A light-hearted thread about Tequila

[Mike 03]

I've never had tequila, that I'm aware of.

Today I learned that two of my favorite people in the world like it, "on the rocks." I didn't even know they were talking about tequila until I Googled the brand name of what they were talking about.

I've always heard tequila is one of the worst drinks in terms of getting hangovers/headaches.

But naturally, I'm curious as hell...

I'm not very much into hard liquor, but for whatever reason, a bunch of people over the years have told me their favorite drink is tequila (not just these two, but a dozen or so from when I was way back in college).

This isn't the drink with the worm in the bottom of the bottle is it?

What is made from?

I'm just curious to learn more about why tequila has this allure when I have heard mostly bad things about it from most people. Also, do you drink it straight or add water and ice, or should it be part of some mixed drink?

Just curious! There has zlways seemed to be some weird mystique about tequila.

And, Yes, I will Google it. Sometimes I like the more personal approach of just hearing what people here have to say about it all.

Thanks for any responses you might have.

Off to "Google" to Google "Tequila."

[Enrique]

1. I'm surprised you've heard it has a bad reputation in re hangovers

I've found exactly the opposite, that I can indulge with relative impunity.

It's made from some weird succulent Mexican plant.

[av8rdave]

8. Oh, I had some nasty hangovers in flight school after "afterburner" parties

You had to drink ignited shots.

Nasty.

[XemaSab]

15. Agave

[MissMillie]

16. me too

Vodka, on the other hand.....

It's the blue agave cactus, I think.

[Mike 03]

17. I tend to believe you. Women say it's no big deal. The only complaints I've heard were from

men, now that I'm thinking about it.

There used to be this morning zoo AM show in Los Angeles and the guys there were always saying that tequila was the worst hangover.

[Lavender Brown]

2. I can't drink tequila

For me it's true, it does make me sicker than other liquors, even if I only drink a little. :puke:

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

3. I can drink tequila and whisky with no problems

Vodka doesn't like me, even if I just have a few vodka drinks.

[Mike 03]

19. When I was into my Hunter S. Thompson phase, I used to drink Wild Turkey and I NEVER had

a hangover once.

But it has been years since I drank hard liquor, so I don't know how it would affect me now.

But it is weird. I never had any effect from whiskey. But I can't drink wine, and even beer sometimes gives me migraines.

Is that weird?

[Swede]

4. I find the tequila hang over no better or worse than other hard liquors.

The buzz is another story.

[nomorenomore08]

5. I can drink anything, but prefer whiskey (and prefer beer to anything hard).

I don't find tequila to be necessarily worse in terms of nausea (that night or the next morning) than other liquors, though I'm not terribly fond of the taste (unless it's something expensive like Patron) and I prefer it in a mixed drink like a margarita, though shots with lime and salt are nice too.

[leftyclimber]

6. It affects me really strangely.

Even one shot's worth of it. My mood gets really weird ... not really depressive, but something that I would assume to be close to it. Just ... not right. In a way I don't like. Which is a bummer, because good tequila is very tasty. (Obviously I am a former tequila drinker. :))

IMNSHO there is no worse hangover than a red wine hangover, with rum running a close second. I couldn't say about tequila, because I've never been able to drink enough of it to actually be hung over. I'll leave that to the experts. ;)

Tequila's made from the agave plant, which is a succulent. Most people I know who drink it like it in margaritas, with a little Rose's Lime Juice, or doing shots with salt and lime. And the good stuff can run a pretty penny, as most good liquor does (unfortunately).

Oh, and Mezcal has the worm at the bottom of the bottle.

[Pharlo]

7. About an hour outside of Guadalajara in the Mexican state of Jalisco

is the town of Tequila. There are acres upon acres of well tended agave cactus planted in rows - reminiscent of corn in the American midwest. In addition, there was a ramshackle little drive up stand (reminded me of a lemonade stand) where customers could buy Tequila by the glass.

However, that was back around 1986. Interesting little town then. Don't know if it's still like that though.

Actually, until I was driving through the town, I never knew Tequila was a place, not merely a drink.

[Robeson]

9. The worm is in Mezcal. Mezcal is different than tequila...

...tequila is my liquor of choice. It's one of the few liquors I get no hangover from. Some even akin it to a chemical buzz.

Mezcal has a whole different type of buzz, and is almost like doing a "drug".

[DarkTirade]

10. The only time I've ever thrown up from drinking there was tequila involved.

And rum.

Lots.

[Kali]

11. good tequila is good

100% blue agave and you are venturing into the better stuff. otherwise it is cut with cane alcohol and often colored with strange substances. It comes "fresh' - blanco or silver (clear), or aged - reposado and anejo (anejo is aged at least a whole year) and will be a very light gold color from the wood. They are sometimes aged in old whiskey barrels and acquire a nice smoky flavor. They can be sipped straight up or mixed - personally I don't think straight tequila is meant to be served on the rocks - it comes from a warm climate and a country that doesn't traditionally use much ice, although margaritas are fine to have ice (not required, however!) Slushy drinks made with good tequila are an abomination, fortunately the same people who like those tend to use crap like Cuervo gold or worse, so they deserve the hangover they WILL have.

Too much of any booze will give you a hangover but I have found that sticking to higher end (NOT overpriced fad brands, just the upper middle of a decent selection) limits the main hangover potential. Herradura is my brand of choice but even Cuervo's Traditional is decent at least when you first open a bottle. I find that tequila oxidizes pretty fast so the top of a bottle may be for drinking straight but if it sits long the bottom will go for margaritas. (tequila, cointreau, lemon or lime juice and simple syrup to taste - cracked ice)

Other distilates from similar plants are sotol, maguey "mescal" (traditionally the one with the "worm"), bacanora. I imagine there are more and technically they are all mescals. These plants send a large stalk up when they flower - most of the agaves only flower once in their lifetimes (which may be 20 years) and when that stalk is first starting to emerge it is loaded with (fermentable) sugars. Indigenous peoples have long used these plants for food and beverage. The Spanish introduced distillation to the program. (conquest wasn't all bad, heh)

[Starry Messenger]

12. I used to be known as "tequila queen" in college.

I tapered off after a 24 hour hangover. Mescal is nice, though. Mostly I stick to wine or beer now that I'm 38. I noticed a big change in how I metabolized alcohol in my mid to late 20's. YMMV.

[MilesColtrane]

13. I had to quit drinking tequila by the time the boutique higher quality brands...

...were readily available.

In the day it was Cuervo Gold, shot with a lime wedge (no salt,) and chased with domestic beer.

Something in that plant made me do things...bad things.

I've been drunk thousands of times, but only tequila has gotten me thrown out of a restaurant.
Only tequila has made me think that breaking into a friend's house was a good idea.
Only tequila made me swim out to the middle of a medium sized river (while still carrying the bottle in one upraised hand) and climb the bridge pilings in order to jump off of them.
and on, and on...

People's bodies are different, and the same chemical combos don't affect everyone the same, but I'd advise you to be conservative with your intake until you know what it will do to you.

[XemaSab]

14. Don't get the $5 tequila

Get the more expensive stuff.

It's not really different from any other hard liquor; you get what you pay for.

[Lost in CT]

20. If you mean by the bottle oh good lord did I learn that lesson one day. nt

[Swede]

18. Speaking of puking up green........

I love it,it don't love me.