The Beverage Pulque: A History

An ancient alcoholic drink, made from the fermented sap of the agave plant

, is still created and drunk today in Mexico, although nobody is really sure of its origins. It is believed to have been consumed in the Mesoamerican region for at least the last 1000 years, and even today the sap of the plant continues to be collected and fermented, just as it was centuries ago. Sometimes the sap can ferment naturally within the plant structure itself, so perhaps it was a happy coincidence, way back, that someone happened upon the agave's secret. Pulque is wrapped up in the history of Mexico, and has had cultural and religious significance for the hundreds of years that it has been imbibed by humans.

The Aztecs and other Mesoamerican cultures had many different myths surrounding the origin of pulque. One of these was that the sweet sap, commonly called aguamiel, was the blood of Mayahuel, the goddess of the agave. The intoxicating effects of the drink are attributed to the deity Centzon Totochin. The drink was considered holy, and only drunk by certain priests and nobles at ceremonies. Only elderly and pregnant commoners were allowed to imbibe, as the beverage's nutritional value was helpful; it's full of vitamins, amino acids, and minerals like iron.

Upon the conquest of Mexico, pulque's sacred origins gave way to a secular approach, and it was drunk by both the Spaniards and indigenous people alike. Initially there were no laws limiting its use, so the popular alcohol became a lucrative source of revenue for farmers. However, public intoxication and the resulting property damage had become such a problem by 1672 that the government was forced to regulate it. The capital city was limited to 36 'pulquerias', or bars, and they had to close at sundown each night. Large-scale commercial production was in the works for the drink during the colonial period, even after the legislation, and it became a huge source of tax revenue for the colonial government.

After Mexico gained its independence, pulque production went into overdrive, as the Colonial-imposed regulations were ignored. The haciendas dedicated to cultivating agave increased, and the first railway brought the drink to the capital city each day. The ease of production and shipment made the state of Hidalgo, in particular, very rich; families that owned haciendas became very wealthy. The beverage peaked in popularity during the late 19th century.

Unfortunately, pulque has declined in consumption in recent times. It's still popular in the central highlands of Mexico, and in rural areas, but has acquired a stigma about being associated with the lower working classes. Another reason for the lack of the drink is that the fermentation process is long and complicated, making distribution difficult; the finished product does not last for very long before spoiling, so long-distance transport is out of the question.

Beer is much easier to produce and a lot easier to sell, and its introduction in the 20th century drove down sales of pulque even further. The Mexican Revolution also had an impact, as the government of Lazaro Cardenas campaigned against alcohol consumption. The drink is now canned as well, which is a new way of extending its shelf life, and stakeholders in its production are gambling on it becoming a popular tourist drink.

by: Robert Nickel

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