Pulque, also known as nectar or the slime of the gods, neutle, white face, or lung, is one of the most traditional beverages in Mexico, as it was consumed since pre-Hispanic times for ceremonial purposes in honor of the goddess of the maguey: Mayahuel.

There are around 198 varieties of agaves in the world, of which 148 are in Mexico. For pulque, the pulque maguey or agave salmiana is used, which grows in 20 states of the Republic, but it is in the Mexican highlands, specifically in Hidalgo, Tlaxcala, the State of Mexico, and Puebla, where it flourishes best for production due to the type of soil, altitude, and climate. These states are where a tradition inherited for generations is preserved with great honor.

Tlaxcalteca Pulque: A Family Tradition
To delve into the process of making pulque, we visited Hacienda Xochuca, in Tlaxco, Tlaxcala, run by Guillermo Ramírez Flores, the third generation in charge of pulque production. His grandfather started with a miniature pulquería in La Viga, and his father, Fabián Ramírez Luna, continued the family tradition until he had 33 pulquerías, of which Guillermo maintains three, greatly respected by lovers of this drink in Mexico City: La Paloma Azul, La Pirata, and La Gloria.

Pulque is the fermented juice of aguamiel, which is extracted from the pulque maguey or agave salmiana. Each agave takes 10 years to mature and produces aguamiel for only 4 or 5 months. During this period, the tlachiqueros must milk the plant twice a day, so it does not shrink and stop producing aguamiel, using an acocote or gourd, which is smooth inside and washed with water and lime to avoid contaminating the plant. If you've never seen an acocote, you can compare it to a giant straw used to suck up the aguamiel.

“Another of the main cares for the plant during its maturation process is to ensure that the quiote never emerges. The maguey must be capped before this happens, which involves removing the heart or center of the plant. It is important to mention that everything from a pulque maguey is utilized, the quiotes for construction, used as beams, and the leaves as tiles, the fibers are used for textiles, and from aguamiel, honey, atole, and many other culinary uses are made,” says Don Guillermo.


Once the tlachiqueros extract the aguamiel, they take it to the tinacales or tub houses where it ferments with a natural bacteria that comes from the plant, which consumes the sugars in the aguamiel and transforms it into pulque. For the fermentation to be successful, they must add fresh aguamiel daily, in the morning and in the afternoon; if they do not, these bacteria would die. For this reason, pulque is known in Nahuatl as poliuhqui or drink in decomposition. This entire process is supervised by Vicente Franquiz Cabrera, in charge of the tinacal and working with the tlachiqueros at Hacienda Xochuca.

The best season for pulque is from October to February when it stops raining, as the maguey no longer retains moisture, and the sugars in the plant concentrate, making the magic of fermentation more favorable, resulting in unique aromas, flavors, and body in your pulque.

Where to Experience Pulque?
If you want to fully experience the making of pulque, we invite you to visit Tlaxcala and Hacienda Xochuca, dating back to 1847, where they produce around a thousand liters of pulque daily, and you can taste it fresh from the tinacal after making a bow at the altar dedicated to the Holy Trinity as tradition dictates. You can also enjoy your pulque with some of the delights that Don Guillermo and his family have ready for you, such as Pollo Xochuca, which they prepare baked with the maguey leaf, and the mixiotito, a kind of cone with chicken, potato, cuaresmeño chili, onion, and epazote. You can even enjoy the distilled pulque with 48° alcohol that Don Guillermo has been making for a couple of years. Book your visit on the Tlaxcala state website! 

Alternatively, feel free to visit any of his three pulquerías: La Paloma Azul, La Pirata, or La Gloria, where you will always find freshly brought pulque from Tlaxcala. Remember that pulque has multiple health benefits: it can be used as a dietary supplement, protects intestinal flora, reduces insomnia, acts as a diuretic, serves as a prebiotic, eliminates cancer cells, among many other benefits.