Ancestral Drinks: Mezcal and Pulque from the Heart of the Desert
Description
Important information: The morning tour focuses on mezcal production, and the afternoon tour focuses on pulque and desert hiking. Discover pre-hispanic pulque and ancestral MEZCAL DE CAMPANILLA; agave drinks and the sun of the Guachichil desert. Did you know that pulque and mezcal come from the same plant? In San Luis Potosí we have a grand tradition for the elaboration of these drinks that are a standard representation of our national identity. We will visit the communities that preserve this tradition and we will get to know the rural surroundings in the vicinity of the capital city.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Gear up with long pants, closed shoes, sun block and a hat. We will drive from the meeting point in San Luis Potosí capital city for 45 minutes to arrive to our first destination of the tour: Palmar Segundo. This is the last bastion where the guardians of MEZCAL DE CAMPANILLA preserve this tradition, an ANCESTRAL technique that uses a unique clay pot system for its distillation; giving the drink an amazing flavor that sets it apart from anything you have ever tried before. Here Angel, Daniel, Jesus, Jaime, Manuel, Maria de la Luz and their families invite us to visit their taberna, or mezcal patio. During the tour, we will get to know the processes for the preparation and elaboration of mezcal using the campanilla technique.
We will learn how to taste mezcal properly with a technique that will build up the experience with our senses. Forget about whatever you learned during those wild nights of spring break, this spirit needs to be appreciated in a special way. Don’t forget to bring extra cash (pesos) in case you want to buy some souvenirs directly from the mezcal producers.
It is time to get back into the vehicle to where we will continue along the route of the ancestral beverages. Very close to the main highway, the little community of Derramaderos is in a valley between the protected natural area of Sierra de San Miguelito. We will visit David and his mother Eufemia, better known as La Jefa del Pulque. We will hike along with them into the beautiful desert (full of endemic cacti) to collect agave sap in a traditional way and, back at their home, demonstrate the elaboration of pulque; a fermented pre-Hispanic drink like kombucha but with a little bit of alcohol. We will take some time to enjoy a refreshing beverage in this beautiful garden of our host’s house; a space that invites us to never leave. Then it is time to drive back for 40 minutes to the meeting point where our rural tourism activity will end.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- +18: Alcoholic Beverages Age Restrictions
Reviews(46)
Miguel is the coolest. Very accommodating, kind and genuinely interesting and knowledgeable. I learnt so much on Mexican history and got to see somewhere else other than the city.
Miguel is a fantastic guide! He is engaging and inspiring in his love of his local culture and community. He immediately made us feel honored and welcome. The visits with local traditional families are heartwarming and informative. We loved seeing people keeping the traditional lifestyle and production techniques alive. Highly recommended!
The meeting place was KFC parking lot. we rode in guide’s SUV. Miquel seems to love sharing about the importance of the agave plant in Mexican culture. English is good. He has built familial relationships w/ the mescal/pulque producing families. It was great to get out to the campo and spend time w/ them. I loved learning about the artesan production of mescal. I would have rated 5 star, except we couldn’t Observe either production process that day for various reasons. But Miguel did great job of describing it using the materials, oven and tools on site. He is animated and fun. Mescal tasting was a fun experience. Try the worm salt!! Lunch entailed farmers cheese, fresh bread, marmalade, Japanese peanuts and sweetened calabash. Clean bathrooms available.
It is an experience that helps us to know and remember our roots and Mexican culture. It teaches us the wealth that is only in Mexico. Michael the guide attentive and dedicated to his work. It is well prepared and promotes the traditional.
It was a very fruitful tour, visiting the village of Mezcal, watching traditional work and learning a lot, and enjoying the purque and the street food Gordida. My guide Mikel was very cheerful and easy to understand.
A unique experience guided in English by Miguel. Incredible discovery of tastes, smells carried by ancestral traditions. The guests explain their daily lives, their profession with great passion and always a communicative smile. You will have understood, I warmly recommend this tour.
This is a one of a kind tour that anyone visiting San Luis Potosí should do. Miguel is one of the best tour guides I've ever had! His personal relationships with the local masters of mezcal provides an opportunity to authentically connect with the ancestral mezcal community. He's incredibly knowledgeable about mezcal and guides you through a fun and educational tasting.
This tour is a must-do for anyone interested in mezcal and its history in SLP. Miguel is a fun guide and extremely knowledgeable about SLP, its history, and mezcal.
Miguel was a tremendously knowledgeable guide, who has developed deep relationships with the real world people who are preserving the ancestral ways of making mezcal and pulque. It was an amazing tour, where we were able to connect with these folks and what they do in a meaningful way. We highly recommend!
This Mezcal tour was a fantastic learning experience! Miguel's detailed explanations of Mezcal's origins were fascinating and incredibly helpful. Meeting the people behind the process and witnessing their dedication to quality was truly inspiring. If you want to understand Mezcal, this tour is a must-do!
