Vivian Marlowe
It is a common misconception that tequila has a worm in the bottle. In reality, it is Mezcal, a Mexican spirit made from the agave plant, that contains a worm. Tequila is also made from the agave plant, specifically the blue agave plant, and the two spirits are often confused. The worm is actually a type of larva from moths that live on the agave plant, known as gusano. Consuming the worm is thought to bring good fortune and virility, and it is also believed to be hallucinogenic due to the worm's diet of the peyote cactus.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Alcohol with a worm in it | Mezcal |
| Type of worm | Larva of a moth or a weevil |
| Eating the worm | Safe to eat, but not recommended |
| Effects of eating the worm | No hallucinogenic effects |
| Reason for inclusion | Marketing ploy, indicator of purity or virility |
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What You'll Learn
Mezcal is the alcohol with a worm
It is a common misconception that tequila has a worm in the bottle. In reality, it is Mezcal that contains a worm. Mezcal is a Mexican spirit made from the agave plant, specifically a blend of one of 250 types of the cactus-like succulent. To be classified as tequila, the drink must be made from at least 51% blue agave.
The "worm" in Mezcal is actually the larva of a moth, known as a gusano. These larvae are called gusano de maguey and are regularly eaten in Mexico. The gusano rojo is considered a better worm to have in your bottle, as it feeds on the heart of the maguey, which is the part that is roasted and distilled into Mezcal. The gusano de oro, on the other hand, eats only the leaves.
The practice of including a worm in Mezcal bottles is believed to have originated as a marketing ploy to boost Mezcal sales in the 1940s and 1950s. Jacobo Lozano Paez, a former art student-turned-mezcal entrepreneur, is credited with the idea of placing the gusano into the bottle of Mezcal. It was thought that the worm indicated purity, virility, or good fortune.
Today, Mezcal with a worm is often considered a gimmick, and there are many high-quality Mezcals without worms available, such as Momento Verde, Ilegal Mezcal Anejo, and Bozal Ensamble. However, drinking Mezcal with a worm can be an enjoyable experience, and the worm can be eaten. Some people believe that eating the worm has symbolic meaning, such as unlocking doors for you in life.
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Tequila doesn't contain a worm
The idea that tequila contains a worm is a common misconception. In reality, it is mezcal, a Mexican spirit similar to tequila, that contains a worm. Both tequila and mezcal are made by distilling the agave plant, but while tequila must be made from at least 51% blue agave, mezcal can be made from any of the 250 types of agave plant.
The inclusion of a worm in mezcal is thought to have originated as a marketing ploy to boost mezcal sales in the 1940s and 1950s. Jacobo Lozano Paez, a former art student-turned-mezcal entrepreneur, is credited with the idea of adding the gusano, or maguey worm, to the bottle of mezcal. The worm was believed to bring good luck and virility, and it was also thought that eating the worm would induce hallucinations. However, these beliefs are not based in fact, and the worm is now understood to be purely a marketing gimmick.
While the worm is not traditionally part of mezcal production, some modern mezcal brands continue to include it in their bottles, as it is believed to add flavor to the drink. However, it is recommended to avoid mezcal with a worm, as it is generally indicative of a focus on marketing over flavor.
So, while the image of a worm floating in a bottle of tequila may be engrained in popular culture, it is important to remember that tequila does not, in fact, contain a worm.
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The worm is a moth larva
It is a common misconception that tequila contains a worm. In reality, it is Mezcal, a Mexican spirit similar to tequila, that contains a worm. Mezcal is made using a different type of agave plant than the one used for tequila. While tequila must be made using at least 51% of the blue agave plant, mezcal can be made by combining any of the 250 types of agave plant.
The "worm" in Mezcal is not actually a worm at all. It is, in fact, a type of larva from moths that live on the agave plant. These larvae are called gusano and bottles of mezcal containing them are known as con gusano. Specifically, the larvae are the caterpillar form of a night butterfly called the Mariposa. If they were not drowned in Mezcal, these larvae would eventually turn into moths.
The gusano de maguey are regularly eaten in Mexico, without the accompaniment of alcohol. The gusano rojo is considered a preferable worm to eat, as it feeds on the heart of the maguey (the part that is roasted and distilled into mezcal), whereas the gusano de oro only eats the leaves.
The inclusion of the "worm" in Mezcal bottles is believed to have originated as a marketing ploy to get people to drink more mezcal. The idea was that the gusano indicated purity (a strong mezcal would keep the worm intact) or could impart virility or good fortune. It is said that the Normas Oficiales Mexicanas (the Mexican Standards Authority) prohibits adding insects or larvae to tequila, so you will never see a worm in a bottle of tequila.
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The worm is called a gusano
It is a common misconception that tequila has a worm in it. In reality, it is Mezcal, a Mexican spirit similar to tequila, that contains a worm. Tequila is made from the blue agave plant, whereas mezcal can be made from any of the 250 types of the cactus-like succulent.
The "worm" in mezcal is not actually a worm, but a type of larva from moths that live on the agave plant. These larvae are called gusanos. Bottles of mezcal containing them are known as con gusano. Gusano de maguey are commonly eaten in Mexico. There are two types of gusanos: the gusano rojo, which feeds on the heart of the maguey, and the gusano de oro, which eats the leaves. The gusano rojo is considered the better worm to have in your bottle, as it is believed to indicate purity and impart virility or good fortune.
The inclusion of the gusano in mezcal bottles is believed to have originated as a marketing ploy. Mezcal entrepreneurs wanted to differentiate their product from tequila, which was flooding the U.S. market. The idea of including the gusano in the bottle is attributed to Jacobo Lozano Paez, a former art student-turned-mezcal entrepreneur. He is said to have realized that the gusano changed the flavor of the spirit.
While the gusano is safe to eat, it is not recommended to consume mezcal with a worm inside. This is because it is usually an indication that the brand focuses more on marketing than flavor.
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The worm is believed to bring good fortune
Despite the popular belief that tequila contains a worm, it is actually mezcal, a Mexican spirit similar to tequila, that contains a worm. Mezcal is made from a blend of one of 250 types of the cactus-like succulent, the agave plant. Tequila, on the other hand, must be made from at least 51% blue agave to be classified as tequila.
The "worm" in mezcal is actually a type of larva from moths that live on the agave plant. These larvae are called gusano and bottles of mezcal containing them are known as con gusano. The practice of including a worm in mezcal is believed to have originated as a marketing ploy to get people to drink more mezcal in the 1940s and 1950s. Jacobo Lozano Paez, a former art student-turned-mezcal entrepreneur, is said to have come up with the idea of putting the gusano into the bottle of mezcal after realizing that the gusano changed the flavor of the spirit.
The worm is also believed to bring good fortune. Some people think that eating the worm will bring them good luck and unlock doors for them in life. This belief is especially prevalent in Mexican culture, where gusano de maguey (the larvae of the agave snout weevil) are regularly eaten without tequila. While the worm in mezcal is not hallucinogenic, the gusano rojo (red gusano) is considered a better worm to have in your bottle as it feeds on the heart of the maguey, which is used to make mezcal.
The inclusion of the worm in mezcal bottles has been met with some criticism. Some people believe that mezcal with worms is a gimmick and that there are much better mezcals without worms available. Additionally, the Normas Oficiales Mexicanas (the Mexican Standards authority) prohibits adding insects or larvae to tequila, so consumers will never find a worm in a bottle of tequila.
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Frequently asked questions
The Mexican spirit mezcal sometimes has a worm in it. Tequila does not contain a worm.
The "worm" is actually a type of larva from moths that live on the agave plant. These larvae are called gusano and bottles of mezcal containing them are known as con gusano.
One theory is that mezcal makers added the worm to differentiate their product from tequila, which was flooding the US market. It is said that mezcal with a worm intact indicated purity and strong mezcal. Eating the worm is also said to bring virility or good fortune.
While it is edible, it is generally not recommended. Eating the worm is said to be a fun party trick and is part of Mexican culture, where it is believed that the worm has the key to unlocking doors for you in life.
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