Best Raicilla Podcasts (2024)

1
Yes, There Can Be Additives in Mezcal 23:46

30m ago23:46

23:46

In the past several weeks, I have seen in numerous online forums the misstatement that Mezcal can’t have additives. And the misstatement that those additives can only be fresh fruits and raw turkey. So this episode is 100% just so I can post a simple link the next time I see that error pop up again. And it’s an opportunity to clarify the allowance …

1
A $30 Chicken Dinner Is a Bargain 31:05

35m ago31:05

31:05

John Douglass of the multi-award-winning Louisville bar Pretty Decent is renowned for his hospitality. But he got a bit hot under the collar when one of his favorite customers complained about a $30 chicken dinner at a fancy spot around the corner. We break that chicken down — and your free chips-and-salsa, too — in this under-priced episode of Aga…

1
You Can’t Recycle That Bottle 20:10

13d ago20:10

20:10

Road-tripper Nathan Mealey checked in to ask, “How do you if a brand is ethical?” So I’ve started having that conversation with a number of people, coming at the question from different angles. This first answer considers packaging — specifically glass bottles. We think of those glasses as recyclable. But … are they? It’s a myth-busting episode of …

1
Making Beer With Agave (And Sotol) 19:43

12d ago19:43

19:43

How do you turn 24,000 acres of wild maguey Lamparillo and dasylirion into beer? You bring Mike Schallau of is/was brewing to Durango to hang out with Sergio Garnier of Mezcal Ultramundo! Mike has been making beer since 2018 with agave I’ve brought him from Mexico, to fundraise for SACRED. This year, he made the trip himself. The beer is in the wor…

1
Cocktails as Cultural Bridges 44:57

23d ago44:57

44:57

I’ve heard a lot about how bartenders use cocktails as a way to introduce their guests to Mexican spirits like Mezcal, Tequila, Raicilla, Bacanora, and Sotol. And lately, I’ve also heard a little about using those same cocktails to introduce guests to the communities those spirits come from – turning the cocktail into a gateway to another culture. …

1
What Is the Connection Between Mezcal, Mexican Food, and Museums? 25:41

22d ago25:41

25:41

The first time I saw tascalate on a menu it was at Itanoni in Oaxaca. I immediately fell in love with the traditional drink. But finding a second cup – particularly at home in Chicago – was a lost cause. But now, years later, Ximena N. Beltran Quan Kiu has written an article about how tascalte has made its way onto bar menus. And that’s a reflectio…

1
Maybe That 12-Year-Old Agave Is Only Five Years Old… 26:49

1M ago26:49

26:49

I was having a conversation with Grace Gonzalez of Tequila El Mayor and she said something that brought into focus a thought that’s been bumping around in my head: We talk a lot about the ages of the agaves that are used to make Mezcal and Tequila. But there’s really no mechanism to verify that. And, in fact, since different agaves reach maturity a…

1
Mezcal Moto-Rally! 46:25

1M ago46:25

46:25

Four wheels good! Two wheels more good? For the last few years, Nick Barreiro has organized a moto-rally for small group of motorcycle-and-Mexico enthusiasts. And while motorcycles aren’t my speed, I know they work for plenty of gringx bartenders, and I love this whole different way to take in the stories of rural Mexico. Learn about Nick’s interna…

1
What Can Cultivated Meat Teach Us About Mezcal? 28:28

2M ago28:28

28:28

In his New York Times op-ed about the imploding dream of cultivated meat, Joe Fassler writes, “[It] was an embodiment of the wish that we can change everything without changing anything. We wouldn’t need to rethink our relationship to Big Macs and bacon. We could go on believing that the world would always be the way we’ve known it.” And while I ca…

1
Are the Best Bottles of the Year the Best Bets for Your Bar? 24:20

2M ago24:20

24:20

Vinepair, Wine Enthusiast, Esquire … seems like every publication these days has their suggestions for what you should have been drinking over the past year. Maybe what you should be purchasing as holiday gifts. But these lists can also serve as sales tools for gringx bartenders! It’s a DIY episode of Agave Road Trip! Agave Road Trip is a criticall…

1
This Bottle Protects Jaguars 25:04

2M ago25:04

25:04

We’ve done a lot of episodes about the importance of biodiversity, but usually we’re talking about plants. Sometimes insects. Bats, on occasion. So when we got an email from the gang at Alma de Jaguar Tequila about preserving this apex predator, I thought, yeah, let’s really sink our teeth into this subject! It’s a wild cat episode of Agave Road Tr…

1
Are Agave Straws Really Better Than Plastic? 21:57

3M ago21:57

21:57

A trend that’s emerged in the past decade are these drinking straws that are being promoted as made from agave fibers — the agave fibers being a byproduct of the process for making Tequila and Mezcal. The straws are marketed as biodegradable. But I think — emphasis on “think” — that these straws are at least in part made from plastics and are not a…

1
How to Pair Mezcal With Food 33:57

3M ago33:57

33:57

I’m seeing a lot more restaurants expanding their Mezcal selections, and a lot more events pairing Mezcal with food. So what do you eat when you drink Mezcal? I asked a bunch of industry folks that question over the last several months, then coerced food, science, and nature journalist Rowan Jacobsen to dig through those quotes with me to add his o…

1
Why Brands Don’t Certify Their Mezcal 31:00

3M ago31:00

31:00

Since I first met Sergio Garnier, before he launched Mezcal Ultramundo, we’ve debated about the relative merits of certifying your agave spirits as Mezcal. We decided it was time to record our disagreement. It’s a what-side-are-you-on episode of Agave Road Trip! Agave Road Trip is a critically acclaimed, award-winning podcast that helps gringx bart…

1
The Secret Origin of Bull-skin Fermentation in Mezcal 15:43

3M ago15:43

15:43

The fist time I tasted an agave spirit fermented in the skin of a bull, it was all anyone was talking about in Oaxaca. I tasted it at three mezcalerias, and all three bottles were made by Amando Alvarado Alvarez in Santa Maria Ixcatlan, Oaxaca. I made my way out to visit him a few months later, to see the bull-skin fermenters myself. And when I sha…

1
All Bino Mexcal Is Mezcal but Not All Mezcal Is Bino Mexcal 25:49

3M ago25:49

25:49

Did the small family producers in Tequila, Jalisco, eat the metaphorical and literal lunch of the big producers in Guanajuato and San Luis Potosi at the 1893 World’s Fair? It’s a What If? episode of Agave Road Trip! Agave Road Trip is a critically acclaimed, award-winning podcast that helps gringx bartenders better understand agave, agave spirits, …

1
Rowan Jacobsen Went to Mexico and All I Got Was This Podcast 24:00

4M ago24:00

24:00

I got obsessed with Rowan Jacobsen when American Terroir hit bookstores in 2010, and was recently re-obsessed when his podcast “Wild Chocolate” dropped into my feed. So I reached out and he noted he was writing a sustainability feature about Mezcal for Bloomberg’s Businessweek. That article dropped last week, but this episode was recorded prior to …

1
Food Journalism Is Still Journalism 36:26

4M ago36:26

36:26

How do you find reliable sources for information about adult beverages? This is a multi-billion dollar industry, there should be reliable places to learn about trends. But I keep seeing significant errors in articles about agave spirits — which leads me to question what I’m reading about other spirits. And food. It’s an “On the Media” episode of Ag…

1
The Problem With the InsideHook Article About 2023 Tequila Sales 28:12

4M ago28:12

28:12

A couple weeks ago, I threw the Washington Post under the bus for failing to recognize that food journalism is — or should be — journalism. This week I throw myself under the bus for an article I wrote for InsideHook. Not because it fails as journalism — I’ll let someone else make that claim. But because I think it misses the most relevant point ab…

1
Why Don’t More Mezcaleros Own Their Brands? 24:28

4M ago24:28

24:28

Why are there so few Mezcal and Tequila brands owned by the people who produce them? When I try to rattle off the names of brands of Mezcal and Tequila that are owned by the people who actually make those spirits, it’s more of a clunk than a rattle. Why is that? And why is that important? It’s an own-or-be-owned episode of Agave Road Trip! Agave Ro…

1
The Problem With the Washington Post Article About Mezcal 37:01

5M ago37:01

37:01

Do you want to preserve the biodiversity of agaves? Or do you want to preserve agaves in the wild? Because those are two different things, often at odds with one another. And you can’t have that conversation without talking about the reasons for the disappearing wild lands in Mexico. But that’s exactly what the Washington Post did last week, when t…

1
How to Take Your Pet on a Road Trip to Mexico 35:22

5M ago35:22

35:22

Heather Morse traveled to Mexico City with her husband, Aaron. And her dog. And her cat. By car. From Las Vegas. If you’ve ever wanted cross the border in a car, with your pets, and make it back home with everything intact, this might be the episode you’ve been waiting for. Agave Road Trip is a critically acclaimed, award-winning podcast that helps…

1
Leave Tequila Alone! 45:24

5M ago45:24

45:24

In a Wine Enthusiast op-ed titled “Is it time to leave Tequila alone?,” spirits and cocktail writer Kara Newman asks, “When it comes to pushing tequila’s boundaries, how far is too far?” Now, I tend to be a “head to the endzone” kind of guy, so I’ve brought in Ana Rita García Lascurain, founder and director of MUCHO, Mexico City’s museum of chocola…

1
The Cultural Heritage of Agave Syrup 38:01

5M ago38:01

38:01

There’s Mrs. Butterworth’s, and then there’s fine Vermont maple syrup. And the same extremes exist for agave syrup. But here’s the thing: the artisanal version of agave syrup has this whole cultural heritage aspect to it. And you’ve probably only been able to access Mrs. Agaveworth’s. Until now! It’s a sticky, chicken-feather-covered episode of Aga…

1
Wild vs Farmed: Last Pulque Standing 24:02

6M ago24:02

24:02

Gonzalo Alvarez is pursuing his master’s degree in pulque. Ivan Saldana has his doctorate in agave. Both tell me that farmed agave produces better pulque than wild agave. But on trips through Nuevo Leon, Cohuila, and Hidalgo, three pulque producers said the exact opposite. So … what’s the truth? They call me the Seeker, and I search low and high in…

1
Tequila 1349 Blanco Review 29:51

5M ago29:51

29:51

Tequila 1349 Blanco ReviewGet your complimentary subscription to Tequila Aficionado Magazine now http://bit.ly/subscribeTAMag Get Tequila Aficionado Merchandise at https://tequila-aficionado.creator-spring.com/FTC Disclaimer: All samples are received free of charge but no payment is accepted by Tequila Aficionado or its agents for reviews. All revi…

1
Paladar Blanco Tequila Review 28:14

6M ago28:14

28:14

Paladar Blanco Tequila Review Get your complimentary subscription to Tequila Aficionado Magazine now http://bit.ly/subscribeTAMag Get Tequila Aficionado Merchandise at https://tequila-aficionado.creator-spring.com/FTC Disclaimer: All samples are received free of charge but no payment is accepted by Tequila Aficionado or its agents for reviews. All …

1
What’s Wrong With Your Stomach 16:51

6M ago16:51

16:51

It started with a rumor I heard as a kid, that Maraschino cherries and bubblegum would stay in your stomach for seven years. Which led to a conversation about digestion. Which led to a conversation about fermentation. And Bloody Marys. And how your digestive system works. All of which is to say, Agave Road Trip’s Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Rya…

1
O & R Estoico Indigo Reposado Tequila Review 30:56

6M ago30:56

30:56

O & R Estoico Indigo Reposado Tequila ReviewGet your complimentary subscription to Tequila Aficionado Magazine now http://bit.ly/subscribeTAMag Get Tequila Aficionado Merchandise at https://tequila-aficionado.creator-spring.com/FTC Disclaimer: All samples are received free of charge but no payment is accepted by Tequila Aficionado or its agents for…

1
O & R Estoico Indigo Blanco Tequila Review 33:48

6M ago33:48

33:48

O & R Estoico Indigo Blanco Tequila Review Get your complimentary subscription to Tequila Aficionado Magazine now http://bit.ly/subscribeTAMag Get Tequila Aficionado Merchandise at https://tequila-aficionado.creator-spring.com/FTC Disclaimer: All samples are received free of charge but no payment is accepted by Tequila Aficionado or its agents for …

1
Sin Pena Joven Espadin Mezcal Review 24:21

6M ago24:21

24:21

Sin Pena Joven Espadin Mezcal Review Get your complimentary subscription to Tequila Aficionado Magazine now http://bit.ly/subscribeTAMag Get Tequila Aficionado Merchandise at https://tequila-aficionado.creator-spring.com/ FTC Disclaimer: All samples are received free of charge but no payment is accepted by Tequila Aficionado or its agents for revie…

1
Sergio Revell Blanco Tequila Review 22:36

6M ago22:36

22:36

Sergio Revell Blanco Tequila Review Get your complimentary subscription to Tequila Aficionado Magazine now http://bit.ly/subscribeTAMag Get Tequila Aficionado Merchandise at https://tequila-aficionado.creator-spring.com/ FTC Disclaimer: All samples are received free of charge but no payment is accepted by Tequila Aficionado or its agents for review…

1
Santo Fino Reposado Tequila Review 26:32

6M ago26:32

26:32

Santo Fino Reposado Tequila Review Get your complimentary subscription to Tequila Aficionado Magazine now http://bit.ly/subscribeTAMag Get Tequila Aficionado Merchandise at https://tequila-aficionado.creator-spring.com/ FTC Disclaimer: All samples are received free of charge but no payment is accepted by Tequila Aficionado or its agents for reviews…

1
Santo Fino Blanco Tequila Review 22:22

6M ago22:22

22:22

Santo Fino Blanco Tequila Review Get your complimentary subscription to Tequila Aficionado Magazine now http://bit.ly/subscribeTAMag Get Tequila Aficionado Merchandise at https://tequila-aficionado.creator-spring.com/ FTC Disclaimer: All samples are received free of charge but no payment is accepted by Tequila Aficionado or its agents for reviews. …

1
Revisiting Santo Fino Agave Spirit Review 36:46

6M ago36:46

36:46

Revisiting Santo Fino Agave Spirit Review Get your complimentary subscription to Tequila Aficionado Magazine now http://bit.ly/subscribeTAMag Get Tequila Aficionado Merchandise at https://tequila-aficionado.creator-spring.com/ FTC Disclaimer: All samples are received free of charge but no payment is accepted by Tequila Aficionado or its agents for …

1
There Is No Coffee in Mexico 26:21

6M ago26:21

26:21

Well, of course, there is coffee in Mexico. I’ve bought some at Whole Foods in the past. But my friends at Dark Matter — who want nothing more than to source coffee from Mexico — have run into nothing but trouble. So what can we learn from that? It’s a caffeinated, globetrotting episode of Agave Road Trip! Agave Road Trip is a critically acclaimed,…

1
Ocho Reposado Tequila Review 23:43

6M ago23:43

23:43

Ocho Reposado Tequila Review Get your complimentary subscription to Tequila Aficionado Magazine now http://bit.ly/subscribeTAMag Get Tequila Aficionado Merchandise at https://tequila-aficionado.creator-spring.com/ FTC Disclaimer: All samples are received free of charge but no payment is accepted by Tequila Aficionado or its agents for reviews. All …

1
Ocho Plata Tequila Review 24:53

6M ago24:53

24:53

Ocho Plata Tequila Review Get your complimentary subscription to Tequila Aficionado Magazine now http://bit.ly/subscribeTAMag Get Tequila Aficionado Merchandise at https://tequila-aficionado.creator-spring.com/ FTC Disclaimer: All samples are received free of charge but no payment is accepted by Tequila Aficionado or its agents for reviews. All rev…

1
Ocho Anejo Tequila Review 18:05

6M ago18:05

18:05

Ocho Anejo Tequila Review Get your complimentary subscription to Tequila Aficionado Magazine now http://bit.ly/subscribeTAMag Get Tequila Aficionado Merchandise at https://tequila-aficionado.creator-spring.com/ FTC Disclaimer: All samples are received free of charge but no payment is accepted by Tequila Aficionado or its agents for reviews. All rev…

1
Mis Amigos Strawberry Cream Tequila Liqueur Review 14:53

6M ago14:53

14:53

Mis Amigos Strawberry Cream Tequila Liqueur Review Get your complimentary subscription to Tequila Aficionado Magazine now http://bit.ly/subscribeTAMag Get Tequila Aficionado Merchandise at https://tequila-aficionado.creator-spring.com/ FTC Disclaimer: All samples are received free of charge but no payment is accepted by Tequila Aficionado or its ag…

1
Mis Amigos Coffee Tequila Liqueur Review 21:31

6M ago21:31

21:31

Mis Amigos Coffee Tequila Liqueur Review Get your complimentary subscription to Tequila Aficionado Magazine now http://bit.ly/subscribeTAMag Get Tequila Aficionado Merchandise at https://tequila-aficionado.creator-spring.com/ FTC Disclaimer: All samples are received free of charge but no payment is accepted by Tequila Aficionado or its agents for r…

1
Mis Amigos Chocolate Cream Tequila Liqueur Review 15:38

6M ago15:38

15:38

Mis Amigos Chocolate Cream Tequila Liqueur Review Get your complimentary subscription to Tequila Aficionado Magazine now http://bit.ly/subscribeTAMag Get Tequila Aficionado Merchandise at https://tequila-aficionado.creator-spring.com/ FTC Disclaimer: All samples are received free of charge but no payment is accepted by Tequila Aficionado or its age…

1
Maguey Melate Papalotmetl Agave Spirit 21:32

6M ago21:32

21:32

Maguey Melate Papalotmetl Agave Spirit Get your complimentary subscription to Tequila Aficionado Magazine now http://bit.ly/subscribeTAMag Get Tequila Aficionado Merchandise at https://tequila-aficionado.creator-spring.com/ FTC Disclaimer: All samples are received free of charge but no payment is accepted by Tequila Aficionado or its agents for rev…

1
The Cult of Hospitality 23:52

6M ago23:52

23:52

A Liquor.com article I read earlier this year highlighted the number of hospitality workers who grew up in radical churches. That made me think about how hospitality itself is a sort of religion – depending on how you define religion. So this is maybe, to you, a sacrilegious episode of Agave Road Trip! Agave Road Trip is a critically acclaimed, awa…

1
Maguey Melate Maximiliana Tree Trunk Still Agave Spirit 23:44

6M ago23:44

23:44

Maguey Melate Maximiliana Tree Trunk Still Agave Spirit Get your complimentary subscription to Tequila Aficionado Magazine now http://bit.ly/subscribeTAMag Get Tequila Aficionado Merchandise at https://tequila-aficionado.creator-spring.com/ FTC Disclaimer: All samples are received free of charge but no payment is accepted by Tequila Aficionado or i…

1
Maguey Melate Maximiliana Deer Pechuga Agave Spirit 25:20

6M ago25:20

25:20

Maguey Melate Maximiliana Deer Pechuga Agave Spirit Get your complimentary subscription to Tequila Aficionado Magazine now http://bit.ly/subscribeTAMag Get Tequila Aficionado Merchandise at https://tequila-aficionado.creator-spring.com/ FTC Disclaimer: All samples are received free of charge but no payment is accepted by Tequila Aficionado or its a…

1
Kateri Reposado Tequila Review 27:33

6M ago27:33

27:33

Kateri Reposado Tequila Review Get your complimentary subscription to Tequila Aficionado Magazine now http://bit.ly/subscribeTAMag Get Tequila Aficionado Merchandise at https://tequila-aficionado.creator-spring.com/ FTC Disclaimer: All samples are received free of charge but no payment is accepted by Tequila Aficionado or its agents for reviews. Al…

1
Gran Centenario Anejo Cristalino Tequila Review 1:05:25

6M ago1:05:25

1:05:25

Gran Centenario Anejo Cristalino Tequila Review Get your complimentary subscription to Tequila Aficionado Magazine now http://bit.ly/subscribeTAMag Get Tequila Aficionado Merchandise at https://tequila-aficionado.creator-spring.com/ FTC Disclaimer: All samples are received free of charge but no payment is accepted by Tequila Aficionado or its agent…

1
Dulce Vida Organic Reposado Tequila Review 20:32

6M ago20:32

20:32

Dulce Vida Organic Reposado Tequila Review Get your complimentary subscription to Tequila Aficionado Magazine now http://bit.ly/subscribeTAMag Get Tequila Aficionado Merchandise at https://tequila-aficionado.creator-spring.com/ FTC Disclaimer: All samples are received free of charge but no payment is accepted by Tequila Aficionado or its agents for…

1
Dulce Vida Organic Blanco Tequila Review 21:31

6M ago21:31

21:31

Dulce Vida Organic Blanco Tequila Review Get your complimentary subscription to Tequila Aficionado Magazine now http://bit.ly/subscribeTAMag Get Tequila Aficionado Merchandise at https://tequila-aficionado.creator-spring.com/ FTC Disclaimer: All samples are received free of charge but no payment is accepted by Tequila Aficionado or its agents for r…

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