Cactus

hmm, so I was thinking about making a mexican beer. I'm a big fan of dos equis and I enjoy a corona. While pondering mexican beer and what I could do to spice it up a bit I decided to research the cactus used for making tequila. I found this:

http://www.naturesdream.net/agave_extract.htm

Wondering if it would add much flavor, think I'm gonna throw a bit in a mexican brew.

seefresh said:

hmm, so I was thinking about making a mexican beer. I'm a big fan of dos equis and I enjoy a corona. While pondering mexican beer and what I could do to spice it up a bit I decided to research the cactus used for making tequila. I found this:

http://www.naturesdream.net/agave_extract.htm

Wondering if it would add much flavor, think I'm gonna throw a bit in a mexican brew.

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We've discussed that in the past and the consensus was that it wouldn't add much flavor, but it is a perfectly valid sugar (albeit a little expensive). I think a mead would be interesting. Or tequila

I wonder if there's a better way. Maybe using pieces of the cactus itself.

seefresh said:

I wonder if there's a better way. Maybe using pieces of the cactus itself.

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Incidentally (and don't ask me why I know this, it's a long story that terminated in marriage), the sugar doesn't come from the leaves of the agave...it comes from the rootball. When the agave is harvested the leaves are chopped off and the rootball is dug up. It's then usually quartered and roasted which caramelizes the sugars (tastes a lot like sugar cane/molasses). The sugars are then extracted for agave nectar or a more divine purpose, tequila.

ahhh, tequila!!

They sell aloe vera juice, that would be an interesting ingredient, it defiantly has a flavor to it...

I've had prickly pear cactus mead before - made with prickly pear honey and flavored with the fruit. Very good stuff.

Baron von BeeGee said:

Incidentally (and don't ask me why I know this, it's a long story that terminated in marriage), the sugar doesn't come from the leaves of the agave...it comes from the rootball. When the agave is harvested the leaves are chopped off and the rootball is dug up. It's then usually quartered and roasted which caramelizes the sugars (tastes a lot like sugar cane/molasses). The sugars are then extracted for agave nectar or a more divine purpose, tequila.

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I watched a Modern Marvels episode that was all about tequila, and the harvesting of the blue agave. It was cool to see how they chopped all the leaves off and use the barrel shaped rootball like you posted. Mmmmmm...tequila :cross:

Want to add the flavor of tequila to a beer?


It was called Tequiza.

Toot said:

Want to add the flavor of tequila to a beer?


It was called Tequiza.

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LOL, totally forgot about TEQUIZA!!! Guess its not as original idea as I thought!

Don't take it too hard. It's not a bad idea. I was underage when Tequiza hit the stores, so I tried a few of them very enthusiastically when it was all I could get. And I will say this...

The flavor combination has potential. Don't overdo it, but I think you could make something good. I'd lean towards something like some mild hops, like tetannananananger, slightly on the spicy side. It could be good.

Keep the flavor light because agave is a subtle flavor. An american lager is about ideal for this.. but a wheat beer could work too.