by HEATHER THUESEN

One of my absolute favorite poets, Edgar Allan Poe, wrote once about a topic I never thought the dark depths of his soul ever would – beer.  “Fill with mingled cream and amber, I will drain that glass again. Such hilarious visions clamber through the chambers of my brain. Quaintest thoughts, queerest fancies, come to life and fade away. What care I how time advances? I am drinking ale today.”   Unlike Poe, I don’t tend to name one particular beer or beer style as a favorite.  However, I recently refueled my love of Belgian Ales as I had a dizzy reconnaissance with a bottle of Delirium Tremens Strong Ale.  And really what’s not to love, with its gorgeous aromas of citrus candy and creamy banana whirled into a coriander-spiced floral yeastiness?  Even with its higher 9% abv (alcohol by volume), its superb sip-ability makes it no surprise that it ranked as Beer of the World in 1998.  And who doesn’t enjoy a beer that bears a label covered in pink elephants?  
Now granted, Belgium is a very small country yet it boasts probably about 400 different ales, each with a very distinctive personality and profile.  But what’s in an ale?  On the technical front, these are beers that use yeasts that ferment at the top of the fermentation vessel at higher than average temperatures than lagers (about 60°-75°F) which make quicker 7 to 8 day fermentation periods.  On the profile front, because of the esters produced by ale yeasts, the profile of these beers tends to be more floral and fruity in nature.  Belgian ales, perhaps to the horror of more puritanical beer producers such as the United States or Germany, have a time-honored tradition of using wild yeasts in the brews.  Candi, a type of sugar produced by crystallizing concentrated sucrose solution on cotton threads, is extensively used by Belgian brewers in these unique brews.  Because it is easily dissolved and fermented because of its purity, candi is believed to enhance head retention,  produce very distinctive flavors and also lightens the beer’s body in order to better produce the stronger Belgian profiles.  
There are a few categories of note for Belgian beers.  Trappist beers came about from the five monasteries around Belgium:  Chimay, Orval, Rochefort, Westmalle & Westvletteren.  Much like French wine districts, these beers are classified as an appellation controlée, or controlled designation, of beers by the Belgian government.  Using the traditions of the winemaking monasteries in the southern lands, the monks in these grape-less lands established breweries and out of these came two relatively constant styles of trippel and dubbel beers.  Trippel style Trappist beers are the strongest at about 9% abv, and relatively pale compared to the amber dubbels, which fall at around 7% abv.  Chimay, one of the best known Trappist ales, makes a range of three brown beers that have the wild yeast characters of Belgian ales but vary in their alcohol content and resulting flavor profiles.  Orval Abbey beer is a very distinctive flavored ale that I happen to greatly enjoy.  It’s not particularly strong because of its 5% abv, but it’s hoppy nose and three malts in a trippel makes it absolutely delicious and unlike any of the other Trappist offerings.  
Belgian Abbey beers fall in line in a similar style of Trappist ales but typically are brewed by commercial brewers either taking the name of the local abbey or working in conjunction with them.  Saison beers tend to encompass the quotidian Belgian experience, as it were, with this beer style being not overly strong or overly flavored, being the standard (and delicious) fare of the general populace.  Beers that don’t fit the particular profile of the more famous varieties drop into being classified simply as specialty beers.  They can range anywhere from pale gold to dark malt and have profiles of rich, soft flavors to sparkly and dry.  One of the most famous of these specialty beers is Duvel (meaning ‘devil’) out of the Moortgat brewery.  If you haven’t tried this beer, it’s absolutely crazy in its profile.  Wild and blond, with a silky smooth citrus and apple flavor, this beer is deceptive in that it is crisp and refreshing but packs a punch at 8.5% abv.  
Adding to the distinction of Belgian beers is the fact that each one is typically served in its own special glass, from goblets to thistle-or-tulip shaped glasses.  I am actually quite proud of my goblet-shaped Duvel glass, and it definitely lives up to the hype of making a huge difference in how the beer itself presents both with head retention and releasing aromatics.  Not to mention the fact that it makes an easy and classy gift, pairing a beer with its own glass always presents well on any occasion.  For those of you who know beer lovers, nothing says “I know you have awesome taste, have a beer” more than “Here is also a glass to put it in!”
So Belgian ales look pretty in a glass, and have some history.  Does this make Belgian beer worth the purchase over your average brew?  Granted, Belgian ales like Chimay tend to come in a corked 750 mL bottle, which may or may not be intimidating to someone unfamiliar with this beer class, but some are also in a smaller and possibly more spendy vessel.  I think it is worth noting that Beer Advocate, a top notch community of beer enthusiasts and industry professionals, have consistently rated many a Belgian ale in their Top 100 Beers on Planet Earth every single year.  You have to have faith in a resourceful group whose motto is “Respect Beer” and whose sole purpose is a commitment to “waking the masses to better beer options.”  There is a reason that this small country keeps making an appearance on the Top 100 list- they simply make exceptional, exotic and wholly original beers.  
Are you ready to jump into these Belgian specialties?  Fear not, the hunt for Belgian ales and even the corresponding glassware is not a fruitless one.  Liquid Planet has not only many of Beer Advocate’s top Belgian beers, but also a fine selection of many of the Top 100 beers in general.  It also boasts a great selection of the various goblets and tulip glasses that perfectly complement each beer style.  You will be absolutely spoiled for choice, and they couldn’t make it easier to shop for all of those people on your gift lists, whether it is for the holidays or any other occasion.  
It seems appropriate around this season to take a pause like our friend Edgar, and enjoy the cream and amber of beautiful Belgian ales.  And as always, please drink responsibly.  

Heather Thuesen is a sometime-Missoulian who fell in love with the poetry and flavors of the beverage realm at Liquid Planet. Constantly on a quest for connection, she is determined to find how many different sips are at the center of our global and social experiences.

by HEATHER THUESEN

Deep within the murky waters of the Gulf of Bothnia, in between Sweden and Finland, rests a rich secret hidden since May 19, 1917.  Sailing the icy waters of the gulf, the Swedish steamship Kyros left the city of Öregrund laden with 285 tons of tobacco, cognac, liqueurs, and even an engine boiler for another ship.  Blockaded by the solid ice of the Finnish coast, the Kyros was sighted by the German U-Boat UC-58, which promptly launched a torpedo attack to sink the helpless steamship for carrying contraband.  It is believed that nearly 1,000 bottles of 1917 cognac brandy now rest at over 80 meters below the surface of the waters, which makes it very precious cargo to the myriad of connoisseurs of this double-distilled brandy.  
Lexicographer and essayist Samuel Johnson stated, “Claret is the liquor for boys; port for men; but he who aspires to be a hero must drink brandy.”  World renowned as a precious currency and asset, brandy and its various expressions through cognac, Armagnac & liqueur variants has been the prized passenger of many a shipwrecked vessel throughout history.  There is a certain mystique and class that is associated with drinking brandy, though I assure you, it is a very touchable experience for just about anyone willing to try it.  With its color of caramel tones, rounded tannins, hints of spices, fruits and yes, even sometimes tobacco, a nice brandy will put a flush in your cheeks and serenity into your soul.  
Like most distilled liquors, brandy traces its roots to alchemists in the 7th and 8th centuries using its distillations as medicines, only to be further distributed by Dutch traders who  coined the term brandewijn, or “burnt wine,” to this concentrated elixir of life.  Distilled from wine or fermented fruit juices, the resulting liquor is aged in a variety of ways to give the final product a different taste expression.  Most brandies are very location-specific in their names.  Cognacs, for example, are grape-based spirits that come from the Cognac region of France.  Because the wines used are high in acid and low in alcohol, the resulting flavor of Cognac makes its flavor approachable to both brandy sippers and cocktail-imbibers.  Brandies aged in Limousin and Troncais oak casks result in a stronger flavored Armagnac, which makes it more pleasing to sip on its own, versus in a cocktail form.  There are other global expressions of brandy, such as in sweeter Spanish brandies and South American Pisco, Italian grappa, and a plethora of various flavored fruit brandy liqueurs.  
Interestingly, the use of brandy medicinally has carried over through the centuries into our modern age.  A 30mL dose of brandy has been found to have the same antioxidant value of the daily recommended dose of vitamin C.  In fact, with cold and flu season looming, a generous Hot Toddy can soothe the chilliest soul.  By heating 3 ounces of water to a boil, then adding to approximately 1 ½ ounces of a nice brandy and a swirl of sweet honey, you can not only enjoy the antimicrobial benefits of the alcohol, but also help break up mucus and ease a sore throat!  If fresh lemon also pleases you, squeeze a wedge into the toddy and help boost your vitamin C, loosen phlegm and reduce even more swelling in the throat.  
In regards to drinking brandy on its own, outside of a cocktail or toddy form, the brandy glass is a very important element.  If you don’t know where to start, travel down to Liquid Planet and make the easy pick of Riedel’s brandy snifters.  The shape of the brandy glass concentrates the nuances of the bouquet, while the round wide bowl allows you to cup the wine glass and bring it to the right temperature.  With Riedel glassware’s stunning crystal clarity, you will be able to enjoy any brandy’s rich hues right down to the last drop in the glass.  
So you’ve got the glasses, now what to put in them?  If you are new to the brandy realm, and are not making brandy cocktails, I would recommend starting with a VSOP (Very Special Old Pale) or XS (Extra Smooth) brandy or cognac.  This will guarantee that you have a great brandy experience without necessarily breaking your bank account.  If you feel that buying a bottle is somewhat daunting, go visit Kyle at the Iron Horse Brew Pub.  Not only is he a fountain of knowledge on the subject but he has some excellent recommendations for what to try in your first adventures in brandewijn.  For the brandy connoisseur, though the world might have to wait for those 1917 cognacs to reach the surface and break into the global market, Grizzly Liquor has a fine selection of these beautifully aged liquors to satisfy a variety of palates.  
As the Montana winter blankets us with snow, cold and possibly the sniffles, we can stave off both the boredom of the same ol’ drinking routine and even possibly that pesky sore throat with the beauty of brandy.  No matter where this winter finds you, at home or at the pub, please drink responsibly.

Heather Thuesen is a sometime-Missoulian who fell in love with the poetry and flavors of the beverage realm at Liquid Planet. Constantly on a quest for connection, she is determined to find how many different sips are at the center of our global and social experiences.

by HEATHER THUESEN

Long ago, as Yarí the Moon goddess gazed upon the earth over Paraguay, she felt overcome by a great longing to see the rainforests that Tupá, the great god of the Guarani people, had planted.  And so she asked Araí, the pink dusk, to accompany her down to the earth.  As they traveled in human form and hoped to relax within the forests, a huge Yaguareté (jaguar) came out and tried to attack them.  Fortunately, a kindly old Guarani man killed the beast and offered generous hospitality to the visitors.   In an act of gratitude in return for the kindness, the goddesses planted very green plants, perfumed with kindness, and directed the dreams of the kind old Guarani and his family as to how to pick the leaves, dry them on fire, grind them, put the pieces in a gourd, add cold or hot water and sip the infusion.   
The purpose of this new beverage, they said, was meant so the family could always find strength, health & company, even in the sad hours of the cruelest solitude.”  To drink this beverage would mean for the Guarani people a gift of the gods, to drink in the essence of the rainforests.  And so the “caá-ete” was born, which white people would later adopt under the name of Chimarrão in Brazil and Yerba Mate in Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay.  
With the coming of the Conquistadors, who learned about yerba mate and its virtues from the Guaraní, yerba mate became a staple commodity above other wares like tobacco, cotton, and beef, and its trade and consumption spread throughout the entire Viceroyalty of Río de la Plata.  With the coming of the Jesuit priests in the 1700s and their learning the secrets of cultivating mate, whose seeds only germinate after passing through the digestive systems of toucans, yerba mate plantations became very widespread throughout their missionary work.  
The knowledge of cultivation became lost as the Jesuits were run out of South America.  For many years afterwards, yerba mate came only from wild trees in the forest, growing in very dense thickets called islands.  In the early 1800s, a French naturalist by the name of Aimé Bonpland began studying yerba mate and its cultivation, and mate was officially classified as ilex paraguariensis, and Bonpland rediscovered the secret to its domestic cultivation.  However when he died so too did his knowledge, and once again the secrets of growing yerba mate became hidden.  With the coming of the 20th century, Argentina began establishing controlled plantations of yerba mate, which will not grow beyond what was originally established as the original Guarani lands in South America.  
Though frequently and improperly accented as “maté” to help English speaking people properly pronounce it (accented, this is actually Spanish for “I killed”), the proper denotation of mate should be without the accent, and if you’re curious, the pronunciation is YAIR-bah MAH-teh.  It is interesting to note, that despite various anglicized changes to make mate easier to pronounce, the way that it is prepared and consumed has not changed.  
For South Americans, drinking mate became a passion and a mark of cultural identity, with the leaves being dried, chopped and ground, then steeped in a dried natural gourd, and sipped through a metal bombilla (basically a metal spoon with holes to filter out the mate leaves) or hollowed out cane.   It is typically drunk in social gatherings or working in fields, often in actual gourd ceremonies.  One person acts as a server, or cerbador, and prepares the mate carefully, then drinks the initial brew to taste the quality.  This is referred to as the mate del zonzo, or mate of the fool.  The cebador subsequently refills the gourd and passes it to the drinker to his or her right, who likewise drinks it all, without thanking the server, until the entire gourd is washed out.  Some drinkers prepare the mate with sugar or honey, which is a very popular custom in Brazil.
Outside of the deep cultural roots and mystery, the health benefits of mate are truly fantastic.  More nutritious than green tea, and proven scientifically to have strong therapeutic properties, mate is considered to be one of the six most commonly used stimulants in the world, right up there with coffee, tea and guarana.  However, mate is more balanced with its energy and nutritional properties.  It contains a plethora of vitamins, including Vitamin A and various B vitamins, numerous minerals that include calcium, iron and magnesium, and it also contains caffeine, theobromine (such as in cacao) and theophylline.  
What does all of this mean?  It means that in addition to its strong antioxidant properties, yerba mate can stimulate focus and clarity, natural physical energy, and is an absolute powerhouse for the system.  On the caffeine scale, yerba mate has less caffeine than coffee but more than black tea, without the harsher peak and crash that is often experienced by coffee drinkers.  
So how can you experience for yourself the wonders of this amazing brew?  If you’re seeking something beyond your average coffee latte, Liquid Planet offers a very unique Mate Latte, which infuses the steamed milk of your choice with yerba mate, and is delicately enhanced with honey and vanilla.  This can be enjoyed hot or iced, sweetened or unsweetened, however you prefer.  
For established maté fans, there are selections of green and roasted yerba mates for both pots of tea and bulk sales, as well as packages of the high quality South American Taraqui brand.  If you’re on the go, and would enjoy a more flavorful boost, Guayaki has some beautiful bottled mates infused with mint, raspberry, citrus, pomegranate and passion fruit.  If you would like to have your own gourd ceremony, gift sets that include gourds, bombillas and loose mate are also available.  Whether drunk solo, shared daily amongst friends, or at an all-night study session, yerba mate is a great addition to your beverage repertoire.

by Heather Thuesen

In lands not-so-far away, and in a time well before the novelty of the Chia Pet, the ancient Aztec and Mayan civilizations highly revered Salvia hispanica, or chia, for its “magical” ability to increase strength and stamina over time.  Named for the Mayan word for “strength,” chia was valued as a sacred food and medicine as early as 3500 BCE, and it was used in a variety of religious ceremonies, foods and beverages, making it a very valuable staple crop to the ancient peoples.  Aztec soldiers took a mixture of chia flour and corn flour during military exercises, because chia’s healthy oils provide for the body’s need for energy both in the form of easily usable, rapidly assimilated calories, and as a highly efficient energy reserve that provides protection from external stress (like cold weather). One tablespoon of the seeds was considered capable of sustaining a warrior for 24 hours!
With the Spanish conquest of Latin America and introduction of traditional Spanish fare, chia farming was prohibited by the new conquerors.  Though the art of chia farming was still preserved despite the Conquistador presence, the knowledge of its health benefits remained largely only with the indigenous people.  In 1977, chia found a surge in identity, not as a food, but a trademark houseware when Joseph Enterprises, Inc. released the first Chia Pet and its catchy jingle “Ch-ch-ch-chia!”  Though millions of people raced to watch it grow, the Chia Pet’s rise fizzled just as rapidly into novelty item status.  
Today, with scientists and health gurus looking for dietary alternatives in a nutrient-lacking society, chia is enjoying a fabulous resurgence in popularity with its true identity as a superfood.  Like superfruits, chia seeds deliver the maximum amount of nutrients with minimum calories. They have several of the same benefits as the more well-known flax seed, without the need to grind them to reap the health benefits. The nutritional benefits of chia include fiber, omega fatty acids, calcium, antioxidants and even protein.  Chia is also one of the most concentrated sources of omega-3, having even more omega-3 fatty acids than even salmon.   And with nearly 11 grams of fiber per ounce, chia delivers 42% of your recommended daily value of fiber in a single serving.  Because chia absorbs up to 12 times its own weight, it expands in the system and curbs appetite, so adding just an ounce or so of chia seeds to your diet can reduce caloric intake and help lower the energy density of foods, plus double the amount of fiber your body gets.  It makes a great hydration tool for athletes, too, because when placed in water, chia can absorb more than twelve times its weight in water due to the expansion of the soluble fiber, which creates a super-gel.  This translates into long-term energy provided to your body at a steady pace, which is ideal for people looking for the maximum long-term hydration without the need for fast burning energy drinks laced with sugars and carbs.  Chia seed is 19%–23% protein, and is naturally 100% gluten free, making it a terrific addition to people looking to not only reduce their cholesterol but maintain a steady blood sugar rate.  On top of all of these benefits, chia also contains calcium, a whopping 18% of the daily value per ounce, three times more than a serving of skim milk, which is great news for dairy-intolerant people or vegetarians!  
Though frequently sprinkled on cereal, ground into flour or made into puddings, chia is enjoying a rise in appearance in many beverages.  GT’s Kombucha has introduced a special line of its kombuchas packed with organic chia seeds.  Not only will consumers get the amazing chia benefits, but also can enjoy the benefits of active enzymes, viable probiotics, amino acids, antioxidants, and polyphenols, in one beautifully delicious health elixir. All of these combine to create a refreshing beverage that immediately works with the body to restore balance and vitality.  If the thought of kombucha is too off-putting to some consumers, then the Mamma Chia line would be an excellent introduction into the chia beverage realm.  Organic juices and light agave are combined with the magic of the chia seed to create a syngergistic combination of refreshment and healthfulness.  Christopher McDougall, author of Born to Run, sums up the virtues of chia very succinctly when he stated, “If you had to pick just one desert-island food, you couldn’t do much better than chia, at least if you were interested in building muscle, lowering cholesterol, and reducing your risk of heart disease; after a few months on the chia diet, you could probably swim home.”  So trek on down to your local downtown Liquid Planet, where a full line of these vitality-packed beverages can be found, and you can experience for yourself the wonders of chia! 

By Heather Thuesen

American author Tom Robbins, in his novel "Still Life with Woodpecker," wrote that tequila was a drink of outlaws, describing it as a "liquid geometry of passion." It has been the sordid catalyst for spring break "shooter" shenanigans with college students, and the subject of varying degrees of reverence and cursing in movies, modern songs and poetry.

But no popular culture can possibly encompass the true nature and spirit of this gorgeous liquor as well as Mexican poet Alvaro Mutis when he states, "Tequila has no history; there are no anecdotes confirming its birth. This is how its been since the beginning of time, for tequila is a gift from the gods and they don’t tend to offer fables when bestowing favors. That is the job of mortals, the children of panic and tradition."

True to his allusion to panic holding hands with mortal traditions, the history of tequila and its sister spirit, mezcal, is a parallel to the turbulent history of Mexico itself, connecting the fire of indigenous tribes to Conquistadors to modern global consumers, sip by historic sip.

According to the ancient Aztecs, the earth was once held in darkness by an evil goddess named Tzintzimitl, who devoured the light. In order for the humans living on the earth to have enough light to survive, she required that they perform human sacrifices, until Quetzalcoatl, the serpent god, became tired of her evil deeds and ascended to the heavens to kill her. Instead of finding Tzintzimitl, he found and fell in love with her trapped granddaughter Mayahuel, the four-hundred breasted fertility goddess.

After freeing Mayahuel, Quetzalcoatl returned with her to the earth, and an enraged Tzintzimitl waged war upon the lovers until Mayahuel was killed. Fueled by grief & rage, Quetzlcoatl returned to the sky and killed Tzintzimitl, restoring light to earth. Returning from the heavens, Quetzalcoatl spent night after night crying at Mayahuel’s grave. Moved with pity for his loss, the other gods created a special life-giving plant and let it bloom on Mayahuel’s grave, and when an elixir was made from the plant, it would soothe the grieving soul of Quetzlcoatl. And thusly, this is how the Aztecs believed the maguey, or agave plant came to be.

Because of its many healing properties, they used it in everything from dressings for wounds and a balm for skin infections, and the sap from the heart of the agave, or the piña, was used to sweeten their water. It was by accident that it was discovered that if the sweetened sap water was left out in the sun, it would ferment into a powerful drink that would grant them its spiritual properties and allow them to communicate with the gods. This drink, called octli or pulque, is believed to be the predecessor to mezcal.

Distillation of this pulque into mezcal wine began with the Spanish Conquistadors possibly as early as the 1520s in what is now known as Jalisco, and the town of Tequila (the ancient Nahuatl term for "the place of harvesting plants") was established in 1656. By the early 1700s, mezcal wines became a very important export because Tequila lay on the export route for the San Blas Pacific port.

istorically, all tequilas were known as mezcals but in today’s modern distillations they are completely different, in the same manner of distinction of whiskeys (think bourbon versus Scotch and rye whiskies). Both tequila and mezcal derive from Agave plants (which, incidentally, are succulents related to lilies and not cactus plants), but tequilas are only made from agave tequilana Weber, or blue agave.

Tequila is double- (and sometimes triple-) distilled, but mezcal is only distilled once, which gives it a much stronger and smokier flavor profile (think swallowing lava versus a fiery river). Mexico has exclusive international right to the word tequila, and according to Mexican law, tequila can only be produced in the state of Jalisco in the regions of Guanajuanto, Michoacán, Nayarit and Tamaulipas.  It is strictly regulated and has caused many international disputes resulting in stringent trade agreements and bottling regulations.

Rightfully so, tequila is a source of deep Mexican pride, even in the painstaking way that the agave plants are harvested manually by jimadors, a process untouched by modern farming technology. While tequila and mezcal are not the only native Mexican drinks made from agave, I think it can be said that the "burning river in a small glass" encompasses much of the fire of the Mexican culture both in current and in past generations, from drinking in notes of lively mariachi music to the smoky revolutionary endurance of the hardships of war.

Even to this day there is an urban legend around mezcal and its "worm-in-a-bottle" myth. There are a few mezcals, usually from Oaxaca, that include the agave moth larva, or "worm" in their product, but interestingly this was a marketing ploy from producers in the 1940s and not an actual Mexican tradition. And despite the similarity of the word "mezcal" to "mescaline" the worm does not contain any psychotropic properties and is not in itself an aphrodisiac, at least, not any more than imbibing large quantities of alcohol is. As a general rule, a top quality mezcal will not include a worm in it.

o what type of tequila would fit your palate profile, and how should you drink it?  Tequila comes in a few different types, Blanco (or Plata, platinum), Oro (gold), reposado (rested), and Añejo (aged). Tequila Blanco is tequila in its most pure form, and is clear and typically unaged, having a bright and young sweeter agave flavor profile. For a gin or vodka drinker, this might be a great introduction into the tequila world.

Tequila Oro is considered a "mixto," or a tequila that has colorants or flavors added prior to bottling and is predominantly used in mixed drinks. Fans of single-malt Scotch might enjoy the profile of Tequila Reposado, which is a tequila that has been aged in a barrel between two and 11 months, giving it a more complex and rich flavor that is a little more mellow and peppery than its blanco counterparts.

Tequila Añejo is aged for at least one year, and the aging process results in a more amber colored tequila that profiles into a very smooth, complex and richer tequila. Blended Scotch fans or those who enjoy a higher tannin profile in their aged spirits will enjoy the complex and wooded flavors in a nice Añejo.

In Mexico, tequila’s liquid fire is typically savored and sipped without the salt and lime, though in some regions it is not uncommon to find it consumed with a side of sangrita (a sweet, spicy and sour drink made from orange juice, grenadine and chilies).

The "bandera" is also a popular drink, named after the flag of Mexico with its green, white and red colors. This drink consists of three shot glasses, filled with lime juice for the green, white tequila and sangrita for the red. The practice of using the lick, suck & bite method with salt and lime is often used to counteract the effects of alcohol burn in lower quality tequilas, but is not necessary in 100 percent agave, higher quality tequila.

Aged tequilas should be served in a snifter to best capture all of the flavor profile within, and younger tequilas are well-served in a caballito, or tall shot glass (though a regular shot glass will do), and ideally at room temperature as to not stifle the complexity of flavors.

I had a delightful evening of research using a Vinturi Spirit aerator that I brought home from Liquid Planet, which did a very remarkable job at bringing out quite a few different flavor profiles from three different types of tequilas I tried in order to get out of my standby favorite Patrón (which I do recommend if you would like a nice, very touchable tequila). It was definitely a fun project, and well worth the fun if you are up for the experiment.

If you are, I might recommend a few I tried in my Vinturi experiment. I had the Milagro Reposado, which has a beautiful but creamy profile but with amazing spicy agave finish, the Corazón de Agave Blanco, which is a very soft, pure, crisp and clean tequila, and the Casa Noble Añejo, which has so many vanilla, citrus, mocha and sweet herbal flavors that you will fall in love after a single sip.  Enjoy this rich and beautiful spirit responsibly, but with all of the passion of Mexico’s complex river of fire. 

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