Mexico for the Win!
Mexico may very well be my favorite country to visit. I look for any excuse to visit and am delighted by the new discoveries I make during each trip. This voyage was at the invitation of our friends at El Tequileno. This brand is based in Tequila, Mexico, the birthplace of the iconic spirit. Unlike other trips to Tequila country, this distillery is located in a more remote, more rural part of the city.
As such, El Tequileno and Casa Salles hotel have created resort-like accommodations for guests. Complete with a gourmet restaurant, craft cocktail bar, full spa and my favorite feature, a sparkling swimming pool.
While this location is perfect for a vacation, I was there to study and hopefully pass my Level 1 Spirits exam hosted by WSET. The Wine & Spirits Educational Trust is an internationally recognized organization of spirits educators. The instructors are trained to explain the nuances of each spirits category in an understandable and consumable way. Our instructors, Peter Smolarz and Gina Castillo were engaging and informative.
I was most impressed by the diversity among the exam takers. Our class consisted of bartenders, chefs and beverage professionals from Mexico and the United States. Some attendees needed help with language translation that our WSET educators were able to accommodate. Very impressive.
After the studying and test taking was complete we received a guided tour of El Tequileno distilling operation. The brand stays true to its roots, following family tradition by using the same tried and true methods since their 1959.
But El Tequileno isn’t stuck in the past. We had the pleasure of trying the newest edition to their brand portfolio, Reposado Rare. This aged Tequila has been rested in American Oak barrels for 6 years. This limited expression essentially created a new age statement for Tequila. Way to lead the pack.
In an industry full of celebrity brands, El Tequileno is staying true to form while pushing the limits of product innovation.
Served Up Neat
If one asks for Bourbon “neat”, he or she is expecting their serving of spirit undiluted or mixed with anything else. This preparation permits the guest to enjoy the full flavor of the spirit. One can taste the bitter and the sweet properties. This service allows for an appreciation of harsh aromatics followed by a sweet, floral finish.
When discussing necessary yet controversial topics, we prefer to speak directly to the issue as opposed to beating around the bush. When we got approached by Facebook to design a podcast to discuss topics of interest in the food and beverage space, we vowed to keep it real, to speak plainly, to serve these topics ‘neat’.
We decided to take this opportunity to dispel common misconceptions surrounding the African American beverage consumer. It is widely accepted that people of color have a less refined palate and limit themselves to a select few spirit options. We deign to figure out where these myths came from and how to better educate Black bar patrons and those who serve them. We reached out to some of the most knowledgeable, well-traveled and well-sipped individuals in the industry for their expert opinion on specific sectors of the industry. They provided first hand accounts of career obstacles, discrimination and triumph.
We kicked off the six parts series with our dear friend and the first Black man to obtain a distiller’s license in the United States, Jackie Summers of Sorrel Liqueur. Jackie spoke to the barriers he broke on his journey writing about beverages as a lover and purveyor of liqueur.
Next, we spoke to Jamaal Lemon, native Charlestonian and beer historian. Jamaal frequently contributes to ‘Good Beer Hunting’ and recently released his own brew in collaboration with Edmund’s Oast Brewery located in the Holy City. ‘8 and All’ is an American Strong Ale that sheds light on Charleston’s dark colonial past which often neglects to mention the contribution of former enslaved Africans. Powerful stuff. Jamaal, a 2022 James Beard nominee, explained how breweries can be an unsafe space for Black people in our episode entitled, ‘Black people don’t drink craft beer’.
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We kept it country in our next audio room discussing the African American connection to Moonshine. Pitmaster and Rocket Scientist, Dr. Howard Conyers educated us on the long held tradition of smoking meat and distilling spirit in secrecy. Dr. Conyers, himself a distiller of fine moonshine, spoke to the absence of any celebrity Black pitmasters and Black distillers; it’s no coincidence. Access, finances, and media perception has kept Black faces and Black names from history. Dr. Conyers encouraged listeners to honor tradition and continue the legacy.
https://www.facebook.com/fbaudio/?link_hash=zlkcxkbegsss&story_token=1250556202130115
The following conversation would involve the complicated yet misunderstood grip Hennessy has on the Black community. We spoke with Hennessy brand ambassador and Chicago native, Alexis Brown. As a boxer and seasoned bar professional, Alexis spoke of her journey to becoming an ambassador for an internationally recognized brand and explained how African Americans were exposed to and fell in love with Cognac, specifically Hennessy.
https://www.facebook.com/fbaudio/?link_hash=oubtyvbhbcgk&story_token=392095335699854
As attendees and speakers at beverage conferences all over the country, we often find ourselves among a small group of African Americans. It can be a lonely and isolating experience. We spoke to Ashtin Berry for her perspective as a host/organizer and creator of Radical Xchange – a bi-annual conference centered on the African American contribution to food and beverage ways in this country and beyond. Berry, a self proclaimed hospitality activist, has an endless list of accolades that include being named Humanitarian of the year and The Future 50 by WSET has seen the industry grow while simultaneously ignoring the needs of its essential workers. She shares tips on making the bar space more equitable and inclusive for people of color.
https://www.facebook.com/fbaudio/?link_hash=fcayecceotke&story_token=377573807178461
We concluded our series with a discussion on wine. Our friend and sommelier, Cha McCoy, joined us for a spirited discussion on the myths and barriers preventing Black people from drinking fine wine and preventing servers from offering fine wine options to Black patrons. Cha, who has studied wine in three different continents, has served wine to patrons of all backgrounds and ethnicities. She detailed that the problem has more to do with what we think a fine wine drinker looks like as opposed to what the market actually reflects. Representation matters!
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So if you’re thirsty for some straight talk, no chaser then check out all six episodes of Served Up Neat’ on our Facebook Channel. Listen responsibly, of course.
