http://www.ianchadwick.com/forum/index.php?/gallery/album/146-tequila-trips/ Tequila Trips Syndication Fri, 24 May 2013 18:23:29 +0000 ian@ianchadwick.com (The Mumpsimus Blog site) IP.Gallery 60 http://www.ianchadwick.com/forum/index.php?/gallery/image/1372-guadalajara-hotel-morales/
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]]> Wed, 10 Jun 2009 02:21:05 +0000 http://www.ianchadwick.com/forum/index.php?/gallery/image/1222-don-javier-with-me-and-mrs/ http://www.ianchadwick.com/forum/index.php?/gallery/image/1122-part-of-mundo-cuervo-mural/
A small part of a beautiful mural at Mundo Cuervo, that shows the history and culture of tequila and agaves.]]> Thu, 05 Feb 2009 18:35:07 +0000 http://www.ianchadwick.com/forum/index.php?/gallery/image/1122-part-of-mundo-cuervo-mural/ http://www.ianchadwick.com/forum/index.php?/gallery/image/1121-old-tequila-distillery/
Photograph of part of an old, abandoned tequila distillery located near La Fortuleza, on a small stream, in the town of Tequila, Jalisco.]]> Thu, 05 Feb 2009 18:33:32 +0000 http://www.ianchadwick.com/forum/index.php?/gallery/image/1121-old-tequila-distillery/ http://www.ianchadwick.com/forum/index.php?/gallery/image/335-tahona-at-siete-leguas/
I recently toured the Siete Leguas factory in Los Altos, and they are still using a horse-drawn tahona to grind their agave! (They have a second factory in which they use a more normal press method to grind the agave). Tequila from the two factories (the two methods) is mixed together to produce their tequila. However, I think that a substantial portion of the tequila is processed with the tahona-- the plant manager that I interviewed said that the tahona operates every day, twice a day.]]> Thu, 04 May 2006 01:09:11 +0000 http://www.ianchadwick.com/forum/index.php?/gallery/image/335-tahona-at-siete-leguas/ http://www.ianchadwick.com/forum/index.php?/gallery/image/233-the-nursery-at-herradura/
Here's where Herradura grows young plants from its greenhouses, to try and produce better strains of agave. The structure in the background is where Herradura's ovens are located.]]> Mon, 20 Mar 2006 13:42:26 +0000 http://www.ianchadwick.com/forum/index.php?/gallery/image/233-the-nursery-at-herradura/ http://www.ianchadwick.com/forum/index.php?/gallery/image/232-fermenting-wort-at-el-tapatio/
Some of the wooden fermentation vats (pipones) used by El Tapatio. The foam at the top is from the activity of the yeast on the agave must. These were the most active vats we saw on the trip.

These were built by the grandfather of the current owner, Carlos Camarena Curiel. They were painted by his father, but Carlos is letting them gradually return to their natural wood finish. Sometimes they wear out, so the staves are kept to help restore other vats.

Most of the distilleries we visited on the tour use larger, stainless steel tanks. El Tapatio is unrepentantly old-fashioned this way, including the use of a tahona (stone wheel) to crush the agave. The result shows in the rich taste of their products.]]> Mon, 20 Mar 2006 13:38:32 +0000 http://www.ianchadwick.com/forum/index.php?/gallery/image/232-fermenting-wort-at-el-tapatio/ http://www.ianchadwick.com/forum/index.php?/gallery/image/231-copper-stills-at-cuervo/
From day two of the 2006 tour]]> Mon, 20 Mar 2006 13:27:03 +0000 http://www.ianchadwick.com/forum/index.php?/gallery/image/231-copper-stills-at-cuervo/ http://www.ianchadwick.com/forum/index.php?/gallery/image/230-street-scene-in-tequila/
One of several photographs of the side streets, taken during our limited 'free time' on day two of the 2006 tour.]]> Mon, 20 Mar 2006 13:24:30 +0000 http://www.ianchadwick.com/forum/index.php?/gallery/image/230-street-scene-in-tequila/ http://www.ianchadwick.com/forum/index.php?/gallery/image/228-agave-leaves/
A closeup of the serrated leaves of agaves at the Epsolon plant, near Arandas.]]> Fri, 17 Mar 2006 18:42:52 +0000 http://www.ianchadwick.com/forum/index.php?/gallery/image/228-agave-leaves/ http://www.ianchadwick.com/forum/index.php?/gallery/image/227-agave-fields/
Another shot of agave fields around Tequila, taken March 2006.]]> Fri, 17 Mar 2006 18:37:38 +0000 http://www.ianchadwick.com/forum/index.php?/gallery/image/227-agave-fields/ http://www.ianchadwick.com/forum/index.php?/gallery/image/226-agave-fields-near-tequila/
Another photograph of the agave/maguey fields outside the town of Tequila, taken during the 2006 tour.]]> Fri, 17 Mar 2006 18:33:52 +0000 http://www.ianchadwick.com/forum/index.php?/gallery/image/226-agave-fields-near-tequila/ http://www.ianchadwick.com/forum/index.php?/gallery/image/225-church-in-tequila/
Just a shot of the church in downtown Tequila.]]> Fri, 17 Mar 2006 17:07:14 +0000 http://www.ianchadwick.com/forum/index.php?/gallery/image/225-church-in-tequila/ http://www.ianchadwick.com/forum/index.php?/gallery/image/224-jimador-at-work/
One of the two jimadores who demonstrated their style at the field owned by Manuel Landeros. I shot some B&W film as well as colour on the trip.]]> Fri, 17 Mar 2006 17:05:59 +0000 http://www.ianchadwick.com/forum/index.php?/gallery/image/224-jimador-at-work/ http://www.ianchadwick.com/forum/index.php?/gallery/image/193-the-fermenting-vats-at-casa-herradura/
Ruben Aceves Vidrio, International Sales Director (centre, in light blue shirt) explains the fermentation process to tour members, standing on the walkways at the top of the tall tanks at Casa Herradura.]]> Sat, 11 Mar 2006 17:51:32 +0000 http://www.ianchadwick.com/forum/index.php?/gallery/image/193-the-fermenting-vats-at-casa-herradura/ http://www.ianchadwick.com/forum/index.php?/gallery/image/192-agave-maguey-heads-ready-for-the-oven/
Agave piņas with their leaves stripped off are ready to be chopped up and placed in the ovens for baking.]]> Sat, 11 Mar 2006 17:45:38 +0000 http://www.ianchadwick.com/forum/index.php?/gallery/image/192-agave-maguey-heads-ready-for-the-oven/ http://www.ianchadwick.com/forum/index.php?/gallery/image/191-unloading-cooked-agave-at-espolon/
Workers remove the cooked agave heads (piņas) from an autclave at Espolon, in Los Altos.]]> Sat, 11 Mar 2006 17:43:09 +0000 http://www.ianchadwick.com/forum/index.php?/gallery/image/191-unloading-cooked-agave-at-espolon/ http://www.ianchadwick.com/forum/index.php?/gallery/image/190-harry-reifer-and-chelle-at-mundo-cuervo/
At the La Rojeņa sign just before we began our tour of the Jose Cuervo plant, and museum.]]> Sat, 11 Mar 2006 17:40:57 +0000 http://www.ianchadwick.com/forum/index.php?/gallery/image/190-harry-reifer-and-chelle-at-mundo-cuervo/ http://www.ianchadwick.com/forum/index.php?/gallery/image/189-the-tahona-in-use-at-los-abuelos/
Still using the traditional tahona, but pulled by a small tractor instead of a mule. A small boutique tequila company, Los Abuelos prides itself on keeping to the traditional methods to retain the authentic tequila taste.]]> Sat, 11 Mar 2006 17:38:45 +0000 http://www.ianchadwick.com/forum/index.php?/gallery/image/189-the-tahona-in-use-at-los-abuelos/ http://www.ianchadwick.com/forum/index.php?/gallery/image/188-a-jimador-at-work/
One of the jimadores who practiced his craft for us, during the field tour with Michael Landeros, agave grower, and owner of the Mision Tequillan hotel.]]> Sat, 11 Mar 2006 17:35:44 +0000 http://www.ianchadwick.com/forum/index.php?/gallery/image/188-a-jimador-at-work/