Photography by Samantha Demangate
“It tastes like sweet aloe beer!” Explained my girlfriend when she tried her first sip of pulque. In a bar in downtown Mexico City, in a neighborhood near the famed center for Lucha Libre wrestling, we took our first sips out of a large ceramic jug. Pronounced pul-kay, the drink is a sacred leftover from antiquity that, according to many fanatics, is reaffirming itself as Mexico’s unofficial national drink. Pulque comes in several infused flavors like mango and strawberry (curado) yet for me and many others the natural flavor is the best and most traditional.
What is Pulque?
Outside of Mexico, people associate Mexican alcoholic drinks with tropical lagers and distilled spirits that, like their lagered brethren, work well with lime. The reality is that there are over a dozen types of distillates and countless non-distilled tipples born in Mexico. Moreover, distillation itself didn’t arrive in the country until the Europeans invaded. Before this, the indigenous civilizations brewed fermented beverages made from the most prevalent sources of sugars they had — corn and agave. For many societies, corn was this perfect source of yeast-satisfying sugars. For others, especially around the central highlands and lake Texcoco, the hearts of agave cacti took this role.
The multifaceted origin story of the endeared “nectar of the gods” spans thousands of years. Although nobody knows the exact details on when it was first consumed, it was depicted in two thousand year old murals found in archeological sites. No matter how pulque originated, it was made the same way as today. First, the hearts of a mature agave are scraped which allows a pool of sap known as aguamiel to collect in the center. This sweet liquid is fermented by ambient yeasts for around 24 hours or less. The result is a viscous, semi-sweet, and slightly alcoholic drink that’s packed with vitamins, minerals, and probiotics. The early Mexican societies reserved the intoxicating drink for kings, warriors, priests, and elders. Sipping small quantities would allow those who partook in rituals to reach a slightly intoxicated state of mind. This allowed easier communication with the dead and divine.
Who Makes Pulque?
In the town of Teotihuacan we met up with brothers Hugo and Gabriel Flores, archeology students and local guides. Above all, they’re also pulque experts and producers. On a hot December afternoon we booked a daylong tour with them through Airbnb, hopped in a van, and drove about 30 miles outside of Mexico’s capital to the ruins of Teotihuacan. The city was once the largest urban area in Central America, inhabited by people from throughout the region and beyond. Here, some of the first forms of evidence of pulque production exist on murals excavated near the pyramids. “Here on the murals you can see a high priest next to the maguey plant producing pulque!” explained the brothers. The Flores brothers not only educate people about the ancient city and its culture but end their tour with an incredible dinner made by their grandmothers Nina and Gaby. Throughout the dinner the family treats their guests with homemade enchiladas covered in rich green and red mole sauces and generous cupfuls of homemade pulque. The response from the multinational guests was enthusiastic. From their tours, the brothers are not only educating people about the awe-inspiring pyramids but also gaining pulque fans.
Hugo and Gabriel Flores grow their magueys just outside of their hometown. In Mexico State and the surrounding regions, pulque production is increasing. Since the fall of the Aztec Empire maguey cactus were farmed to produce distillates above anything else. According to the Flores brothers, many people came to see pulque as dirty, a lie purposefully spread by beer companies to increase sales of Mexican lagers. The reality is quite the contrary. Studies revealed that pulque was used as an important source of nutrients for the Aztecs and early Mexican societies. Recent research has found that the drink is full of nutrients. This revelation is helping to spread the drink’s popularity as a healthy alternative to beer and spirits. The only problem with pulque, as the Flores brothers pointed out, is that the drink doesn’t travel well. “We can’t bottle it like beer and sell it at the supermarket. It’s best enjoyed fresh.”
Pulque’s Bright Future
In the last decade the drink’s resurgence has been gaining speed. Establishments that serve it, known as Pulquerias, have been slowly gaining ground throughout the country, especially in the central plateau. Within the capital of Mexico City, pulquerias serve as local hang out spots, especially for the younger generations and those who have rediscovered the drink. Live music, art, and funky atmospheres attract new patrons. Murals of Mesoamerican gods and animal representations like Tlacuache hold a bowl of pulque and engage in rituals. The connection to deities, spiritual practices, and health make a night of pulque drinking a memorable and provoking experience.
Maguey cactus, the cactus used in pulque production, are also becoming a symbol of regenerative agriculture. They are easy to grow in harsh climates and need little rain. Many can be used to make industrial fibers, organic livestock feed, and other materials. Throughout the world’s arid regions they are increasingly grown as ornamental plants. Yet, in recent years some have been looking to use them to produce Mexican pulque beyond its borders. If this turns out to be a success remains to be seen. Regardless, fans of the drink and the uses of the maguey are spreading fast within Mexico and beyond.
Just outside the city of Puebla, in the town of Cholula, is the Great Pyramid of Cholula. Here, archeologists found one of the oldest representations of pulque in 1969. The Mural of the Drinkers is an over 1800 year old painting depicting dozens of characters donning zoomorphic garbs dancing, drinking, and over-indulging a beverage thought to be pulque. Since antiquity, Puebla and Cholula have been hotspots for pulque culture and several pulquerias preserve the art. In Puebla you can often find yourself immersed in a discussion about local politics and sports with locals in trendy pulquerias and a few hole-in-wall places. “Pulque is a huge part of local drinking culture. If you’re not at a pulqueria, you’re not in Puebla,” said the bartender at one of Puebla’s popular bars.
A Final ode to Pulque
A few hundred meters from the pyramid and the Mural of the Drinkers is Terraza Pulkito, a pulqueria run by a friendly couple of music lovers. My girlfriend and I came here on our last night in Puebla, to enjoy a glass of pulque before heading down to the Yucatan Peninsula. The owners recounted stories of rowdy live performances and pre-covid shenanigans that filled the pulqueria. “Everyone had a full cup when they were dancing,” said the owner. Throughout the night people both young and old brought their empty two liters and filled them up with fresh pulque. “He’s our son’s friend, the college kids love it here!” Latin rock albums and photos of stage diving guests to the murals of MesoAmerican anthropomorphic gods covering the walls made the vibe an unforgettable mixture of generations and cultures. Hours went by until we reluctantly left the warm hospitality of the owners and the filling cups of homemade pulque they served us.
Pulquerias represent the real soul of Mexico. Warm, traditional, with a touch of heartache and overflowing with contagious style. They represent how people in Mexico today are embracing their past and creating an identity that’s the true definition of cool. We felt privileged to be taken in.
Recommended Places to Enjoy Pulque in Mexico
Mexico City
Pulqueria los Insurgentes
Av. Insurgentes Sur 226, Roma Nte., Cuauhtémoc, 06700 Ciudad de México, CDMX, México
Museo del Pulque y las Pulquerías – MUPyP
Av. Hidalgo 107-109, Centro Histórico de la Cdad. de México, Guerrero, Cuauhtémoc, 06300 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico
Pulquería La Hija De Los Apaches
Claudio Bernard 149, Doctores, Cuauhtémoc, 06720 Ciudad de México, CDMX, México
Pulquería Spiritu Santo
EJE 1 Poniente, Rosales 5BC, Tabacalera, Cuauhtémoc, 06030 Ciudad de México, CDMX, México
Puebla
Calavera Coyote: Pulqueria
Av 5 Pte 133, Centro histórico de Puebla, 72000 Puebla, Pue., Mexico
Cálendula Pulque & Cocktail
Av 2 Ote 412, Centro, 72000 Puebla, Pue., México
Cholula
Terraza Pulkito
C. 8 Ote. 7, San Juan Aquiahuac, 72810 San Andrés Cholula, Pue., México