Why does the US have a worm in mezcal?

Jackson was a world traveler and considered herself open to any adventure. But, tonight, she was put on the spot. For an extra $5, her tequila shot could include “the Worm.” AKA: “El Maguey.”

Índice Show

EAT THE WORM!What Can You Expect When You Eat The Worm?
A Word on Sal de Gusano
BTW — What’s the Difference Between Tequila and Mezcal?
Does the worm in mezcal do anything?
Does real mezcal have a worm?
Can you buy mezcal with a worm in the US?
Should you eat the worm in mezcal?

She had heard that the worm was psychedelic, but she was highly skeptical. The real problem was that… it was a worm. Can she get up the gumption to eat a worm? Her friends were sure she could. “Jackson, Jackson, Jackson,” they chanted as she looked at the Chinicuil worm. Following in the tradition of so many college kids before her, she took the shot and swallowed the worm in one gulp. ¡HUZZAH!

Chinicuil worms

NOOKS AND CRANNIES

What is the origin of the worm at the bottom of a bottle of the Mexican drink Mescale?

A NATIVE of Guadelajara, Senor Jaime Alvarez, gave me the following explanation: without the benefits of laboratory conditions, distillers of Tequila in the last century needed some means to test their product. The Agave worm was dropped into the tequila and a basic rule of thumb was that if the worm was still wriggling when it hit the bottom of the bottle, the liquor was safe to drink. If the worm died on the way down, the tequila was deemed unfit for human consumption. The legendary hallucinogenic benefits of eating the worm stem from the fact that the Agave worm feeds on the peyote cactus, from which the drug mescalin is refined.
Stuart Warburton, Bury, Lancs.

I WAS on a course earlier this year with the vice-president of one of Mexico's largest drinks companies, and I asked her this same question. Apparently, the indigenous Mexican 'Indians', who discovered the process of distilling the juice of the Agave cactus, did indeed eat the worms that live in the cactus. However, the business of putting one in the bottle is an entirely new development dreamed up by the marketing men: it allows 'macho' types to show off to each other and their girlfriends by eating the worm. The 'tradition' is pure invention.
John Radford, Ilkeston, Derbys.

Add your answer

Does the worm in mezcal do anything?

There are plenty of myths and local legends about the effects that the mezcal worm may have, but they are simply not true. If you do feel something after eating a mezcal worm it is a placebo effect. At best, you may get a little more of a buzz because the mezcal has been absorbed into the worm.

Does real mezcal have a worm?

A mezcal worm is an insect larva found in some types of mezcal produced in Oaxaca, Mexico. The larva is usually either a gusano rojo ("red worm") or a chinicuil ("maguey worm"), the caterpillar of the Comadia redtenbacheri moth. The red worm is typically considered tastier.