Elixir of the Gods

Hi, we are Diego and Albert and we would like to share our passion for the world of Agave spirits with you.

In this first chapter we will try to differentiate the Agave distills, uncover some myths, and explain how to drink it. We will give some information about the Appellations of origin and explain a bit about the complexity and variety of the Agave plant.

The goal is to try and give you an idea of the process Agave distills go through to become Spirits. The process is complicated but very interesting. If you know the process for other distills, then it will not be so hard grasp the idea, but each distill has its own characteristics. The 3 most important factors: The Plant: The star of the show, which variety of Agave is being used. The Terroir: The territory and the soil were the plant grows. The Hand: The technique and the personal touch of the producer.

Espadin subspecies tasting. 3 Different Espadines, from different regions, with different techniques. - Raicilla La Venenosa Tabernas - Mezcal Mina Real Blanco - Mezcal Fidencio Clásico

In this chapter we are going to go for the methods. We have seen the process but now we go a bit deeper. The methods are the different techniques used for each stage of the process. The method begins with the Jima, the different tools used for cutting. The cooking, the different ovens. The mashing, how do they mash the plant once its cooked. The fermentation, times, tools, yeasts, etc. The distillation, most common techniques per region.

We will be trying Bacanoras the pride of the north. Typically a Mezcal, but with its own local Appellation. The Plant in this case is an Angustifolia, but the subspecies is Pacifica. Not a very common drink, but give it a try, you might like it. - Bacanora Cielo Rojo - Bacanora Yoowe - Bacanora Rancho Tepúa

The cousin of Mezcal. Traditionally a Mezcal, but now a days we know it is not an Agave, but a Dasylirion. The plants are very similar and in this chapter we will try to explain the differences between them. We will be trying the same brand, but different varieties of Dasylirions, which is not something that was common in the past years. - La Higuera Leiophyllum - La Higuera Wheeleri - La Higuera Cedrosanum

For this special chapter we were invited to a basement inside a barber shop, where the pop-up "Puntas, Gracias" is located. Christian Schrader and Tom Bullock want to make Agave spirits accessible to anybody and share their knowledge and experiences. Based on your individual preferences you can taste four different spirits in a session and they will guide you through the experience. You also can purchase bottles there. We recorded this chapter to give you a feeling for the experience.

We were invited to a podcasting meetup at "The Venue" Berlin and had the chance to share our passion. Of course we also brought a bottle so everybody could get a taste.

For this episode we met Esteban from Mexcio in Diego's office. Some of the photos on this blog were made by him. Esteban is well connected in the Mezcal scene, he knows many small Agave spirit producers in Mexico and is involved in different small but high-quality brands. He also started his own farm and he is a business partner of Diego who imports crafted spirits to Europe. We discussed about the importance of the small families for the culture of Agave spirits and also the problems that come with categorizing our beloved "Elixirs of the Gods" into denominations of origin. We also talked about why it is a good thing that agaves and their distillation are spreading across the globe.

Just a quick heads up on what we are working on. And we need your help too, because we want to find and share with you cool Agave spirit bars all across Europe. Help us find them! Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elixirofthegods/ Insta/Twitter: @elixirpodcast Mail: elixirofthegodspodcast@gmail.com Also, if you are in Munich, visit Alex at Auroom (www.auroom.de). You can find a selection of his spirits in the show notes.

Our guest today is Christian Schrader Goette from Agavera, an online shop around Mexican culture. He comes from Guadalajara in the state of Jalisco and we are using this opportunity to talk about spirits from this region - which is so much more than "just" Tequila. Christian is also the organizer of Agave Hub, which will take place in Berlin on October 8th. Agavera: https://agavera.jimdo.com/english/home/ Agave Hub https://askhelmut.com/events/2019-10-08-18-00-hallesches-haus-agave-hub-d98fc9d3-4b4b-4255-89b7-25b2323d94a2 Correction: During our conversation we made a mistake while talking about the aging of Tequila and Mezcal (they have the same regulation): Blanco: unaged Reposado: at least 2 months and until one year in contact with wood Añejo: more than 1 year in contact with wood And in the case of Tequila there is an extra category called “extra añejo” which requires more than 3 years in contact with wood.

In this episode we are welcoming Axel Huhn who is one of the true Agave pioneers in Germany. Many years ago life brought him to Oaxaca and in return his continuously bringing back some excellent spirits which you can order at mezcaleria.de. While our intention was to talk mainly about the state of Oaxaca our conversation drifted into more general subjects like sustainability and the impact that the Mezcal boom has on the regions. Enjoy this episode responsibly.

We went to BCB to meet with some very respected people in the Agave industry. This intro-episode is just a quick warm-up before we go deep. We were able to have conversations with Sergio "Cache" Mendoza (Don Fulano, Derrumbes), Don Guillermo Ericsson Sauza (Fortaleza) and from Rome's famous "La Punta" Mezcaleria: Roberto Artusio and Cristian Bugiada (they are involved in many other things too).

Our guest Sergio "Cache" Mendoza takes us to Mexico with his poetic words and his passion. In a conversation respectful to the brothers Tequila and Mezcal we also learned that there used to be five levels to describe the maturity of agave plants. Recorded at Bar Convent Berlin (please excuse the background noise).

We took advantage of BCB to speak to Don Guillermo Erickson Sauza, an absolute legend in the industry. Of course we talked about his brand "Fortaleza" but the conversation went deeper into family and why Guillermo's heart is in Mexico.

Roberto Artusio and Cristian Bugiada are Italian Mezcal legends. Roberto is the owner of Jerry Thomas Speakeasy and Cristian Bugiada is a partner of Freni e Frizioni. Together they created La Punta Expendio de Agave in Rome, which is a Mezcaleria, only dedicated to Agave spirits and offers more than 600 expressions. Their passion for Agave did not go unnoticed by Mexico's official regulatory board for Mezcal (CONSECO REGULATOR DE MEZCAL or CRM ) and it officially declared them “Mezcal Ambassadors”, an honor which at the time of our interview only five people outside of America have received. We took the chance to speak to Roberto and Cristian during BCB. We dug deeper into their passion for everything Maguey, their other projects and the connection they feel - as Italians - to Mexico. Our interview with them also starts our long announced series of European bar recommendations. We had to do this interview in a noisy environment, please excuse the not so optimal sound quality You can find our evolving European Map of Mezcal bars here: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1ld6xDBs1V40TuyybiTJpGy3_JwUNOOlm&usp=sharing Please don't hesitate to contact us with your recommendations. Connect with us: Mail: elixirofthegodspodcast@gmail.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elixirofthegods/ Instagram: @elixirpodcast Twitter: @elixirpodcast

Carl and Albert took a walk through Berlin to talk about our favourite topic! A couple of days before Carl made an experiment in Berlin's La Tentancion Mezcaleria where he served the same drink three times, but each time with a different Agave spirit, showing how little details can make a big impact. Albert wanted to know more about his approach towards mixing spirits that are not predictable and about his history with Tequila and Mezcal. You can find "The Barking Dog" and other great European bars on this custom map: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1ld6xDBs1V40TuyybiTJpGy3_JwUNOOlm&usp=sharing The Barking Dog on Social Media: https://twitter.com/BarkingDogCPH http://facebook.com/barkingdogcph http://thebarkingdog.dk Get in touch with us! https://twitter.com/ElixirPodcast https://www.facebook.com/elixirofthegods/ https://www.https://www.elixirofthegodspodcast.com/ https://www.instagram.com/elixirpodcast/

This bar episode takes us to Manchester. Already in July 2019 and only equipped with a tiny microphone (so please excuse the sound quality) Albert met with Adam to discuss the love for Agave based spirits in Northern England. Crazy Pedro´s mixes Pizza and Agave, so it is not a classical Mezcaleria, however their range of spirits is excellent. No matter if you like your spirits in pure form or in a cocktail, Crazy Pedro's can fix you up in three locations. We have marked all of them in our custom map for you. Get in touch with "Crazy Pedro's:" https://crazypedros.co.uk/ https://www.facebook.com/CrazyPedros/ https://www.instagram.com/crazypedros/ https://twitter.com/CrazyPedros/ Get in touch with us! https://twitter.com/ElixirPodcast https://www.facebook.com/elixirofthegods/ https://www.https://www.elixirofthegodspodcast.com/ https://www.instagram.com/elixirpodcast/

Fernando - co-owner of our Berlin's most favorite Mezcal bar "La Tentación" - has planned a spectacular trip to his birthplace Oaxaca from September 1st to September 10th 2020. When we read about it, we wanted to create some more awareness of this tour to our listeners and asked Fernando if he can walk us through the schedule. So we could learn more about the Mecca of Mezcal and you can decide if you want to join this trip. You can contact Fernando directly ( fernando@tentacionmezcalothek.de ) La Tentanción: https://www.facebook.com/tentacionbeer/ http://www.tentacionmezcalothek.de/ https://www.instagram.com/tentacion_de/ Get in touch with us! https://twitter.com/ElixirPodcast https://www.facebook.com/elixirofthegods/ https://www.https://www.elixirofthegodspodcast.com/ https://www.instagram.com/elixirpodcast/ Schedule: Tuesday, September 1st 15:00 - 17:00 Oaxacan Buffet 18:00 - 21:00 Mezcal tasting at In Situ 21:30 - 22:30 Tacos for dinner! Wednesday, September 2nd 07:00 - 14:00 (3. Sep)Visit to Paranubes (Oaxacan Rum and prizewinning as the product of the year at the BCB) Thursday, September 3rd 15:00 - 16:30 Traditional food at the Hotel 09:30 - 22:30 Oaxacan Craft Beer & Mezcal tasting + Dinner + Surprise Friday, September 4th 08:00 - 09:30 Traditional oaxacan breakfast at the hotel 10:30 - 14:00 Hierve el agua + Mitla 15:00 - 17:30 Palenque Gracias a Dios (Mezcal & oaxacan gin) + Traditional food 19:30 - 22:30 Mexican cantina + dinner Saturday, September 5th 07:00 - 08:00 Traditional Breakfast at the Hotel 11:00 - 16:00 Visit to a Miahuatlan Palenque + Mezcal tasting + Food 18:00 - 19:59 Mezcal tasting at Neta 20:00 - 22:00 Tacos for dinner Sunday, September 6th 09:00 - 10:00 Traditional Breakfast at the hotel 11:00 - 15:00 Visit to Teotitlan del Valle + Tlacolula Market + Food at the market 16:00 - 18:00 Santo Domingo Museum 19:00 - 22:00 Slow food dinner + Mezcales at La Biznaga Monday, September 7th 07:30 - 08:30 Traditional Breakfast at the hotel 11:00 - 15:00 Visit to Real Minero & Proyecto LAM 15:30 - 16:30 Traditional food at Conchita 17:00 - 19:00 Mezcal tasting at Ocotlan with Mr. Santaella 20:00 - 22:00 Mezcal tasting at La Mezcaloteca 22:30 - 23:30 Tlayudas for dinner Tuesday, September 8th 09:00 - 10:30 Tacos de guisado at La Abuela 11:30 - 16:00 Cooking class + visit to the market by Rodolfo Castellanos (Mexico's Top Chef 2016) 16:01 - 18:01 Cocktail class 18:01 - 23:59 Day off so you can do some tourism at the city center Wednesday, September 9th 07:00 - 08:00 Traditional Breakfast at the hotel 09:30 - 14:00 Monte Alban 15:00 - 16:00 Nieves(Oaxacan Ice cream) at La soledad Church 16:30 - 17:30 Traditional food at the Pasillo de Humo 18:00 - 19:00 Aguas de Casilda 19:01 - 23:59 Day off (With some recommendations) Thursday, September 10th 08:30 - 09:30 Traditional Breakfast at the hotel 11:00 - 15:00 Visit to "Los Danzantes" palenque + Mezcal tasting + Food(To be confirmed) 15:01 - 16:01 Last toast of the trip