Narrator: This is the agave plant from Mexico. It's used to make two of North America's most popular spirits, tequila and mezcal. It's also the main ingredient in one of Mexico's oldest fermented drinks, pulque. Pulque isn't nearly as popular as the other two, but that wasn't always the case. In the late 1800s, pulque was Mexico's most consumed alcoholic drink. But because of false rumors, its reputation as a drink for the poor, and competition from the beer industry, pulque almost completely disappeared. Narrator: Now, young Mexicans are fueling a renaissance of the dying drink. But can pulque become a global hit like tequila and mezcal? And how, against all odds, is it still standing? Between tequila, pulque, and mezcal, pulque is the oldest, dating back at least 2,000 years.

Even though all three drinks are made from the agave plant, the way they are made makes them taste different. Mezcal gets its smoky flavor from roasting the heart, or the piña, of the agave plant, while the tequila gets its sweet fruitiness from steaming it. Both liquors also have complex distillation processes that can take weeks to complete and result in spirits that contain as much as 55% alcohol. Pulque, on the other hand, is made through natural fermentation, which gives it a slightly sour taste and a much lower alcohol content, around 4%. I haven't tasted anything quite like pulque. Something like, it's slimy, a little bit thick, a little bit heavy on the gut, but yet it's so tasty. Narrator: Pulque is also much simpler to make than tequila or mezcal. But producing it still requires the skilled hands of an expert.

And Pablo Morales Rodríguez knows exactly what to do. He's been producing pulque in the town of Amealco de Bonfil in central Mexico for the last eight years. Narrator: The secret lies in precisely when to cut the agave, or maguey, as it's locally known. Pablo has to cut the plant at just the right age to extract the best aguamiel, the sweet sap the agave secretes that ferments into pulque. If he cuts the agave too early, it could produce low-quality aguamiel. If he cuts it too late, the agave might not produce any sap. Pablo uses a metal tool to scrape the heart of the agave. Narrator: The agave is typically left to rest for anywhere from three months to a year to secrete enough aguamiel to fill the cavity. But beating the bugs has made this more difficult for Pablo.

Narrator: After three months, it's time to extract the aguamiel from the agave. Pablo places an empty bottle with a hose into the cavity. Narrator: This technique has been used by pulque producers, known as tlachiqueros, for centuries. Traditionally, they would use a hollow gourd called an acocote for this step. But Pablo says using an empty bottle is more convenient. Narrator: Once the cavity is empty, he scrapes the sides again to stimulate more aguamiel production. At this stage, the average agave plant can produce anywhere from 4 to 6 liters of the sap a day. Pablo collects it two to three times a day, but unpredictable weather makes it more difficult. If rain gets into the cavity, it could spoil the aguamiel. Narrator: Nicknamed the drink of the gods, pulque was once consumed during sacred rituals.

in pre-Columbian Mesoamerica. The drink lost its religious significance after the Spanish conquered the Aztec Empire in 1521, and it gained massive popularity among everyday people. 500 million liters of pulque were being produced in Mexico every single year by the beginning of the 20th century. But a government-driven anti-pulque campaign following the Mexican Revolution devastated the industry. Land reform in the 1920s and 1930s broke up large agave plantations into smaller plots, making industrial production of the drink impossible. Pulque production dropped from 234 million liters in 1929 to 167 million liters the following year. At the same time, the growing popularity of beer dealt another blow to pulque's popularity. The beer industry started rumors about pulque being fermented with feces, and people began associating the drink with poverty, criminality, and low social class.

By the 1950s, only 42,000 acres of agave were being cultivated, less than 7% of what existed in the early 20th century. Narrator: Despite the challenges, Pablo says his family had no intention of leaving pulque behind. Even though people stopped drinking pulque in cities, it was still enjoyed in rural areas, like where Pablo's family is from. It was small-scale producers like them who kept pulque from disappearing completely. Narrator: They continued harvesting their agave plants and fermenting their pulque in small rooms called tinacals, like the one Pablo uses today. He pours fresh aguamiel into a plastic barrel with pulque that's been fermenting for up to three weeks. Narrator: He continues to add fresh aguamiel to the plastic barrel little by little for up to 10 days, depending on how strong he wants the batch.

Narrator: In the past, Pablo's family made money selling to local pulquerias, Mexican taverns that specialize in serving the ancient drink. But these specialty bars have been disappearing in Mexico since the mid-1900s. In 1953, there were over 1,200 pulquerias in Mexico City. Nearly 60 years later, that number had dropped to just 72. Since the 1980s, there has been a growing effort to revive pulque in Mexico. In the 2010s, pulque started experiencing a renaissance. Slowly, young Mexicans in search of ways to connect to their roots began flocking to the drink. Narrator: This sentiment rings true at Cactux, a bar and restaurant in Morelia. It's one of several businesses that have opened in Mexico in recent decades to capitalize on pulque's resurgence. Today, the drink is one of its bestsellers.

Narrator: José Pisano Mancera has been working at Cactux since it opened. It's also where he had his first sip of pulque. Narrator: Cactux is one of many businesses in Mexico putting a spin on the traditional drink by offering different flavors, like strawberry, mango, and pineapple. Jose says he's been seeing more young people coming in to try the drink. Narrator: Places like Cactux are also on the front lines of dismissing rumors about the drink. Narrator: He believes one day, pulque will get the same global recognition as tequila and mezcal. And while those spirits are also served here, for some customers, pulque is in a class of its own. Luis: Pulque, it's something so unique, so Mexican. I feel like there is nothing that can replicate the flavor of pulque, of good pulque. Narrator: Like its descendants, tequila, and mezcal,

pulque is finding its way to store shelves and bars in the US as well. This could be a game changer for the ancient drink, as tequila and mezcal brands have had massive success in the States. In 2023, the US was the biggest market for mezcal and the leading recipient of Mexican tequila exports. Multiple brands have even started selling canned pulque. But expanding pulque globally has proven to be more difficult than tequila and mezcal, mainly because pulque has a shelf life of about three days. Narrator: But for him, making pulque is a labor of love. Narrator: For now, Pablo is more concerned with keeping pulque-making alive and well in Mexico. Narrator: But finding the next generation of pulque producers may be the next challenge for the industry. While more people are interested in drinking pulque, Pablo says young people haven't shown an interest.

How Tequila And Mezcal’s Ancestor (Pulque) Is Making A Comeback After Near Extinction

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