Pulque: Ancient Drink Of The Aztecs

The taste is slightly sour and the appearance is unflattering: milky and viscous. Despite the initial negative reaction one may have to the smell and appearance, drinking pulque, Mexico's ancient fermented beverage, is a fun way to engage in historical fermentation methods and a great way share a drink with friends.

Pulque (pronounced pul-kay) is a fermented beverage made from the sap of the maguey plant. Its roots go back well into the Mesoamerican period in Mexico and Central America. In pulque's early history, the drink was reserved for the upper class people to be used in sacred ceremonies (and, undoubtedly, keep the lower working class sober). After the Spanish conquest, pulque was permitted to be consumed by anyone, and the popularity of the drink rose significantly. Pulque was Mexico's drink of choice, and the consumption of the drink was at its highest during the 1800's.

In the 1900's, beer began to infiltrate the Mexico drinking sphere, and drinking pulque rather quickly lost its popularity. In present day, pulque is gaining popularity, especially among tourists who want to take part in the ancient Mexican tradition of brewing aguamiel - the sap of the maguey plant.

Pulque is available throughout Mexico, but it does occasionally take some detective work to find it.

In large towns and nearly all cities, one can find a local pulquería. Pulquerias are bars that specialize in pulque. A lot of pulquerias sell pulque flavored with mashed tropical fruit to add a sweet and pleasant flavor to the otherwise tart drink. Watermelon, papaya, and pineapple are all popular natural fruit additives.

In smaller towns and rural areas of Mexico, often individuals sell pulque out of their homes. Be sure to either follow a sign or get good advice on which home to check so that you do not bother local residents. On the right is a photo of a sign outside of a door in the rural Mexican highlands. At this particular place, the pulque maker charges $1.50USD for 2 liters of pulque.

As mentioned, pulque is the fermented sap of the maguey plant. 

Magueys are members of the agave family, and are commonly known as a "century plant". At least four different types of magueys are used to make pulque.

To make pulque, one must first harvest aguamiel - the sap of the maguey.

Using a machete, cut off the bottommost leaves of one small part of the maguey. Usually one cuts 4-5 "leaves".

Next, use a forged, sharp spoon to scoop away at the heart of the maguey. A small bowl shape must be carved from the heart. 

The bowl formed will collect one to two liters of aguamiel per day. The sap must be harvested both in the morning and in the afternoon - otherwise it will get stale and will not be the best for making pulque. At the upper right a man is harvesting aguamiel in order to make pulque.

The aguamiel must be left to sit for 7-14 days in order to ferment into pulque. If you do try this method, do try the aguamiel before it ferments - the sweet water is very healthy!

To aid in fermentation, some people add yeast. Wild yeasts work fine for making pulque, so for those who do not have yeast it is ok to just let the sap sit. It should sit in a warm place, covered loosely, until it is ready to drink. After one week be sure to test the pulque daily, because left to ferment too long and it will become undrinkable.

• Agave, the family that magueys belong to, also produce agave nectar, tequila, and mezcal.
• Commonly called "century plants", these plants only live for 8-12 years before flowering and then dying.
• The fibers of the leaves of the plant are quite strong and can be used for making rope.
• The agave americana, or the maguey, is native to Mexico. In present day it can be found growing in suitable climates throughout the world.
• The stalks of the plant are edible. Full of aguamiel, they are quite sweet and very fibrous. One usually chews on them, like sugarcane, and spits out the fiber.