Tequila and Mezcal: What's the Difference?

[@gerardocls]

Much respect for you chef !!! As a Mexican I deeply appreciate the way you’ve approached basically all your life to our culture: With love and respect but most of all with great joy. You’re invited to the taquiza and you’re are not cooking, let me have the privilege to do it for you.

[@gilbertomarin5423]

My family is originally from Oaxaca and we migrate to Jalisco. In doing so we learn to enjoy both mezcal and tequila. Yours is a very accurate and wonderful description. Congrats!!!

[@rick2tube]

Been a mezcal fan for years and this is one of the best explanations ever! "Drink tequila and explore mezcal!"

[@joshuabonnelle6527]

Yes chef! Awsome lesson on tequila amd mescal! Keep these wonderful videos coming! What a treat it is to have your willingness to share all of your knowledge of food and culture from Mexico!

[@pixpusher]

Love this lesson!!. I had no idea.

[@rickbayless]

Great! Lots more coming soon!

[@DavidChannin]

Another master class. Thank you.

[@doraclarasaavedra5404]

Thank you for showing so many Mexican recipes and differences. Tijuana mexico 🇲🇽

[@timnh3521]

This is perhaps the most complete and cogent explanation I have heard. I think the pechuga is not chicken breast, but Pavo or Turkey. Thank you!

[@sugarmama8747]

Thanks for the video Chef... I learned something today🥃

[@philipraimondo]

WOW...one of the best explanations of Mezcal I have heard... clear and to the point. Thanks Chef.

[@sylviaastorga4196]

Thanks Rick……you influenced me to try Mezcal. I was in the city of Oaxaca 2 weeks ago because of its food & Mezcal. I loved the Convite Especial Espadín and Mezcal Joven Los Danzantes. I am sold! Not to mention that Hornitos is my favorite Tequila. Thank you for sharing such good information. 🥂

[@Bushido192]

If you travel to Ecuador (perhaps on your way to the Galapagos?), make sure to try Miske. It is also made from agave, but the process is totally different. For starters, the plant is milked rather than harvested, making it more sustainable. The end product is similar but has some very unique notes and flavors

[@soyplebe7]

Yeah, that is what is called cultural appropriation, the same way British and Australians are doing. They took the blue agave to their countries and now they are calling it by other names or simply something like "Destilado de Agave". 👎

[@Bushido192]

@@soyplebe7 could you explain why do you think, wrongly, that this is "cultural appropriation"? :) Do you somehow think that agaves are only native to Mexico and that using them for making fermented or distilled drinks is unique to Mexico?

[@MagaRickn]

The 'smokiness' of Mescal versus Tequila has made me sometimes describe it like comparing Scotch Whisky to Bourbon Whiskey. ;) I enjoy all the flavors of each. Very detailed explanation! Thanks. :)

[@arizonaunplugged-neilbrook9509]

I’ve been a tequila drinker all my life until I discovered Mezcal… For those who have never enjoyed sipping Mezcal… The best way to describe it is like the difference between white bread and Rye bread IMHO🌵🤙🏽

[@donnatecce1884]

Could you recommend a fabulous clean top quality mezcal please?

[@arizonaunplugged-neilbrook9509]

@@donnatecce1884 I would start with Madre Mezcal… Artisanal… Be careful though start out slow and enjoy it :-) You may want to pair it with a small sniffer of Clamato with a dash of Cholula Hot Sauce👊🏼

[@ellocodos]

It should be mentioned that the aged tequilas are aged in oak which inpart that oaky flavor. I prefer the blancos and jovens. Also, mezcal has a smoky flavor due to the piñas being smoked/cooked with wood, which I love.

[@seamus6387]

Yeah, give me the stuff that's been cooked in the ground, has caramel and smoky tastes. It has character and soul, great stuff to sip. Wish I had some right now.

[@jeffsartadventure3634]

For sure,I'm going to have check out that Pechuga Montelobos.

[@burromex1974]

Excellent explanation Maestro,now I can show this video to my English speakers friends, because I didn't know hot to explain them!!!

[@3mulbish]

Thank you. Rick sir, for another lesson in life.

[@christopherreed4723]

If I remember correctly, one of the other big procedural differences between Tequila and Mezcal is that for Tequila the roasted piñas are crushed/pressed for their juice and only the juice is fermented. For Mezcal the piñas are still crushed, but instead of just the juice everything, pulp, fibers, juice and all, are dumped into the tun to be fermented. This, plus the method of fermentation (the tun is often left open) results in a good deal of variation between individual batches, even from the same Mezcalero. Much of the locked-in process of Tequila making was about increasing the consistency from batch to batch. By no means am I saying one is better than the other. But a bottle of Mezcal is kinda lahk a box o' chocolates...

[@inmyopinion6836]

I am learning so much watching you . THANKS !

[@jonmac007]

Once I toured a Mezcal maker/factory in Oaxaca , was really interesting. Our free sample shot was served with a shaker which had : salt, ground chili, and ground worm. lol.

[@chrisburns2]

Good video Rick! Tepeztate is the king. I highly urge people to try it if they can. Or anything from the Karwinski family (Cuishe, Bicuishe, Tobaciche, and Madrecuishe). It's tough to find in the states as most of it is consumed in Mexico. I've heard before that "all tequila is mezcal but not all mezcal is tequila," but it's not accurate because tequila only has to be 51% from agave while mezcal has to be 100% from agave. Mezcal is as pure as you can get. Try only sipping on mezcal and the next day you'll feel great. I'm from Chicago and have been to your restaurants and now live in CDMX. Looks like you do too. See you around.

[@jimdolen225]

Great broadcast, thanks Chef!

[@javiermendoza8056]

Absolutely the best video describing the difference between Tequila and Mezcal. Good job. Where would Chihuahua’s Sotol be categorized - also as Mezcal?

[@franciscocardoza6320]

Wow very interesting. All my siblings and parents are from Durango and I have not gotten to much into mescal but looking at this is making me really want to do it.

[@MezcalBuzz]

Hey, great video and well explained! All your information is 💯 accurate, I love it. I've been searching several videos and find many with misinformation and incorrect. Yours has been the best I've seen so far. I love your home by the way 👍

[@stephenjohnston746]

I think I just found my new hobby. Thanks Chef!

[@happymonk4206]

Very good video, always enjoy your food programs. Muchos Grasias.

[@DonJetblack00]

What a nice surprise. Tnx Rick!

[@TheChefmike66]

Love this, Chef! Thank you, I learned a lot!

[@DrJohn493]

Nice to ponder over the first Margarita of the evening. Now to find me some Mezcal to sample!

[@carengoodrich]

Very cool. I just “discovered” mezcal recently after only buying tequila for years. Now I just want to explore mezcal!

[@smokybbqfrance7618]

Thank you for this chef. I can't wait to travel back to Merida.. cheers

[@antonio4660]

Expert knowledge! Thank you for sharing. I love my 🇲🇽 que bonita es mi tierra

[@victorfigueroa9976]

Loving this. Keep up the amazing work!!

[@BillyG869]

One of the best most accurate clarifications of this wonderful elixir. Mui Bueno..Now you need to teach people the art and practice of how one tastes Mezcal….

[@desertfox3860]

Great information, thanks!

[@jorgealonzo8535]

Very informative ! How about some Mezcal cocktail recipes chef, for noobs like myself to take the smoky edge off?

[@rmccabe117]

What a fantastic video! thanks!! just found Mezcal because of the TRY channel. Be well!

[@granthampubunderground]

I have to admit that I'm not much of a tequila drinker. However, I am a fan of the history and origins of spirits of all kinds. Watching this makes me want to explore mezcals of all types. Great explanation Rick!

[@georgez234]

I love tequila but have never tried mescal. I can't wait to try it.

[@shawnriv9]

Rick - what is your favorite tequila (blanco and reposado) and favorite mezcal? Thanks!!

[@therealhellkitty5388]

@Zorocas: I have a very nice wildcrafted Sotol from Desert Door in Dripping Springs Texas. It’s very floral but with a peppery bite at the end. Try it if you can find it.

[@tsoen-shinlam7621]

I have been to Oaxaca in 2021 and fell in love with mezcal since then

[@gannong1]

Thanks a million!

[@michaelharris6441]

Wow...I'm a huge tequila fan & I've never heard of mezcal.

[@russburton8517]

That's why Mezcal has a earthy teste from the roasting in the ground. I don't know if I can get Mezcal here, I know we used to have a brand years ago that had a worm in the bottle.

[@randyallen2771]

Just when I thought I had the world of Tequila figured out with the NOM system and all that it entails! Do mescal producers have a NOM identification number assigned also .... or are we on our own to identify the producers? Thanks for the complete story Rick!

[@mannyljr]

Mezcal also uses the NOM system to identify the distiller. It should be on all mezcal labels.

[@randyallen2771]

@@mannyljr gracias!

[@greghanlon2235]

Thanks Rick, but it's hard to believe there's no mention of Gusano Rojo.... a Baja beach camping trip right of passage for SoCal surfers/fishermen. The "red worm" at the bottom of the bottle is for tequila virgins brave enough to take the last swig.

[@cococamargo3178]

Wow, I learned a lot.

[@MFgabesylar3030]

Thank you chef!

[@johnpneedham]

Very cool video! Loved learning all this, and I'm someone e who routinely serves the classic Topolo Margarita to guests. Are there any recipes where you cook with tequila or mezcal?

[@rickbayless]

Lately we've been obsessed with adding a splash of mezcal or sotol to ceviches. Here's a great example: www.rickbayless.com/recipe/bloody-maria-coctel/

[@johnpneedham]

@@rickbayless love it! I will try that next time.

[@charliebald1079]

Excellent explanation... never paid much attention to mezcal... not anymore!

[@ThePdxster]

The guy that does my lawn work brought a bottle of mezcal back from his hometown in Mexico. Locally distilled, it's only available once or twice a year at their local farmer's market and quickly sells out. The smokiness reminded me of a heavy peated Islay scotch and was just too much for my tastes. I very much appreciated that he gave it t me, but ended up giving it back to him as he would appreciate it so much more than I ever could. On the flip side, I gave him some very smooth (and very expensive) reposado and he didn't like it as it was too smooth!

[@mitchyoung93]

Mow your own lawn

[@healthdios]

I am completely lost now, I'm Mexican and grew up seeing the different brands of tequila and I always thought mezcal was the lower end of an alcoholic concoction since all we had at hand was just the locals brands and they were awful. Recently though, I ran into some and tasty mezcal but never occurred to me to research it and this video has opened my eyes to all the possibilities for a this heavenly drink. I'm a tequila fan but my alcoholic taste horizons are going to spand for sure now...

[@fasteddylove-muffin6415]

healthdios - Since Mezcals are generally more expensive it was just the opposite (might still be--still watching this video) for me. I'd make the analogy of my (current) thinking is that tequila is to mezcal as brandy is to cognac. Maybe I'll need to come back to edit this.

[@healthdios]

@@fasteddylove-muffin6415 lol

[@scottthomas5999]

Very instructive.👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@LadywatchingByrd]

I love margaritas with mezcal and reposado😎 That smokiness really adds a nice dimension.

[@oldenoughtoknowbetter5824]

Bought my first bottle of Mezcal, Montelobos and it has such a smoky flavor, it was great! plus the bottle design is nice. I've got to try others but some brands designs make it look like cheap tequila

[@machina_aeterna]

Rick Bayless is a National Treasure, to U.S. and Mexico.

[@deadfr0g]

Hmm! I’m no expert, but to me, this makes him sound suspiciously like an _international_ treasure… 🤔

[@ejbear8403]

Very entertaining and informative. Howsomever, I noticed you discreetly made no mention of the infamous worm that is in the bottom of the bottle of some brands of mezcal.... Dos Gusados even hast TWO worms in each bottle....

[@branmar]

You are correct that any mention of the worm is conspicuously absent from this presentation. I will refrain from answering for the chef or putting words in his mouth. But I will say that the myths that surround the worm are nothing but a lot of false hype. I personally think that the worm is not even worthy of mention, unless one wanted to do an entirely different presentation devoted to debunking the myths that surround it. Discussion of the worm would have been nothing but a distraction from the wealth of information that was presented. I'm sure that the chef could have spoken intelligently about the historical origins and traditions of placing a worm in the bottles of mescal. But to do so would probably have been welcomed by too many as an invitation to anecdotes of excessive consumption and its effects. If I had put so much time and effort into an intelligent discussion of tequila and mescal, the last thing I would want to do would be to open that can of worms.

[@rudysaldivar4228]

I invite you to try a single batch spirit by the name of Bacanora from the northern Mexican state of Sonora. Made with 100% wild agave. Not the farm raised crap in industrial Tequila.

[@uduran9907]

Woah! Of course Rick has a very nice selection of Tequila. ArteNOM 1146!

[@shellyjene2066]

Really really interesting!!!

[@1989Azrael]

Is all Mezcal smoky? Because the ones I tasted all had a very strong smoky flavour, while nearly all Tequila was mainly fruity and not smoky at all. Considering that, it seems quite strange that Tequila is a sort of Mezcal. I always thought it kind of the other way round.

[@evanm9026]

Rick is the only chef thats 100 percent supported by the mexican ppl. He shows respect and appreciation for the culture

[@stevemorton9585]

Right on!

[@mogarcia9755]

The Man knows his stuff…

[@JoseSalazar-pl7mn]

I thought people knew about mezcal because growing up so many people drank El Gusano Rojo. That was so common...that’s the mezcal bottle with the picture of a worm walking and with an actual worm or some type of larve in the drink itself at the bottom of the bottle. Maybe people just thought it was tequila...idk. People used to try to eat the worm to hallucinate...idk. I never ate it.

[@fasteddylove-muffin6415]

OK, very informative, still a bit confused. I'll have to keep researching & studying it. But I'll have to move on from that tequila is to mezcal as brandy is to cognac analogy. One thing that supported that notion was several reviews of mezcal on various websites that stated indicated the complex notes of mezcal vs. tequila.

[@TheCpharris21]

Great video. Great explanation. But am I the only one hoping he would take a few sips?

[@cachecow]

I would have liked if you posted photos of the distilleries and the production processes

[@baodo4435]

As watching this helpful video I am enjoying El Tesoro Reposado Tequila.

[@willykanos1044]

You need to also explore Bacanora from Sonora.

[@LeprechaunGinger]

Rick is my favorite Mexican!

[@MiguelPerez-xj8lx]

I love tequila and after trying different bottles of mezcal I have to say I still just love tequila! To each their own!👍

[@Bicgreen]

What about Sotal. Have you tried this? Bic Green

[@Kumurajiva]

The one and only erudite Rick!

[@markbimson3442]

Rick, tell use about the worm in Mezcal?

[@fredblakely2921]

@rickbayless I heard of Los amantes "the lovers" mezcal through an Easter egg in a TV show. If you've had the chance to try it, Is it worth hunting down and trying??

[@maryalove5534]

(: Does it have the worm too?????

[@ricardoalvarez2937]

Mil Gracias

[@dvanmartin9842]

WOW!

[@veronykacruz]

Salud!

[@fasteddylove-muffin6415]

Took till 3:13 mark to realize you were referring to a place, Tequila being from. I think...

[@mariowickel456]

Rick , what about the mezcal with the worm in it ? Some of my Dad's employees brought him bottles of mezcal that had a worm in it

[@maryalove5534]

(: That's the one I don't want ... lol ... ☺

[@rickradcliffe]

That is frat boy plonk

[@absoloodle37]

No explanation for the worm? Did I miss that?

[@satyrsak]

I have tried Ilegal Joven, and found it too smoky for my taste. Are most mezcals that smokey?

[@bjones9942]

Jose Cuervo and Herradura both have trains from Guadalajara to Tequila. I've taken the Jose Cuervo train - makes for a fun and interesting day! And the town of Tequila is very nice.

[@veroman007]

you left out the worm myth... exlnt piece!

[@PPEOPLE1]

I want to go to Mexico with you. Good

[@sharksanchez2800]

Equipo Mezcal aquí...!! ⬇️⬇️⬇️

[@rickkan4870]

Difficult to get mezcal here in Asia, the last time I had a few different mezcals was in Hong Kong

[@zorocas6998]

Sotol is another spirit made from agave similar to tequila and mescal

[@ericktellez7632]

I wanna try some of Rick’s Margaritas

[@madal55]

A diagram/whiteboard would help visualise this

[@torresserg]

Rick you backed out on us! You failed to mention your favorite mezcal and your favorite tequilas. Here I'll go first: favorite tequila Don Julio Reposado. Favorite mezcal: Montelobos

[@losocampo9239]

Big difference Tequila makes you go crazy and Mezcal makes you go Crazier

[@marschlosser4540]

No distilling in Mesoamerica? True, but if you take the fermented juice, freeze it, then you can drain out the alcohol. this is how Mescalero Apaches got their name, Mescal Makers. The difference between modern mescal and tequila: Mescal is made from wormy, scorched hearts, from yuca roots, and sotol. Tequila is the spirit of agave and has loved Native Americans for untold generations.

[@JohnDoe-ff2fc]

I've a new goal in life to explore Mexico, 1 sip at a time.

[@saabstory69420]

Rick where did ya get the blue casa noble??? That's old school good stuff!!

[@kenmorrill5105]

Too funny. It’s like learning as an old guy there is no Santa Clause. Had formal training on alcohol as a young man. Was told, and held unto today, that Mezcal contained the hallucinogenic mescaline!

[@LadywatchingByrd]

I used to think that as well. I say you just add absinthe. 😉