Why do Mexican spirits like Tequila have a worm in them? What purpose does it serve?!
Answers: The famous "worm" that is found in some bottles of Mezcal (con gusano -- "with worm") is actually the larva of one of two moths that live on the agave plant. The reason for adding the worm to the bottle of Mezcal is obscure. But one story, that at least has the appeal of logic to back it up, is that the worm serves as proof of high proof, which is to say that if the worm remains intact in the bottle, the percentage of alcohol in the spirit is high enough to preserve the pickled worm. Consuming the worm, which can be done without harm, has served as a rite of passage for generations of fraternity boys. As a rule, top-quality mezcals do not include a worm in the bottle.
Tequila is made from the Agave plant. In the plant there lives a worm called you guessed it the Agave Worm. The worm actually is put in only one or two kinds of Tequila and it is put there more for amuzment then anything else. It does absorb high quatities of the alchohal therefor giving the worm an extra punch for those who eat them.
there are even Tequila lollipops with the warm in them...
It's the worms job to tell you when you've had enough.
They have worms in them??????? GROSS!!!!
Well it was strong enough to do the worm some damage! :P
drinking tequila kills worms in stomach
Tequila is from Jalisco and its origin is protected. It does NOT contain worms.
Just like Tequila, Mescal is made from algave. It mostly comes from the south of Mexico (Oaxaca), but its origin is not protected. Adding the worm (Latin: hypopta agavis) slightly changes the flavour. The practise started in the 1940 to help Mescal stand up to Tequila.
The worm is vegetarian and lives on the algave. It is protein rich and fine to eat, even without disinfecting it in alcohol (Mescal). However, a golden Tequila a?ejo 100% algave is imho the superior drink. Enjoy on its own at room temperature.
I have heard the guts of the worm make you hallucinate.