Mezcal is a drink that has long been popular in Mexico, but demand for it has skyrocketed worldwide, and the Bay Area is no exception.
East Oakland might not be the first place you think of for a tasting, but behind an unassuming gate, Hugo Gonzalez is shaking things up with a spicy twist.
A few years ago, Gonzalez transformed his modest garage into a mezcal mecca, where every sip offers a dash of history, culture and just the right amount of spice.
“Mezcal is really popular right now,” Gonzalez told CBS News Bay Area.
CBS
Gonzalez, a former lawyer from Mexico City, traded his briefcase for a bottle of agave—or rather, hundreds of bottles—and turned his rare mezcal collection into a library of liquid stories.
His goal is to showcase the complexity of mezcal, also known as tequila’s smoky cousin.
Unlike tequila, which is made exclusively from blue agave, mezcal is produced from over 30 different varieties of the plant, creating a much wider range of flavors and tastes.
Although mezcal has been a part of Mexican culture for centuries, it has become increasingly popular in recent years. Mezcal sales have increased by double digits year-over-year, making it one of the fastest growing spirits categories in the country.
Andi Miller, a bartender in San Francisco, says part of the appeal of agave is that it can take years to mature. Once harvested, the plant can’t be reused.
“You’re actually drinking the wind, the rain, the hands and the love of the people who made the product,” Miller told CBS News Bay Area.
The growing demand also has a downside: some wild agave species are now threatened with extinction.
That’s why Gonzalez said it’s important to enjoy every drop.
“The best way to drink Mezcal is to call it ‘besito a besito,’” he said, which literally means “little kiss after little kiss.”
In other words, he says, don’t drink it, but take small sips of it.
The hope, he says, is that people will appreciate not just the end product, but also the plant itself.
“It’s part of our heritage, part of our traditions and, I think, it’s in our blood in a way,” he said.
