What do you think is the oldest recorded fermented beverage in North America? It is neither beer nor wine; it is pulque, a drink handed down from centuries past inside Mexico and still thought to be sacred and medicinal.
Sacred and Medicinal Traditions
Archaeological records assert the agave plant has been in use no less than 9,000 years ago. And, with the fermenting of the plant’s sap, pulque came into being. So they considered it not merely for drinking but rather for religious, medicinal, and nutritional purposes.
According to accounts during the period of the Aztec Empire, pulque was believed to have been a gift from the goddess Mayahuel, the goddess of moon, fertility, and nutrition. It was said the more one drank of the nectar, the higher their spirits could fly. Herein, fermentation itself became revered as a miraculous act.
Banishment From the Common
Pulque became a very sacred drink over the years and only served the very few: the elderly, the nursing mothers, and the very wealthy. Its medicinal aspects were so appreciated that it was used even in treatments for fever and mental disorders.
European Encounter and Resurrection
Pulque caught the fascination of European colonists on their arrival to Mexico. Attempts were made to begin exporting it to Spain, but the bacteria in the agave sap turned it sour much too quickly for a successful sea voyage. What they turned to then was distilling the pulque, which gave life to the modern beverages tequila and mezcal.
Agave: The Magical Plant
One of the principal ingredients is agave, the base of pulque, which many people mistake for cactus. It looks like Aloe Vera but it is a much bigger very powerful plant.
When the plant reaches around 10 to 12 years of age, a long stalk grows out of its center and is cut into a trough. This trough will be used for storing aguamiel (honey-like juice). One plant is capable of producing approximately one-third of a gallon of juice every day.
The components of this sap are 70% fructose, 27% glucose, and small quantities of maltose and maltodextrose—making it a perfect mix for fermentation.
Pulquezo: Mix of Agave and Beer
According to 16th-century Spanish references, the Aztecs would mix malt and a special plant called ocpactli into pulque that imparted not only flavor but also protection from bacteria. This drink could today be somewhat homemade in a modernized form called “Pulquezo.”
Pulquezo Recipe for At-Home Brewers (5 gallons)
- 4 lbs liquid malt extract
- 4 lbs light or amber agave nectar
- 1 lb Carapils Dextrin malt
- 2 oz Cascade hops
- Ferment with California Ale yeast
Procedure
Steep malt at 160°F for 30 minutes. Add agave nectar and malt extract to make syrup for a 30-minute boil. Add hops. Cool for 5 minutes and allow to ferment.
Traditional Pulque Recipe
Once the sap is obtained from the agave plant, Zymomona mobilis bacteria and wild yeast present in the sap start fermentation. The sap, poured into large containers, is inoculated with a small quantity of previously made pulque (the starter) to cause rapid fermentation in 12–20 hours.
It comes out milky-white from fermentation and has to be drunk right away otherwise it goes off in a week.
Can you make Pulque in your house?
If you don’t happen to live in Mexico or in the USA, don’t worry. You can buy agave nectar from grocery stores. Z. mobilis bacteria are expensive (around ₹12,000) but they can be replaced by alternatives such as Steinberg wine yeast.
It won’t taste anything like the traditional one but will still have that fruity taste of agave. Some people add fruit puree as an enhancer, but that is no longer traditional pulque.
What Makes Pulque Special?
Pulque is much more than just an alcoholic beverage. It is a cultural, traditional, and spiritual connotation of itself. Historically, it goes back to the Aztecs, and still today is drank with great respect in the rural sides of Mexico. It is an experience that gives a flavor of history and taste from ages ago.
Conclusion
Pulque is the elixir that has danced through time, still refreshing to this day. It gives one insight into ancient cultures while serving a dual purpose of taste and healthfulness. So should you ever be in Mexico, drinking pulque is not just something to do one may consider but an entity that tells history in every lick.
