All alcohol starts life as sugar, and the sugars used to make agave spirits like mezcal and tequila come from … agave! But the energy source that becomes sugar is also what powers the agave’s ability to reproduce. So if you allow the agave to reproduce, you’re also burning up the sugars you need to make alcohol. It’s a pick-your-poison episode of Agave Road Trip! Find extra photos and related links at agaveroadtrip.com Agave Road Trip is Powered by Simplecast . See Privacy Policy at https://art1...
Sep 22, 2022•20 min•Ep. 109
There’s this idea that, somehow, tequila and mezcal are healthier to drink because sugar from agave has a lower glycemic index than other sugars. Our medical correspondent Dr. Ryan Aycock, the Cocktail MD, punctures a hole in that idea — and also cautions that, if that idea had been drinking shochu before he made that hole, the idea will bleed more profusely. All that and more in this episode of Agave Road Trip! Find extra photos and related links at agaveroadtrip.com Agave Road Trip is Powered ...
Sep 15, 2022•22 min•Ep. 108
If you believe the mezcal geeks, no self-respecting mezcalero would ever adulterate their multi-generational spirits with gusanos or scorpions or any critter of any kind. But I tend to believe history over geeks, and history tells a different story. We share that story in this episode of Agave Road Trip! Find extra photos and related links at agaveroadtrip.com Agave Road Trip is Powered by Simplecast . See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19...
Sep 08, 2022•26 min•Ep. 107
When Maluma announced he was releasing a cristalino mezcal, a corner of the world went nuts: tens of thousands of his fans, excited to try it, and hundreds of mezcal geeks, outraged over a perceived attack on Mexico’s cultural heritage. Meanwhile, most of the world went about their day. It’s a keep-calm-and-carry-on episode of Agave Road Trip! Find extra photos and related links at agaveroadtrip.com Agave Road Trip is Powered by Simplecast . See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and Ca...
Sep 01, 2022•26 min•Ep. 106
Back in 2004, the USA imported over $400 million worth of tequila. Approximately 73 percent of that was tequila in bulk form. So when the Mexican government suggested they were going to change the rules such that tequila had to be bottled in Mexico … well, US companies went to bat to protect their multi-million-dollar bottling factories. And they succeeded! Or did they? And should they have? We release our bottled up frustrations in this episode of Agave Road Trip! Find extra photos and related ...
Aug 25, 2022•23 min•Ep. 105
One of the things you hear over and over is that pechuga – the mezcal made (often) by adding raw chicken (or turkey or venison or name-your-protein) – is a special spirit made for celebrations. But then you see novelty pechugas, made with bacon or al pastor. So what’s the truth about pechuga? It’s a chicken-or-the-egg episode of Agave Road Trip! The cover for this week’s episode is provided by Eisner Award-winning designer Mark Cox! Find extra photos and related links at agaveroadtrip.com Agave ...
Aug 18, 2022•26 min•Ep. 104
Mexican regulations require an agave spirit to fall between 35% and 55% alcohol by volume (ABV) to qualify for certification as mezcal. But in the USA, the TTB requires that same spirit to be a minimum of 40% ABV to qualify as mezcal. Why? Well, who knows? Not us! But that doesn’t stop us from blindly speculating! It’s another meandering episode of Agave Road Trip! Find extra photos and related links at agaveroadtrip.com Agave Road Trip is Powered by Simplecast . See Privacy Policy at https://ar...
Aug 11, 2022•22 min•Ep. 103
Since mezcal is often around 50% ABV, that means it’s also around 50% water. Does that water help hydrate you? What about the water in beer, which is often around 95% of that pint. And coffee? That’s more than 99% water. So … what exactly is the deal with hydration? We’re under water in this episode of Agave Road Trip! Find extra photos and related links at agaveroadtrip.com Agave Road Trip is Powered by Simplecast . See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice a...
Aug 04, 2022•30 min•Ep. 102
Read almost any of those “differences between tequila and mezcal” articles, and they’ll tell you that tequila steams their agave, mezcal roasts it underground. But in the cover to this week’s episode, you can see Chava and me sitting in the skeleton of a century-old boiler at an even older mezcal fabrica in Guanajuato. So when exactly does tradition start? We get the purists hot under the collar in this episode of Agave Road Trip! Find extra photos and related links at agaveroadtrip.com HRN is h...
Jul 28, 2022•19 min•Ep. 101
How many different kinds of agave can be used to make mezcal? Well, heck, that’s easy: the regulations allow you to use any of them. So why have there been so many articles saying it’s “more than 40”? When 159 species … species … have been identified in Mexico?! We take the media to task in this episode of Agave Road Trip! Find extra photos and related links at agaveroadtrip.com HRN is home to transformative exchanges about food. Our 35+ member-supported food podcasts empower eaters to cultivate...
Jul 21, 2022•21 min•Ep. 100
If you hang around a certain crowd, they’ll tell you that mezcal needs to be at least 50% alcohol by volume to be true to the cultural heritage of the spirit. And while that is certainly true in some communities, Mexico is not homogenous. We geek out on some 28% ABV mezcal in this episode of Agave Road Trip! HRN is home to transformative exchanges about food. Our 35+ member-supported food podcasts empower eaters to cultivate a radically better world. This month, we’re asking you to join us. Beco...
Jul 14, 2022•20 min•Ep. 99
When I tell people about my trips to Mexico, it's not uncommon for them to ask how dangerous it is. Chava and I debate the relative threats of Mexico in this not-approved-by-the-US-Department-of-State episode of Agave Road Trip! Episode Art Courtesy of Jose Guadalupe Posada Find extra photos and related links at agaveroadtrip.com Agave Road Trip is Powered by Simplecast . See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-inf...
Jul 07, 2022•25 min•Ep. 98
All over Mexico, there are communities where they distill spirits from fermented agave. And in a lot of these communities, they call that spirit "vino de mezcal." But "vino" means "wine," and wine, when it's distilled, is called brandy -- has been for the Spanish since before they ever came calling. So ... why do they use the word "vino"? Chava's mind is blown in this speculative episode of Agave Road Trip! Find extra photos and related links at agaveroadtrip.com Agave Road Trip is Powered by Si...
Jun 30, 2022•22 min•Ep. 97
The cigarettes you smoke and the food you eat will kill you sooner than the alcohol you drink. But make no mistake: in the USA, alcohol consumption is the third leading preventable cause of death. And yet, alcohol also brings people together, which has its own health benefits. So is there a healthier way to drink alcohol? Chava pitches Cocktail MD, Dr. Ryan Aycock, on agave spirits as the healthful answer in this episode of Agave Road Trip! Find extra photos and related links at agaveroadtrip.co...
Jun 23, 2022•25 min•Ep. 96
Last year, Chava and I recorded an episode titled “The Best Mezcal is the Most Highly Awarded Mezcal.” We kind of panned the idea of spirits competitions as anything more than a guide for someone new to a spirits category. Then Chava was invited to serve as a judge for a competition, and now he’s a convert — both to judging and to spitting. Chava positions himself as a tremendously useful tool in this episode of Agave Road Trip! Find extra photos and related links at agaveroadtrip.com Agave Road...
Jun 16, 2022•27 min•Ep. 95
It all began with Dr. Ryan Aycock telling us about “The Effects of Alcohol and Your Shrinking Brain.” Then we had an on-air therapy session for Chava, who both wants to drink agave spirits but also wants to maintain a fat brain. Now… Chava lands on his solution. We do a spit-take in this episode of Agave Road Trip! Find extra photos and related links at agaveroadtrip.com. Agave Road Trip is Powered by Simplecast . See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at h...
Jun 09, 2022•21 min•Ep. 94
A few weeks ago, Cocktail MD Dr. Ryan Aycock joined us for “The Effects of Alcohol and Your Shrinking Brain,” an episode so titled because … well, drinking alcohol causes your brain to shrink. This freaked out Chava (and apparently several of our listeners). So I made him talk about it “on air.” What do you do if you like to drink agave spirits but also like your brain? We strategize options for protecting your brain in this episode of Agave Road Trip! Find extra photos and related links at agav...
Jun 02, 2022•26 min•Ep. 93
Okay, we really liked our conversation with renowned food journalist Dan Saladino, author of Eating to Extinction . In last week’s episode, we talked about the importance of consuming a diversity of options. This week, we talk with him about the importance of that diversity coming from a specific place. And maybe that place should be where you live. We think about staying parked in place in this episode of Agave Road Trip! Find extra photos and related links at agaveroadtrip.com. Episode Art Cou...
May 26, 2022•27 min•Ep. 92
We’ve talked a lot on this podcast about the importance of biodiversity in agave. But Dan Saladino takes that conversation to the next level, explaining how what we eat – and drink – will determine whether or not we can survive as a species. We have that conversation with the renowned food journalist and author of Eating to Extinction in this episode of Agave Road Trip! Find extra photos and related links at agaveroadtrip.com. Agave Road Trip is Powered by Simplecast . See Privacy Policy at http...
May 19, 2022•28 min•Ep. 91
Mezcal is good for the soul. But what about the brain? And especially the developing brain? Dr. Ryan Aycock, the Cocktail MD, joins us for the scariest episode that Chava never wanted to record. Grab a glass of water for this sobering episode of Agave Road Trip! Find extra photos and related links at agaveroadtrip.com Image Courtesy of Carlos Palomares Agave Road Trip is Powered by Simplecast . See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/pri...
May 12, 2022•24 min•Ep. 90
Maguey mutts! Palenque pups! Fido de mezcal! We did an episode about how much mezcal you can bring back from Mexico -- now we talk about how to get a dog back! If you’ve ever fallen in love with a four-legged furry friend in rural Mexico … or even a three-legged furry friend … we give you here the lowdown on how to head home with the ultimate bounty our neighbors to the south have to offer! Find extra photos and related links at agaveroadtrip.com Agave Road Trip is Powered by Simplecast . See Pr...
May 05, 2022•24 min•Ep. 89
For years, I’ve heard that a glass of wine each day is good for you — makes you healthier, helps avoid heart problems. So will a bottle a day make you even healthier? We call in Dr. Ryan Aycock, Cocktail MD, to answer this question. Get set for the best health regimen ever in this episode of Agave Road Trip! Find extra photos and related links at agaveroadtrip.com Agave Road Trip is Powered by Simplecast . See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://a...
Apr 28, 2022•28 min•Ep. 88
The capon’d agave — the agave that is harvested after it’s begun reproduction, after its quiote has been cut, after it’s been left to develop and change in the field, healing its wound — is considered a special, beautiful, romantic source for making an especially delicious agave spirit. But not by maestro vinatero El Lobo de la Sierra in Los Jacales, Jalisco. Lobo breaks Chava’s heart by busting the capon myth in this episode of Agave Road Trip! Find extra photos and related links at agaveroadtr...
Apr 21, 2022•18 min•Ep. 87
We love Mexico! We love visiting, love eating the food, love drinking the drinks, love checking out the art! We love buying examples of all of these things and we love bringing those things back home to share with our friends, to encourage them to go love Mexico! But … are we loving it to death? We question our intentions and impact in this episode of Agave Road Trip! Find extra photos and related links at agaveroadtrip.com Agave Road Trip is Powered by Simplecast . See Privacy Policy at https:/...
Apr 14, 2022•28 min•Ep. 86
Profeco, the consumer-protection agency of the Mexican government, ran an analysis of 36 certified mezcal brands. They flagged a bunch of them for various violations, including the claim that Mezcal Gusano Rojo doesn’t even qualify as mezcal. What?! We drag out the dead horse that is the mezcal denomination of origin for another beating in this episode of Agave Road Trip! Find extra photos and related links at agaveroadtrip.com Agave Road Trip is Powered by Simplecast . See Privacy Policy at htt...
Apr 07, 2022•24 min•Ep. 85
Chava got a bug. After consulting the Ebers Papyrus and an appointment with Pliny the Elder, he chose a mezcal shot over a flu shot. Cocktail MD Dr. Ryan Aycock joins us to get Chava back on the mend and to answer the burning question: can mezcal actually be medicinal? Join us for a booster episode of Agave Road Trip! Find extra photos and related links at agaveroadtrip.com Are you a business owner? Become an HRN business member! For $500 HRN will shine a light on your work AND you will help sus...
Mar 31, 2022•25 min•Ep. 84
There’s a lot of moral outrage around the harvesting of agave that hasn’t yet reached maturity. But … when exactly is agave mature? By whose standards? And if the agave is getting harvested before it can produce seeds — which is always the case when you’re using the agave to make spirits — how is it a morals issue whether you harvest that agave a week before or a couple years before it reaches maturity? We light the fuse in this episode of Agave Road Trip! Find extra photos and related links at ...
Mar 24, 2022•24 min•Ep. 83
How sweet it is! Mexican regulations allow up to 1% of your tequila to be additives, the four most common being sugar-based syrup, glycerin, oak extract, and caramel coloring. Purists get outraged by this — it’s cheating! But we’re far more interested in what this means from a health standpoint. So we called in Agave Road Trip medical correspondent Dr. Ryan Aycock. Cocktail MD gives us the lowdown on tequila additives in this episode of Agave Road Trip! Find extra photos and related links at aga...
Mar 17, 2022•25 min•Ep. 82
The Distilled Spirits Council of the United States released their 2020/2021 report and … good lord, you people are drinking a lot. But the real news here is, you’re also paying a lot more for what you drink. So does that mean you’re getting better tequila? Or just more expensive tequila? We dissect the numbers in this episode of Agave Road Trip! Find extra photos and related links at agaveroadtrip.com Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support Agave Road Tr...
Mar 10, 2022•27 min•Ep. 81
There's a Denomination of Origin for mezcal -- has been since 1997. The Mexican government gets to decide what is and what isn't mezcal. So if the Mexican government doesn't recognize an agave spirit as "mezcal," should we? It's another rhetorical episode of Agave Road Trip! Find extra photos and related links at agaveroadtrip.com Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support Agave Road Trip by becoming a member ! Agave Road Trip is Powered by Simplecast . See...
Mar 03, 2022•25 min•Ep. 80
