It feels like for the past five or six years, I’ve been reading or hearing “Mezcal can be made from 30 or 40 kinds of agave.” And even Howard Scott Gentry suggested that there are some species of agave that can’t be used to make Mezcal. But I say, in fact, you can make spirits from any agave. Well, except dead agave.

Agave Road Trip is a critically acclaimed, award-winning podcast that helps gringx bartenders better understand agave, agave spirits, and rural Mexico. This episode is hosted by Lou Bank with special guest evolutionary biologist Daniel Moen.

Episode Notes

Shout outs this episode to Sergio Garnier and Mezcal Ultramundo, saponins, Fausto Romero and Asil and El Acabo Raicillas, and Howard Scott Gentry.

Ad Links

If you want a Tequila that reaches back in time, check out Tequila Arriesgado!

Head out on an Agave Road Trip with Finca 18! Greg Rutkowski will take you on his Agave Road Trip Route #2 - Raicilla de la Costa! Price includes a bottle of Paulo Rodriguez’s fabled, limited Tumbado batch!

Order beautiful spirits to be delivered to anywhere in Mexico — beautiful or otherwise — through Agave Spirits Presents!

Howard Scott Gentry’s 670-page Agaves of Continental North America (University of Arizona Press, 1982) is a seminal work in the field. Gentry included thorough descriptions of over 136 species … and identified the 11 best agaves for spirits production. Which 11 are they? And what makes them the best? You’ll have to listen to this episode of Agave Road Trip (or read the book) to find out!

Agave Road Trip is a critically acclaimed, award-winning podcast that helps gringx bartenders better understand agave, agave spirits, and rural Mexico. This episode is hosted by Lou Bank with special guest evolutionary biologist Daniel Moen.

Episode Notes

Thanks to Google Books for digitizing Jose Carmen Segura’s El Maguey (Impr. Particular de la S. Agrícola Mexicana, 1901)! The images that are used for this week’s cover and social-media posts were taken from that book.

Shout outs this episode to KFC’s Original Recipe, Traditional Juan Matador Cantina, Mezcal Lagrimas de Dolores, Gilberto Roldan, Mezcal Del Maguey, Ron Cooper, and Gary Nabhan.

Ad Links

For a copita full of hospitality, check out Mezcal Palomo! Carlos Mendez Blas makes delicious spirits, some of which were distilled with cacao, coffee, and mole!

Head out on an Agave Road Trip with Finca 18!‍ ‍Greg Rutkowski will take you on his Agave Road Trip Route #2 - Raicilla de la Costa! Price includes a bottle of Paulo Rodriguez’s fabled, limited Tumbado batch!

Order beautiful spirits to be delivered to anywhere in Mexico — beautiful or otherwise — through Agave Spirits Presents!

In my quest to lower my blood pressure, I stumbled on an article suggesting that jamaica — the Mexican agua fresca made from dried hibiscus flowers — can do exactly that. So I started using that as a base for an energy drink. Which maybe mitigates the blood-pressure thing, but, anyway, that’s where I landed when I invited Linda Sullivan over to talk aguas fresca.

Agave Road Trip is a critically acclaimed, award-winning podcast that helps gringx bartenders better understand agave, agave spirits, and rural Mexico. This episode is hosted by Lou Bank with special guest Linda Sullivan of seynasecreto!

Episode Notes

“What to Drink to Lower Blood Pressure Quickly: These 9 Drinks May Help,” GoodRX, May 5, 2026

Agave Road Trip episode: “Does Mezcal help you hydrate?”

Shout outs this episode to Monster Rehab, Tazo Tea, Big Works, Mello Yello, Mountain Dew, Electrolit, Cocktail MD Ryan Aycock, Thirsty Whale Justin Sajda, Four Loko, Malort, Quiote Mezcaleria, Labo Fermento, Finca 18, and is/was Brewing.

Ad Links

If you want to taste 24,000 acres of wild desert, get yourself a bottle of Mezcal Ultramundo!

Head out on an Agave Road Trip with Finca 18! Greg Rutkowski will take you on his Agave Road Trip Route #2 - Raicilla de la Costa! Price includes a bottle of Paulo Rodriguez’s fabled, limited Tumbado batch!

Order beautiful spirits to be delivered to anywhere in Mexico — beautiful or otherwise — through Agave Spirits Presents!