CRUSHING
CRAFT TEQUILA
Some producers are reviving traditional , artisanal methods to get to the heart of this agave spirit .
BY THOMAS HENRY STRENK
W hat is craft tequila ? Craft is a term tossed about by marketers , producers and consumers , but there are no laws regulating its use for beverage alcohol , and no real consensus as to what craft actually means . Consumers are swayed by image and marketing , and the often-mistaken notion that high price equals high quality . Craft is open to interpretation , and producers offer their own definitions .
Whiskey is already well on its way to defining craft . Now , tequila is also addressing what it means to employ artisanal practices to produce this agave spirit .
“ The idea of craft in the U . S . was ushered in by the rise of craft beer ,” says Melyssa Mead , brand director for Suerte Tequila , and who previously worked for New Belgium Brewing . “ Consumers want to know more about artisan tequila , that discovery process . Once they get into it , they can really geek out .”
KNOWING AUTHENTICITY While the average American might think all tequila is made Mexico by small madre y padre haciendas — and brands some are — much of the Mexican spirit is produced in large , modern facilities using the latest technology to produce excellent tequilas . And many distilleries produce liquid for more than one brand .
www . beveragedynamics . com July / August 2019 • Beverage Dynamics 13