Does Whitexicans have para llevar?
04 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
There’s a restaurant that opened in Queens, New York, a couple months ago with the name Whitexican...
Giving Thanks
27 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
There have been so many things for which to be grateful this year. But, oftentimes, I find myself dw...
To AirBnB is human...
20 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In the past decade, housing prices in Mexico City have climbed 148%, fueled largely by digital nomad...
If you’re selling Mexican food, what do you owe Mexicans?
13 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
If you’re a business owner who makes their living serving food or drinks that are rooted in Mexica...
Why are agaves not going to seed?
06 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
First I heard from Sergio Garnier that the wild lamparillos on his 24,000-acre ranch in Durango skip...
How do we protect Mezcal brand owners?
30 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
There’s a lot of talk about ensuring that the mezcaleres get paid fairly, and that’s an importan...
Check your luggage when visiting Mexico
23 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
I see so many agave enthusiasts visiting Mexico and not checking luggage. And Alvin Starkman, who gu...
How does Mezcal find new consumers?
16 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
According to the Comercam, production of Mezcal dropped in 2024. It went from 14.2 million liters in...
The dangers of traveling to Mexico
09 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The US State Department has changed their safety ratings for Mexico. The only places in the country ...
Mezcal by the numbers
02 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Months ago COMERCAM released the 2024 numbers for Mezcal. But I just finally got around to looking a...
How to take better pictures in rural Mexico
25 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The technology most of us carry in our pockets allows us to take such good pictures that we often do...
Big trouble with ancestral agave syrup
18 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
There was sort of mini-boycott of agave syrup among bartenders about a decade ago, fueled by the ind...
The difference between celebrating cultural heritage and committing cultural appropriation
11 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Willy Chavarria and Adidas went to China and made "Oaxaca Slip-Ons.” Was it an opportunity to bene...
The problem with that G4 music video
04 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
“That song makes me not want some mo G4.” That reaction to the music video “Sippin’ on Some ...
Does great Mezcal knowledge come with great responsibility?
28 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The impact that a bartender can have on the consumption patterns within a bar is huge. Does great re...
The dirty, filthy world of Tequila and Mezcal
21 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
There was this video that my friends at Zignum released years ago that suggested that traditional Me...
How can a mezcalere make Mezcal without drinking Mezcal?
14 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
I’ve met at least a dozen mezcalerxs who no longer drink, but continue to make Mezcal. How do they...
Why you shouldn’t say Latinx (or gringx)
07 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
It feels like it was about a decade ago that I started hearing the word “Latinx,” and I liked th...
What happens to Tequila when there’s no more red volcanic soil?
31 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
I hear and read a lot about how the red, mineral-rich volcanic soil is what makes this Tequila espec...
Yes, spirits can be aged in glass
24 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In the world of whiskey, most geeks will tell you that a spirit won’t age unless it’s stored in ...
Mezcal and forgiveness
17 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
I was watching that short documentary that PKGD released about mezcalero Carlos Mendez Blas, “Capi...
Another way to taste Mezcal
10 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Linda has her method for tasting agave spirits. I have mine. And they’re relatively the same. But ...
What can Raicilla teach us about Tequila?
03 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Ron Aleman of Taco Mucho knows and loves Tequila. But he’s now finding himself drawn to Raicilla. ...
The precious world of thoughtful Mezcal
26 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
There are people in rural Mexico for whom Mezcal is 100% cultural heritage. And there are people the...
Are we really drinking less?
19 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
I see it all over the news, hear it in conversations: we're drinking less. But then I look at the sa...
Can Margaritas help us love immigrants
12 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The fastest-growing spirits category in the USA is Tequila/Mezcal. The most popular cocktail is the ...
Agave Road Trip salute to additives!
05 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
At the DISCUS conference a few months ago, I was at a party that was populated by small-brand tastin...
Blind tastings, decision-making, prejudices, spirits awards, and 818 Tequila
29 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
I thought this episode was going to be about blind tastings. And it is. Or, at least, it starts that...
Chuck Cowdery drinks Mexican whiskey
22 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Chuck Cowdery was called “the dean of American whiskey journalism” by no less than Robert Simons...
Are Mezcal geeks ruining Mezcal? Part 2
15 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Last episode we contrasted the good done through the consumption of heritage agave spirits with the ...
Are Mezcal geeks ruining Mezcal? Part 1
08 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
It’s amazing and moving to see mezcalerxs whose lives have clearly improved as a result of the gro...
Some agave can't be farmed
01 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
When I first started drinking Mezcal, I was told that there were some agaves that couldn’t be farm...
Gringx bartenders can save biodiversity
24 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In my consumer-focused tastings, I tell attendees that one of the big things I hope they walk away w...
Corn as cultural heritage
17 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Mexico has been purchasing about $3 billion of corn annually from farmers in the USA, the vast major...
The CRT is no longer the sole certifier for Tequila
10 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
If you want to listen to that October 2023 episode with Khrys Maxwell, it’s “The CRT loses their...
Maguey and Madagascar
03 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Check out Riker’s project, MadAgave, on the Web, on Instagram, and on Facebook — and consider ma...
You pay more for Tequila
27 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Marissa is also a board member of Tequila That Cares, a philanthropic organization bringing positive...
How do you differentiate different Tequilas?
20 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Shout outs this episode to Cambio Tequila and Puesto! And Howard Gardner’s “Theory of Multiple I...
Is Mezcal's moment over?
13 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
That one hit is from Australian Traveller: “30 of the best bars in Sydney right now.”See Privacy...
Puntas: Drop-dead delicious or just drop dead?
06 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This episode was inspired by a post that Mexican distiller Tomas Nava made in the Facebook group Mez...
An American Distiller in Mexico
27 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Check out 30A Distilling Co. when you’re in Florida!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privac...
A Tale of Two USAIDs
20 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
First and foremost, when claims are made about expenses by USAID or any federal agency of the US gov...
The devils in the angel share
13 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Shout out this episode to Steve Catbagan, Denver, and its groovy agave scene; Arik Torren and his Lo...
What do we call them when they’re not all agave spirits?
06 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Shout out this episode to Quiote Mezcaleria!And when in Chicago go visit the desert house at the Chi...
What’s the deal with Rusty Mezcal?
30 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The previous episode that inspired this episode is “The secret origin of Tequila Oro.”Shout out ...
Making old ale from agave syrup!
23 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
That incredible beer-not-beer was made by tlachiquero Marco Antonio of pulqueria El rincon de Mayahu...
The Secret Origin of Tequila Oro
16 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This episode was inspired by a bottle by Victor Ramos, sourced from his tasting room in Miahuatlan, ...
Making Mezcal from the flowering agave
09 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Shout outs this episode to Oaxacan speakeasy Hembra, Marco Ochoa of Mezcouting, Sylvia Philion of Me...
The ominous threat of Mezcal tariffs
02 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Check out the diverse selection of Mexican spirits being imported by Lot001 Brands! They have Mi Cas...
Should we limit the limited-release Mezcals?
26 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Shout outs this episode to Mezonte, Off Premise: Wine, Agave, Whiskey & Craft Beer, and Alambiqu...
Why is Espadin the only Angustifolia in Oaxaca?
19 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Mezcal geeks love to run down all the varieties of Agave Karwinskii they can name. And when we talk ...
The 400 decisions of Tequila
12 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In addition to our quoted friends at Cambio Tequila and Tequila Torrente, we also mention this episo...
The day celebrating the people who work at bars
05 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
National Bartenders Day is the first Friday of December. That’s December 6 in 2024!Listen to Bridg...
Another way to bring the desert to your bar
28 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
If you’re in Santiago Matatlan, Oaxaca, go drink pulque at Reina Cortes Cortes’s A&V La Casa...
A different approach to additive-free Tequila
21 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
If you’re not already all over the Tequila Matchmaker app, you should be. Scarlet and Grover have ...
The physical cost of pre-industrial Mezcal
14 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Shout out to Lalo Angeles of Lalocura for his insights about the damage done to the palenqueros who ...
Can culture and commerce coexist in a bottle?
07 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Want easier access to beautiful spirits? Add your signature to ShipMySpirits.org!Live in Illinois an...
What happens when they stop calling it Tequila?
31 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Agave Road Trip is a critically acclaimed, award-winning podcast that helps gringx bartenders better...
When did “smooth” become a dirty word?
24 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Dig whiskey? Dig the blog of the mighty Chuck Cowdery!Want to know more about Hacienda de Chihuahua ...
The argument for pairing chocolate with Mezcal
17 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Thanks to road-tripper Shain Bela Lugosi in San Diego for pointing me to Oslo Sardine Bar!Caputo’s...
Is Mezcal More Authentic Than Tequila?
10 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
People in the Tequila chat groups get pretty outraged by things like diffusers and additives, and th...
There Is No Traditional Mezcal in the Marketplace
03 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In the comments section of the Agave Road Trip Instagram page, Craig Reynolds — founder of the Cal...
The World’s Most Environmentally Sustainable Mezcal Brand
26 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This Mezcal brand replants agave in the wild, uses solar power, and only cooks with certified wood. ...
The Argument for Pairing Tinned Fish With Mezcal
19 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Gone are the days when jars of pickled eggs and pigs feet lined the back of a bar. But a bit of food...
The Most Important Tequila of the Century
12 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Once a century, Agave Road Trip goes out looking for the most important Tequila of that era. Now, th...
Does the Tequila in Your Margarita Matter?
05 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
I saw a number of posts online suggesting that, if you’re making a Margarita, it doesn’t matter ...
The Politics of Mezcal
29 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Not everybody who drinks Mezcal is politically liberal. Not everyone carrying a copita in their pock...
Did Salsa Change Gringos or Did Gringos Change Salsa?
22 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
A recent article in the New York Times suggested, "As more foreigners, especially Americans, visit o...
De-caf, Non-fat Tequila
15 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Eric Kozlik of Modern Bar Cart shared with me an email exchange he’d had with a PR agency, where t...
Mezcal Is Smoky Tequila
08 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Mezcal geeks and agave nerds get hot under the collar when someone suggests that Mezcal is smoky Teq...
Uncertified Mezcal Can Kill You
01 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It’s true: An uncertified agave spirit can kill you. But so can a certified Mezcal. Or a certified...
Mezcal Flights or Mezcal Cocktails?
25 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
No question but that most people in the USA are introduced to Mezcal through cocktails. But most bar...
Tequila Cristalino: Threat or Menace?
18 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
You can’t log onto a Facebook Tequila group without seeing Cristalino Tequila derided, abused, and...
Beverage Testing Institute Does Not Say Mezcal Is the Purest Distilled Alcohol
11 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
“According to the Beverage Testing Institute of Chicago in Illinois, mezcal is the purest distilla...
Horse Piss, Arm Pits, and Other Mezcal Additives
04 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
I like to talk about the 400 decisions that a mezcalerx makes that determines how an agave spirit ta...
When Did Tequila Stop Being Fun?
27 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It’s all in the eye of the beholder, I know. But when I think about what Tequila was back in the ‘...
Yes, There Can Be Additives in Mezcal
20 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In the past several weeks, I have seen in numerous online forums the misstatement that Mezcal can’...
A $30 Chicken Dinner Is a Bargain
13 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
John Douglass of the multi-award-winning Louisville bar Pretty Decent is renowned for his hospitalit...
You Can’t Recycle That Bottle
06 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Road-tripper Nathan Mealey checked in to ask, “How do you if a brand is ethical?” So I’ve star...
Making Beer With Agave (And Sotol)
30 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
How do you turn 24,000 acres of wild maguey Lamparillo and dasylirion into beer? You bring Mike Scha...
Cocktails as Cultural Bridges
23 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
I’ve heard a lot about how bartenders use cocktails as a way to introduce their guests to Mexican ...
What Is the Connection Between Mezcal, Mexican Food, and Museums?
16 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The first time I saw tascalate on a menu it was at Itanoni in Oaxaca. I immediately fell in love wit...
Maybe That 12-Year-Old Agave Is Only Five Years Old…
09 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
I was having a conversation with Grace Gonzalez of Tequila El Mayor and she said something that brou...
Mezcal Moto-Rally!
02 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Four wheels good! Two wheels more good? For the last few years, Nick Barreiro has organized a moto-r...
What Can Cultivated Meat Teach Us About Mezcal?
25 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In his New York Times op-ed about the imploding dream of cultivated meat, Joe Fassler writes, “[It...
Are the Best Bottles of the Year the Best Bets for Your Bar?
18 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Vinepair, Wine Enthusiast, Esquire … seems like every publication these days has their suggestions...
This Bottle Protects Jaguars
11 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We’ve done a lot of episodes about the importance of biodiversity, but usually we’re talking abo...
Are Agave Straws Really Better Than Plastic?
04 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
A trend that’s emerged in the past decade are these drinking straws that are being promoted as mad...
How to Pair Mezcal With Food
28 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
I’m seeing a lot more restaurants expanding their Mezcal selections, and a lot more events pairing...
Why Brands Don’t Certify Their Mezcal
21 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Since I first met Sergio Garnier, before he launched Mezcal Ultramundo, we’ve debated about the re...
The Secret Origin of Bull-skin Fermentation in Mezcal
14 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The fist time I tasted an agave spirit fermented in the skin of a bull, it was all anyone was talkin...
All Bino Mexcal Is Mezcal but Not All Mezcal Is Bino Mexcal
07 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Did the small family producers in Tequila, Jalisco, eat the metaphorical and literal lunch of the bi...
Rowan Jacobsen Went to Mexico and All I Got Was This Podcast
29 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
I got obsessed with Rowan Jacobsen when American Terroir hit bookstores in 2010, and was recently re...
Food Journalism Is Still Journalism
22 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
How do you find reliable sources for information about adult beverages? This is a multi-billion doll...
The Problem With the InsideHook Article About 2023 Tequila Sales
15 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
A couple weeks ago, I threw the Washington Post under the bus for failing to recognize that food jou...
Why Don’t More Mezcaleros Own Their Brands?
08 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Why are there so few Mezcal and Tequila brands owned by the people who produce them? When I try to r...
The Problem With the Washington Post Article About Mezcal
01 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Do you want to preserve the biodiversity of agaves? Or do you want to preserve agaves in the wild? B...
How to Take Your Pet on a Road Trip to Mexico
25 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Heather Morse traveled to Mexico City with her husband, Aaron. And her dog. And her cat. By car. Fro...
Leave Tequila Alone!
18 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In a Wine Enthusiast op-ed titled “Is it time to leave Tequila alone?,” spirits and cocktail wri...
The Cultural Heritage of Agave Syrup
11 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
There’s Mrs. Butterworth’s, and then there’s fine Vermont maple syrup. And the same extremes e...