h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I thought it might be useful to say that tequila has a different feel after drinking to any other alcohol. You get this big grin and a warm cozy feeling which seems much more intense than anything else I've tried.
Another mixture that seems to be taking the clubs by storm is a T.V.R. I first found it in Barcelona but now I've seen it in England too. It's 1 shot tequila, 1 shot vodka, and 1 can of Red Bull (an energy drink). It'll keep you dancing all night but be careful!

An absolutely delicious drink, we call it Tequila Boom. Take a glass (possibly one that will not break easily), put in some teqouila and some Schwepps (you know, that fizzy bitter drink) and cover the glass with a cloth or something like that (so you don't get wet). Hit the glass once or twice hard on the table. The liquid wil become all foamy and delicious. Pour it in quickly and after ten minutes you will not remember who and where you are anymore. Guaranteed.

These are similar to tequila slammers - that use fizzy lemonade.

Why is it that tequila gets served this way - why not rum slammers or rum boom for example?

Good tequila is good to drink alone. The cheap tequila is probably best served this way.

I tell you what. I will sacrefise myself in the name of science (or whatever) and try this using rum or something similar. That might give us the answer to this rather interesting question.

Don't. A few years back when I was still a cellarman, we tried it one night. A few of us went all along the spirit shelf testing the 'slamability' of different spirits. The general rules of thumb we came up with were White Spirit Good, Dark Spirit Bad and slamming and snorting rather than drinking, bleeding stupid.
I didn't partake of the snorting slammers, but the guy who did fell over almost instantly.
Actually, it was a great night. Do.

We had a "funnel" in our frat house. This works on the same principle as a mother bird feeding the nestlings - except the nestling is replaced by soon to drunk (and burping) victim. Mother bird by your responsible frat buddies, and the crop, regurgitation food delivery system, by a big plastic funnel attached to a short lenght of wide diameter PVC tube.

Cover end of tube, fill funnel with a few beers. Put end of tube in mouth. Assistant raise funnel above head. Beer goes straight down.

Do not do this with tequila, etc. it would probably cause a death.

Other uses for funnels in my university where created in our engineering faculty. By attaching a couple of bungy cords to a big funnel it made an ideal catapult for firing water bombs off nearby rooftops into the football stadium during games.

I prefer to sip and savour my beverages.

The Problem with the british TVRs is that at most places they are served (namely "Moons" pubs) they have replaced the blond Sauza Tequila (not bad for a cheep blond) with blond Olmeca (tastes like it's made from a combination of terpentine and broken glass).

Tequila of the month has to go to Jose Cuervo 1800 - hard to find but will convert any tequila sceptic (as long as you tell then it's an exotic tipple without mentioning tequila. Once they've tried it they'll fall over at the shock of finding out that it was "evil" tequila they just drank, if they don't fall over from a sudden burst excessive gravity often brought about by such drinks)

Dr Goof Lithium :~}

That stuff ain't bad .. It's a blend of reposado and anejo tequilas - not really a pure tequila. Neat bottle though.

Dudemeister, You sure? the bottle I've got here just says "anejo" and makes no mention of being blended. Then again it's all in spanish. Having only learnt spanish whilst spending a year in latin america, my spanish isn't up to much in the correct grammer and vocab departments. (Nor is my English, come to that!)

Anyway, what would you pick as Top Tequila?

Sorry.. just woke up from a spell of being productive.

The label on the 1800 I have states that it is a blend of reposado and anejo tequilas. By law they would have to say that if they mix tequila of different ages, and I suppose some are less than a year in the barrel. Good stuff though.

The best tequilas that you might possibly buy easily (in my opinion) far away from Mexico are made by the distiller Herradura (the horseshoe), their bottles are all good. In my opinion El Jimador - a reposado, and their mid-range bottle - is the best value for the money. The top end ones are a bit pricey.

The best tequilas, I think are probably like all those "best drinks" you have, depending on circumstances, company and state of mind when you drank it. The best you might find from small distillers.

In Ontario the local "Liquor Control Board of Ontario" has been selling bottles of "Hussong's" in nice porcelain like jugs. This anejo tequila has apparently been released from hiding by the control board, and now the general public is allowed to consume it without fear of reprisal. It is one of the best I think I have tasted - has a nice peppery taste, and aroma (besides the wiff of ethyl alcohol)

Came back from Mexico a couple of weeks ago. Bought a bottle of Cuervo's special family reserve - In a nice hand-painted box. THis is awesome. It is a tequila and drinks well as such, to open the appetite, but has the characteristics of something like a well-aged Armagnac brandy. You probably have to go to Mexico to buy this. I bought it at the local HEB (Texan supermarket chain) located in Monterrey, Mexico.

If you tell me ecactly what it says on the label I'll try to get some shipped here. There'a a specialist Off-licence that is normally pleased to accomodate my strange orders

Here in Germany there is a custom to drink Tequila together with a slice of lemon and a few grains of salt. You arrange the salt on the back side of your palm, then lick it up, chew the lemon and pour the Tequila over this. Is this any 'official' way of drinking it?

Bossel, That's the traditional Mexicam way of drinking Tequial. Mezcal is drunk the same way but then salt has chilli powder added

Actually, more often than not, people just drink it straight - Especially if it is good tequila. A more common way of drinking tequila in Mexico is to have a "caballito" of lime juice and/or sangrita (which is salty and with chile) to drink with the tequila.

IF you have good tequila, I think it is better to leave it alone. If it is bad tequila then anything goes.

Good luck. I would be very interested if you could get this (in the UK?). It's worth a try!

I bought bottle number 1729 (written by hand) and bottled 5/VIII/99. It came in a nice hand blown glass bottle cradled in a nice hand-painted wooden box - part of the reason I bought it - No more tequila left, but the box is sitting on display. The design has been commented on in Mexican art publications. It cost about $850 (Mexican Pesos) at the supermarket in Monterrey for 750ml. This is about 50 quid I think (the $ sign means peso - it was adopted by the US for the dollar as it is also commonly used today). They had a humungous big box too - but bringing it back home would have been a nuisance - Not paying duty rather, but just lugging it around airports.

The name is "Jose Cuervo - Reserva de la familia". The label on the back says - I will translate from Spanish:

"The house of Cuervo would like to share the flavour and nose of a grand reserve made by the family distillery to celebrate its 200 years. Following the family tradition we select the best blue agaves from our fields, we cook them in stone ovens, and finally leave the agave honey to ferment before submitting them to a slow double distillation.

The family keeps the best of its reposado and anejo reserve in their private caves to age in new barrels of American elm and French oak until it attains the excellence given by the traditional Mexican art."

It is really worth it - I lugged home a nice bottle of Armagnac from France once I could never find in Canada. Much the same experience. Now I have to go back to Mexico to get more. Unfortunately the big Tequila selling season is around now - for the Mexican Independence celebrations - So I will be suprised if any survives - Well maybe they will make a 250 yr edition when I am old and greyish.

I'm off to my freindly booze specialist to try to order some now

I'll let you know what I think.

Some of the best ones are from the smaller manufacturers. A good reposado is from "Cascahuin". Used to get this through a family connection when I was in Mexico, and 1 restaurant in Monterry Mexico used to have it all the time that I know of - Otherwise it was hard to find.

It is made in Arenal, Jalisco in the tequila region. The address of the bottling factory is:

Hospital No. 423, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico

Hospital No. 423 refers to the street address, not the 423rd hospital.

We can get here in Ontario "Hussong's" it comes in a little pot bottle. It is very good - has a peppery taste.

Challenge your friend a bit more - I would be curious if you get a hold of these.

For the stuff that I cant get him to find for me I have to go into London to a special "specialist off-licence" or failing that a rather grotty Mexican restaurant who seem to be able to perform miracles

I think I saw some "Hussing's" a couple of weeks ago. I'll have to go back to check. Couldn't buy any at the time as I was straped fior cash.