NY company to launch Mexican-made kosher tequila

philly/news/ ^ | Mar. 27, 2009

[JoeProBono]

NEW YORK - A New York businessman is launching a new kosher tequila in time for Cinco de Mayo. Martin Silver says Agave 99 will be on the market in time for the holiday that celebrates Mexico's defeat of French forces on May 5, 1862. Silver, president of Long Island-based Star Industries, says he wants to satisfy the craze for high-end tequila with one that observant Jews can drink.

[JoeProBono]

Is tequila kosher for Passover?

On the 1st night of Passover, we had just a small intimate Seder at home. As part of the Seder, we are to drink 4 glasses of wine, aka "the fruit of the vine", to symbolize the sweetness of freedom. Well, I've got a problem - o.k., I've got a few problems. I love wine but developed an allergy to it about 5 years ago :-( So this leaves me to steal grape juice from the kids table! I miss wine but I don't mind the grape juice so much. I just wish I could partake in some sort of festive adult beverage on these occasions.

This brings me to problem #2: during the eight days of Passover, I follow the tradition to abstain from eating or drinking chametz. Explanation (and not a scholarly one!)... from the story of the Exodus, when the slaves were fleeing Egypt they were in such a rush that they didn't have time to let their bread rise so it baked flat like a cracker, hence, matzo! So the only bread we eat during Passover is the unleavened matzo. But, it's not that simple. It's not just matzo vs. bread. There are 5 grains that are to be avoided for these eight days: wheat (except matzo), rye, barley, spelt, and oats. The word, chametz, refers to any food or drink that is forbidden during Passover. What does this have to do with drinks, you ask? Stay with me - I'm getting to that. So my husband and I were trying to think of what festive adult beverage I could have. Vodka, whiskey, beer, gin... nope... all derived from grains and, therefore, not kosher for Passover. We thought about liqueur but, no, too heavy and sweet. Then, from the other room, my 11-yr. old son (who knew he was listening???) asks, "What about tequila?" -- geez! kids... they say the darnedest things, don't they?!? Honestly, I don't know where he gets this stuff from! But, we looked at each other and thought about it. hmmm... tequila comes from the blue agave cactus.... a plant...not a grain... I think that works!!! (disclaimer - I have NOT consulted with my local Rabbi on this) So, my husband came back from the store with flowers... and tequila!! Margaritas, anyone?

[Slings and Arrows]

¡L'chaim, amigos!

[MAD-AS-HELL]

Great. So they over pay for a Rabbi to spit in their tequila and bless it as kosher!

[baltodog]

There’s just something about Kosher Tequila that I find...funny.
It’s a concept, that I must admit, I’ve never given much thought to.

[SoftwareEngineer]

Religion gone INSANE.

This is where common sense values held in our Bible are being twisted to insanity.

Kosher laws were for HYGIENE. They encoded common sense values. Pigs were carriers of disease. Hence dont eat them. Meat could get spoilt very easily, thus dont mix it with milk (which was available widely and freshly).

Kosher Tequila??? Wow!! Moses would have never made it out of desert if he had that..

Come to think of it.... hey wait a minute!!

[1rudeboy]

Kosher salt, kosher limes (prepared with kosher knife and cutting-board) . . . kosher tequila was the only missing piece of the puzzle.

[patton]

Yeah, but from Mexico? How adulterated will that be?

[JoeProBono]

Oy!

[njslim]

Yes - but how will they make the worm kosher....?

[Slings and Arrows]

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-kosher-food.htm

You are both wrong. And rude.

[bgill]

Exactly, was the worm killed properly?

[nothingnew]

I love tequila. It doesn't need to be Kosher.

FMCDH(BITS)

[yefragetuwrabrumuy]

Importantly, for those of you who enjoy tequila, now is the time to stock up with the high-end quality tequilas. There is soon to be a major shortage of tequila.

To start off with, by Mexican law, tequilas only have to be about 50% agave (cactus), to be called tequila. So “high-end” tequilas are known for being “100% agave”. Newly distilled tequila is called “blanco” (white), and its dominant flavor is agave. Aged two months in oak barrels, it takes on color and a slightly caramel flavor (cheaper brands add color and flavor at this stage.) Aged one year or more, it is called “anejo”, and the other flavors dominate the agave.

To discern the best types and brands is not easy. It takes both research and taste testing to find your personal favorites.

Now the downside. With the ethanol foolishness, and a glut on the tequila market, vast amounts of blue agave were destroyed, their fields replanted with beans and such. This by itself would guarantee a shortage in about five years.

However, a lot of corporate liquor distillers not too long ago set up major production facilities in Mexico, to crank out huge amounts of cheap product. These plants were very polluting, and could contaminate the water for miles around, so the Mexican government has cracked down on them.

This means that even the cheap tequila is going to be hard to get soon. And this shortage, and sky high prices, could last a decade.

[TigersEye]

Kosher Tequila??? Wow!! Moses would have never made it out of desert if he had that.. Come to think of it.... hey wait a minute!!

And they only did shooters that one night!

[TigersEye]

To start off with, by Mexican law, tequilas only have to be about 50% agave (cactus), ...

Agave is not a cacti.

[yefragetuwrabrumuy]

Technically correct, agave are not cactus. But that being said, it’s a classification distinction only, especially when you have met up with a thorny version.

I might add that, from personal experience, blue agave juice makes you itch like crazy, and Pulque tastes nasty.

[TigersEye]

But that being said, it’s a classification distinction only, especially when you have met up with a thorny version.

In botany "classification distinctions" are the only kind there are.