade or more before it can be meticulously, harvested by hand to make Tequila. Tequila can also only be grown in five regions of the entire world. All of which are in Mexico. As you appreciate the rich tastes of your Tequila of choice, appreciate the rich history and agricultural work that went into making Tequila.
- There’s no shortage of Tequila Cocktails or recipes we can throw together. Tequila can be easily distilled and blended into a wide variety of craft mixes, but Tequila’s earthy taste is unique to Tequila spirits only. Is it any wonder that there’s an entire holiday dedicated to Tequila’s wonderful flavor?
- If you’re celebrating the Mexican incarnation of National Tequila Day, then you’ll always be celebrating on a Saturday. If you celebrate the American iteration, then you’ll be celebrating over a weekend including Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, July 24th for the next three years!
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
