Kara Newman is an award-winning writer, book author and cocktail expert with more than a decade of experience in the drinks-writing world. According to Diana Corona of the Gran Mitla brand of sal de gusano, these worms, if left alone, can eat the agave from the inside. Cointreau: What It Is and How to Use It. You use words like mouthfeel and terroir unselfconsciously. Use either a liquid measuring cup or a 2  fl oz (59 mL) shot glass to measure your liquids. If you don’t have a cocktail shaker, you can use a mason jar or a bottle that has a screw-on lid to mix your ingredients. But don’t … Drinking Mezcal Straight 1. Mezcal (/ m ɛ ˈ s k æ l /, Spanish: ()) is a distilled alcoholic beverage made from any type of agave.The word mezcal comes from Nahuatl mexcalli [meʃˈkalːi], which means "oven-cooked agave", from metl and ixcalli [iʃˈkalːi].. Agaves or magueys are found mainly in many parts of Mexico and south to the equator, though most mezcal is made in Oaxaca. Step 1. Mezcal is an integral part of Mexican culture, having roots in pulque, a slightly boozy drink made from fermented agave mash.Eventually, the … You smell, you taste, you take it from there.”, The what salt? Then add ice cubes, lemon juice, a shot of mezcal, and grapefruit soda. There are 21 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. Then set it down and pop your finger into the liquid. It is commonly confused for tequila, but in reality, tequila is technically a type of mezcal. 1 denominator that most people associate with mezcal is smoke,” says Reyes. Quite frankly, you’re intimidated. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. Mezcal Drink Recipes: 10 Best Mezcal Mixed Drinks - Supercall By using our site, you agree to our. Steps Combine the pomegranate, lime and orange juices, the agave nectar and hot sauce in a cocktail shaker. Combine all ingredients into tin shaker. The best way to drink mezcal is out of a jicarita and accompanied by orange slices sprinkled with worm salt. You can substitute sal de gusano with salt and ground dried chile peppers, but remember that the taste may vary slightly from the sal de gusano. Reserve the remaining wedges to serve with the margaritas, if desired. “It’s open so you can smell what you’re drinking. % of people told us that this article helped them. Method: Build in a double old fashioned glass. If you are new to mezcal, don’t opt for the most expensive bottle. If you like your drinks to be on the spicier side, add in another pepper slice or a dash of spicy bitters. This article was co-authored by our trained team of editors and researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness. “Put some in your palm and then do that thing they told you not to do during the coronavirus epidemic: put your hands to your face, and smell it,” he says. “That’s a crock. 25 ml Vermouth . If you see a worm in your bottle, it’s probably not good mezcal.”. Traditional . [Photograph: Nick Caruana] Another not-so-traditional … 2 oz Casamigos Mezcal 1 oz Fresh Lime Juice.75 oz Agave Nectar 2 Dashes Orange Bitters. Mezcal Mule. “Maguey is an agave,” says Reyes. Liquor.com uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. “It’s a good start for getting to know and enjoy mezcal.” Brands he recommends include Del Maguey and El Jolgorio. Don’t be discouraged if you don’t like the first bottle you try. “The worms, gusanos del maguey, come out of the plant. Advanced: Spicy Paloma. Your Essential Cheat Sheet to Scotland’s 5 Scotch Regions. What the #$@! In its simplest form, this Mexican classic is just grapefruit soda … You can serve this cocktail straight up or on the rocks, whichever your prefer. Do I Do with This? Mistake: Sipping Mezcal Alone While you should skip the salt and limes, mezcal is best with food. “The best way to drink mezcal will always be clean, in small sips similar to small kisses, always accompanied by a little water to cleanse the palate and hydrate,” Medina says. In a large container or glass juice your grapefruit, lime, and orange. What the #$@! 1.5 Mezcal 1 Blanc Vermouth (my favorite is Carpano Bianco).25 Benedictine 3 dashes orange bitters. Get our best cocktail recipes, tips, and more when you sign up for our newsletter. Check out our favorite tequila drink recipes for inspiration. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Cut 1 lime into wedges. Pour the blood orange juice, lime juice, mezcal, orange liqueur and agave nectar into the shaker. A lot of it boils down to personal preference, like with a lot of other liquors, and despite the unique flavor it can find a home in many different cocktails just as well as you can enjoy it neat or over ice. “You sip your mezcal, then take a bite of your orange, so you keep cleaning your palate and keep tasting the mezcal.” But Not the Worm in the Bottle But if you spot a worm in the mezcal bottle, take a pass. Better together masterclass #2 with Thea, Mezcal Negroni 🖤 Ingredients . Do I Do with This? Mix in muddled herbs of choice (like mint and/or basil), if desired. wikiHow's. Mezcal, on the other hand, can be made from a variety of agave. References. If heat isn’t your thing, leave off the pepper garnish. Cocktail Shaking Methods: How to Use Them Properly, Port Wine: What to Know and 4 Bottles to Try. I wanted to use these flavors but in a drink I can make for a crowd. Mezcal is usually characterized as having a strong, smoky flavor due to the very artisanal production process. Add the mezcal, orange juice, lime juice, orange bitters (if using) and optional sweetener (I usually prefer mine without—you can always add to … Authentic sal de gusano also contains ground, roasted worms from the agave plant. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Basil Cranberry Julep. “You don’t want to get the expensive stuff and not know what you’re drinking.” Instead, he steers newbies toward espadín, the most common type of mezcal, which can show a wide range of flavors, from earthy and fruity to intensely vegetal. The frost on the outside of the shaker should form in about 20 seconds of shaking. Try it instead in for your favorite tequila drinks. 25 ml Bitter . Campari: What It Is and How to Use It. The drink that gin is most known for is the Martini, and here again Mezcal is right at home. If you are new to mezcal, it is recommended to start with a less expensive bottle to get familiar with the taste. If there are worms in the bottle, it’s probably a cheaper mezcal, which can be good but it will not be a top-of-the-line product. The shape of this clay cup allows you to take in and explore mezcal’s... 2. Mezcal is typically served with orange slices and sal de gusano (salt ground with the dried caterpillars that infest agaves). The combination of sweet, tart, and salty are meant to accent and sort of contradict the flavors in the mezcal. A sea salt rim on a margarita glass is par for the course in American bars, but in Mexico, a different kind of salt comes into play when drinking agave spirits, specifically sal de gusano, or worm salt.“The consumption of insects, mezcal and worm salt dates back to before the arrival of Europeans into Mexico,” says Merci Mercado founder Virydiana Velarde. “People say if you eat the worm in the bottle you’ll hallucinate,” says Reyes. Rub the rims of 2 glasses with a lime wedge, then coat with the salt. Other dishes to try with mezcal are pisole or quinoa salad. “You can choose something stronger or milder that will go down easier, or something funkier,” he says. In a tequila glass, serve the amount of mezcal you’d like to drink, divide an orange into six portions and sprinkle a … Add ice. You can make agave syrup by dissolving light agave in an equal amount of hot or boiling water. The secret to this cocktail’s vibrant color isn’t what … The Oaxacan slushie. All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published. You can enjoy mezcal’s earthy and smoky characteristics by drinking it straight, making a mezcal margarita, or creating a Last of the Oaxacans cocktail. Never drink and drive and always arrange transportation ahead of time if you will be drinking. Please help us continue to provide you with our trusted how-to guides and videos for free by whitelisting wikiHow on your ad blocker. Pour 2 fl oz (59 mL) of mezcal into a jicarita. Mezcal is typically served with orange slices and sal de gusano (salt ground with the dried caterpillars that infest agaves). “It’s a stepping stone,” he says. This is a great drink to try if you are new to the world of mezcal. Garnish with an orange wheel sprinkled with sal de gusano. Temerario’s Chelsea Affair, made with mezcal joven, 5 Essential Mezcal Bottles You Need for Your Home Bar, Pickled Cocktail Garnishes: How to Make Them and How to Use Them, The 10 Best Añejo Tequilas to Drink in 2021. tequila (best to skip the mezcal on this one, I think), 1¼ oz. You can opt to squeeze your own lime juice by juicing 1-2 limes. It is known for its distinct smoky flavor that’s derived during the production method used in the distilling process. Luxardo maraschino and green chartreuse can be found in your local liquor store. What do I drink mezcal with? Last Updated: June 6, 2020 This is why I decided to use a citrus-flavored tonic water for this mezcal and tonic cocktail. That’s worm salt.” He recommends a two-ounce pour of mezcal (in a jicarita), accompanied by a half-wheel of orange sprinkled with worm salt. What the #$@! In fact, if you visit a mezcalería in Oaxaca (where most mezcal is produced), they will give you slices of orange to suck on in between pours of mezcal. Sprinkle some of the salt onto the orange. Double straining will remove any pulp or other pieces of ingredients that you want to keep out of your drink. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/1\/1e\/Drink-Mezcal-Step-1.jpg\/v4-460px-Drink-Mezcal-Step-1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/1\/1e\/Drink-Mezcal-Step-1.jpg\/aid10469419-v4-728px-Drink-Mezcal-Step-1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"