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Agave americana - Pulque

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stuartdaly88:
Anyone ever try making this?
and if so please share details of the process(I googled and it explains but not a step by step just in general)

The plant is naturalised here and is pretty common.

This lightly alcoholic beverage is apparantly an aquired taste but healthy and a potent probiotic :)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pulque

BajaJohn:
Did you find this one? https://www.homebrewersassociation.org/how-to-brew/pulque-mexicos-ancient-fermented-beverage/
This page (http://www.eluniversal.com.mx/articulo/menu/2016/11/24/sabes-como-se-prepara-el-pulque) is in Spanish but has an email to contact for more information for those interested in making their own pulque. Don Guillermo at Hacienda de Xochuca - haciendadexochuca@Yahoo.com.mx. They have a web page http://www.haciendaxochuca.com and two pulquerias - La Paloma Azul and La Pirata which have Facebook pages.

There is a series of videos at:
Preparing the maguey heart for extraction of aguamiel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjwgMAzjW7I
Extracting aguamiel and 'rasping' the heart: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWEqqcuzvaI&list=PLskUJvRzbXgNdxktYT3KJnUE6_LSWdXfn&index=3
Maguey cultivation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PjMki0glPqY&list=PLskUJvRzbXgNdxktYT3KJnUE6_LSWdXfn&index=1
Pulque preparation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RnsLkeq2oDw&index=5&list=PLskUJvRzbXgNdxktYT3KJnUE6_LSWdXfn

BajaJohn:
Partial translation of document at http://www.enah.edu.mx/publicaciones/documentos/32.pdf
The maguey is reproduced from  the suckers of the maguey (hijitos  or mecuatitos) which grow around the plant. The method used for this varies depending on the resources, knowledge and beliefs of the farmer. One of the methods is to extract the sucker of parent maguey, pruning some leaves for  better access. When the maguey is between two and four years, the sucker is extracted with its roots and transplanted in  one of the following ways [Loyola Montemayor, 1956: 5-7].
a) Planting in the field: some leaves are removed and the plant left to lie in the field for a few weeks before planting.
b) Planting in a pot: the maguey is removed when it is between five and eight months old. Plant it in a small pot. When it reaches approximately 1 m in height (from three to four years old), the maguey is planted in the field.

The plant is ready to for harvest when aged between 8 to 12 years, largely depending upon the climate. There are cases in which it needs more than 12 years and even up to 20, although normally this happens with much larger magueyes. To start the "capada" of the maguey the agriculturist looks for changes in appearance that signal the plant is ready to produce the quiote (flower stem).  Some of these are the thinning of the heart, the loss of thorns of the leaves and darkening of the leaves. You look for the best side of the maguey to reach the heart, usually that which is pointing to the sun when it rises at dawn, taking into account the side where there are fewer leaves so that access to the center of the maguey is easier. Remove the thorns using a sharp knife (espumilla) for better access to the center of the maguey to remove the heart. Remove the leaves that hinder access to the heart and break off the upper part of the heart (along with the leaves that could not be pulled out), traditionally done with an instrument called a quebrador (huge bar/chisel). Leave a few fragments of the heart to prevent drying out and cover the heart to keep pests out.
Chop the maguey, ideally at full moon or a few days after it. Use the quebredor to chop the plant, cutting the edges of the heart and moving it to break the stalks and detach the bottom of it. Continue to expose the quiote stalk and form a depression. After the heart is removed, the concavity to gather the aguamiel  should be be cleaned and then filled with the pieces that were obtained when cleaning it; It will help the quiote stalk "sweat" and "rot", to initiate production of the sap in the quiote stalk. It maturess together with the other botanical juices produced by the maguey and the pieces that rest on the concavity. During this stage the maguey is allowed to stand for three to eight days, sometimes it can be longer, depending, as we have already mentioned, on the farmer, the development of the maguey and the climate.

Scraping the maguey and extracting the aguamiel

This activity is carried out by the tlachiquero twice a day during the time that the maguey produces aguamiel (from four to eight months, according to the maguey). It is important that it is carried out since the aguamiel can spoil if it is not extracted and the quiote stalk is scraped again. To ensure that the bugs do not enter the aguamiel, as well as that in rainy weather the water does not fall into the quiote stalk, some stalks and a stone are placed on top of the concavity. To scrape the quiote stalk you have to use an instrument called "raspador" . Scrape very carefully, since the walls of the concavity can be damaged, affecting the production of aguamiel. Some time later the aguamiel contained in the quiote stalk is extracted with a utensil called "acocote", the narrowest part is dipped in the sap and the aguamiel is sucked in through the widest part without it reaching the mouth. Pour the liquid obtained into the storage containers and continue extracting the aguamiel leaving the quiote stalk without traces of aguamiel then scrape again.

Production of pulque

A tinacal is the place where the process of pulque fermentation takes place. The pulque is fermented in containers such as glass fiber tubs, animal skin, barrels and plastic containers, among others. The obtained aguamiel is poured into the containers destined to ferment it and containing the pulque starter, which is a substance made from the leftovers of pulque. From this moment, fermentation of aguamiel begins in pulque, which takes approximately 24 hours, so daily "feeding"  of additional aguamiel is needed. The strength of pulque varies from three to six degrees [Loyola Montemayor, 1956: 48] and depends on the aguamiel, the quality of the mague, climatic factors and the time that the maguey was left to "rot". It is important to mix the pulque from different containers to maintain the quality of the drink and that it does not spoil, as well as to carry out the daily feeding to continue with the fermentation. After 24 hours in which the fermentation of the aguamiel takes place, pulque is produced, of which there are two types: natural and cured. The drink is ready to be drunk in the right places for it, at family parties or at home or to accompany it with meals. The quality of the pulque depends on the maguey, the environmental factors, the care given by the tlachiquero as well as the quality of the aguamiel.

Kada:
if baked, could it be at all comparable to tequila?  i have often wondered as its naturalized here as well

stuartdaly88:
Some awesome info thank you John!

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