A lot of people are surprised to learn that some types of tequila contain a worm! This might sound strange, but it is a traditional Mexican delicacy. This type of tequila is called “mescal.”
What tequila has the worm in it? Mescal is a type of tequila that contains a worm. The worm is a larva that lives inside the agave plant, which is used to make mescal. The larva is removed from the plant and cooked before it is added to the tequila.
Let’s explore the worm used in mezcal tequila, reasons, and the types of larva they use.
About Mezcal Tequila
Mescal is a type of tequila that is made from the agave plant. The agave plant is native to Mexico, and it is used to make both mezcal and tequila. Mezcal is made by cooking the agave plant in an oven, then crushing it to extract the juice. Tequila is made by distilling the juice into alcohol.
The worm that you find in some bottles of mezcal is a larva that lives inside the agave plant. The larva is removed from the plant and cooked before it is added to the tequila. Some people eat the worm as a traditional Mexican delicacy, but most people just ignore it!Â
Mescal is not as popular as tequila, but it is gaining in popularity. It has a smoky flavor that is different from tequila. Some people like to drink mezcal with ice or mix it with fruit juices.
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Reasons Why There Is A Worm In Tequila
There are several reasons why Tequila has this worm in it-
Traditional Reason
The worm is a traditional delicacy in Mexico, and Tequila was created as an homage to this tradition. Tequila worms are believed to have originated from the practice of including a maguey worm in mezcal bottles (the precursor of Tequila).
Marketing Strategy
Some people believe that the worm was originally added to Tequila as a marketing strategy. The manufacturers thought that it would make the product more exciting and help it sell better.Â
In the 1950s, a mezcal manufacturer discovered a moth larva in a batch of his whiskey and thought the stowaway increased the flavor. As a marketing strategy, he began including “worms” in all of his bottles. Soon after, other mezcal producers followed suit.
Biological Reason
Others believe that the larvae were originally added to Tequila as a biological control measure. The agave plant is native to Mexico, and it was being used to make both mezcal and tequila.
The worms were introduced into mescal as a way to keep the population of agave plants under control.
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Types Of Larva Found In Tequila
Two different kinds of the larva can be used. The red larva is the larva of the beetle Scyphophorus acupunctures, while the white larva is the larva of the moth Comadia redtenbacheri from the Cossidae family of moths, which is the most commonly used.
A larva is the young form of an insect. A larva looks very different from an adult, and it cannot fly or reproduce until it turns into an adult.
The larvae in mezcal tequila are members of the butterfly family called “moths.” They live inside of agave plants, which are used to make both Tequila and Mezcal Tequila.
The worm you find in Tequila is not a real worm; it’s just a wriggling moth larva that lives inside agave plants! The worms can be eaten but most people choose not to (they’re pretty gross).Â
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Some Variations Of Tequila With A Worm
There are several varieties of Tequila that contain a worm. Most Tequilas use the larva of a moth called Commedia redtenbacheri from the Cossidae family of moths, but some Tequilas use the larva of the beetle Scyphophorus acupunctures.
Tequila that contains worms are typically sold in Mexico, and they are not as common as Tequilas without worms.Â
Mescal, the precursor of Tequila, has always contained a maguey worm. When Tequila was created as an homage to this tradition, the worm was also included. However, the worm is not found in all bottles of Tequila. It is more common in mezcal.
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Conclusion
To conclude, Tequila is made by distilling the juice into alcohol. The worm that you find in some bottles of mezcal is a larva that lives inside the agave plant.
Some people eat the worm as a traditional Mexican delicacy, but most people just ignore it!
