Tequila is commonly regarded as a nectar of the gods. The distilled essence of the magical agave plant is known to have some curious effects on humanity, for better or worse. But with its popularity at an all-time high, the market has been flooded with a slew of tequilas that are of questionable quality at best. One way to insure that you’re drinking the same spirit enjoyed for countless generations in the Jalisco region of Mexico is to get your hands on a certified organic tequila. The world’s first 100% certified organic tequila was produced by 4Copas. They’ve been in the game for over a hundred years, long before the terms ‘organic‘ and ‘sustainable agriculture‘ entered the lexicon. But they happen to do things this way as a matter of reverence for our Earth, and respect to taste, unrelated to the recent popularity of greener lifestyles. Because they emphasize quality [...]

  On February 13, 2012 Herradura Tequila and UrbanDaddy sponsored a Mixologist Battle with four of San Francisco’s finest mixologists. It was a lively party, themed like an epic boxing match, complete with vintage gloves, posters, and even an announcer introducing each contender. Three judges were on hand to taste and grade each contender’s tequila cocktail: Robert Polacek of the Puccini Group;  Virginia Miller of the SF Bay Guardian; and Greg Lindgren of Rye on the Road, 15 Romolo, Rye, and Rosewood. Over 100 people attended the event at 111 Minna Gallery to watch Carlo Splendorini, Kate Bolton, Mike Vegas, and Joel Titelbaum battle it out to win a trip to Mexico, courtesy of UrbanDaddy. Joel Titelbaum won the bout and I wouldn’t be surprised if he is sitting on a beach right now drinking his winning libation, The Sleeping Sage. Enjoy the drink yourself and imagine you are soaking [...]

Avion silver tequila: www.aviontequila.com Avion, made famous in the HBO series Entourage, uses exclusively blue weber agave from the highest elevation in Jalisco. The elevation produces more character in the plant. They also use ultra slow filtration, and once that is done the master distiller then tastes the spirit until it has reached optimal flavor, which they call the “moment of elevation.” Avion Silver is peppery, and smooth with very little heat. It is a good tequila for those who want a spirit with less bold flavors, or a new drinker looking for something with minimal burn. Although not one to promote doing shots of anything, if you are looking for a tequila to jump start your buzz this one would be an easy choice. It could also lend itself easily to a basic margarita, made with tequila, lime juice, and agave nectar.

By Corey Hill The inhabitants of Central and South America arrived around 40,000 years ago, crossing over from Asia on a land bridge at the Bering Strait and settling into their new homelands. They built temples, created number systems, and developed agricultural techniques. And like all people throughout history, they figured out how to make alcohol from whatever was available. The landscape was varied, and the results were a dizzying array of drinks – from beer made from corn, a drink made from the maguey plant, to a meade-like concoction fermented in a canoe. One thing is for sure: the ancient civilizations of the Americas knew how to booze. Chicha The Incans presided over the largest empire in the pre-Colombian Americas, nearly 800,000 square miles in what are now Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Colombia, Chile, and Argentina. The secret to their success? Strong central government, efficient administration, and an advanced military. Also, [...]

Spit out the worm and take a sip of this south-of-the-border specialty. From Issue 9 By Jessica Maria Let’s face it: mezcal isn’t taken seriously. Thanks to legions of pimply-faced 21-year-olds and overweight tourists wearing t-shirts that proudly proclaim that they “ate the worm,” many people think of mezcal – and its country cousin tequila – as rot-gut with a grub. It’s a joke, a frat party dare, a south of the border rite of passage for spring breakers. And that’s a shame. Because once you look past that pesky little larva, you’ll find that mezcal is a surprisingly smooth, terribly tasty, and amazingly adaptable spirit. This misunderstood spirit is often mistaken for tequila, but isn’t. Mezcal can be made from several different varieties of the maguey (agave) plant in and around the state of Oaxaca. Tequila can only be distilled from the blue agave in the state of Jalisco. These [...]