Pulque

Pulque
Bottle of unflavored pulque with bamboo cap
TypeFermented alcoholic beverage
Country of origin Mexico, (Mesoamerica)
IntroducedAncient, before AD 200
Alcohol by volume 2–7%
Proof (US)4–14°
ColorMilky-white
IngredientsSap of Agave americana
Related productsMezcal, bacanora, raicilla, tequila

Pulque (Spanish: ['pulke] ⓘ; Classical Nahuatl: metoctli[1]), occasionally known as octli or agave wine,[2] is an alcoholic beverage made from the fermented sap of the maguey (agave) plant. It is traditional in central Mexico, where it has been produced for millennia.[3][4] It has the color of milk, a rather viscous consistency and a sour yeast-like taste.[5]

The drink's history extends far back into the Mesoamerican period, when it was considered sacred, and its use was limited to certain classes of people.[6] After the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire, the drink became secular and its consumption rose.[7] The consumption of pulque reached its peak in the late 19th century.[8] In the 20th century, the drink fell into decline, mostly because of competition from beer, which became more prevalent with the arrival of European immigrants, but pulque remains popular in many parts of Central Mexico, however, and there have been some efforts to revive the drink's popularity elsewhere through tourism.[7] Similar drinks exist elsewhere in Latin America, such as guarango in Ecuador (see miske).

  1. ^ Y. H. Hui; E. Özgül Evranuz (17 May 2012). Handbook of Plant-Based Fermented Food and Beverage Technology. CRC Press. p. 692. ISBN 978-1-4398-7069-3.
  2. ^ James Finlay Weir Johnston (1855). The Chemistry of Common Life. D. Appleton. p. 329.
  3. ^ Orford, Jim; Natera, Guillermina; Copello, Alex; Atkinson, Carol; Mora, Jazmin; Velleman, Richard; Crundall, Ian; Tiburcio, Marcela; Templeton, Lorna; Walley, Gwen (2005). Coping with Alcohol and Drug Problems: The Experiences of Family Members in Three Contrasting Cultures. Routledge. p. 48. ISBN 9781134702732. One of the most traditional drinks is pulque, fermented from the maguey cactus, and produced in the region for thousands of years.
  4. ^ Lawrance, Benjamin N; Peña, Carolyn de la (2012). Local Foods Meet Global Foodways: Tasting History. Routledge. p. 106. ISBN 978-0415829953. Central in precolonial ceremonial and food cultures, pulque (octli in Nahuatl) has been produced for thousands of years.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference sacred was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Del Maguey, Single Village Mezcal. "What is Pulque?". Archived from the original on 4 June 2009. Retrieved 11 September 2009.
  7. ^ a b Bonnefoy, Anne (October 2007). "Haciendas pulqueras de Apan y Zempoala" [Pulque haciendas in Apan and Zempoala] (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 15 November 2012. Retrieved 11 September 2009.
  8. ^ "The story of pulque (or Mayan Madness!)". Retrieved 11 September 2009.