A characterful spirit steeped in Mexican history, the tequila industry and engineering is an ever-growing, ever-exciting sector to be part of.
In 2023, tequila was reported to be the 2nd most valuable spirit in the US for the second year in a row. The past few years have seen some big brands emerge within the tequila industry; Jose Cuervo, Diageo, Beam Suntory, Brown Forman and Campari Group… the list of brands who find success in tequila production is steadily expanding.
At BRIGGS, our journey in the tequila and wider agave-based spirits industry has strengthened year on year. With decades of experience providing engineering solutions to the distilled spirits industry, the move to enter tequila and mezcal production was one that just made sense.
Today, our team is responsible for everything from Front-End Loading/Site Master Planning, to Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) project delivery, through to Customer Service and Support (CSS); supporting some of the world’s agave based distilleries producing Tequila and Mezcal. Part of what makes the sector so thrilling to work in is its blend of immense tradition and history with modern-day technology and processes.
With today being #NationalTequilaDay, in this blog we’ll be looking back at this historic timeline of tequila, learning about what’s changed and developed, with a particular eye on the impact of engineering and production.
The history behind tequila
A story starting from humble beginnings, to a now globally recognised product with a growing market, tequila’s journey through the distilled spirits industry really has stood the test of time.
1000 B.C. – 300 A.D:
The earliest known form of tequila made by the Azetcs in Northern Mexico, ‘pulque’ was a liquor made from fermented agave juice/sap.
1500s – 1600s:
Cut to the 1500s – 1600s, when the Spanish entered Mexico, discovered the Aztecs’ intriguing ‘pulque’ and introduced copper stills and distillation to its production, in what is now known as Tequila, Jalisco – a town in Mexico.
1700s – 1800s:
Following this development of engineering, tequila production began growing on a fast, commercial scale by the 1700s.
In this time, the Cuervo family were dominating the distillation of tequila, followed by the Sauza family in the 1800s.
Today, these two names are still world-recognised tequila brands, often seen as the identity of tequila itself. In fact, it was allegedly Don Cenobio of the Sauza family who determined that tequila should be made from blue agave – marking the birth of tequila as we know it today.
1900s:
During the Prohibition era of the US, where the sale and import of alcoholic beverages was banned nationwide, Americans began to look elsewhere to find alcohol, albeit illegally.
This led to many Americans finding bars in Mexico, where they discovered the joy of tequila.
In an effort to protect the Mexican tradition, culture and history of the spirit, the Mexican government decided to formally claim intellectual property of tequila in 1974. This means that tequila’s production and ageing process has to be undertaken in Mexico, rather than other countries.
Modern day:
Today, tequila is a globally-recognised spirit comparable to that of the refinement of whiskeys and wines.
In the past decade, the world has witnessed impressive growth in the tequila industry. In fact, since 2002, tequila volumes in the US have increased by 180%, at an average rate of 6.2% per year (according to DISCUS).
The reason for this? As if often the case with changing habits and growing interests, societal attitudes and technology advancements both play integral parts.
With a growing interest in organic produce, consumers are drawn to the authenticity of tequila and its history. This has given tequila producers a place to shine, showcasing their craftsmanship and traditional methods towards distillation, as well as exploring opportunities to grow production on an industrial scale.
Tequila itself is also quite versatile, enjoyed responsibly both in cocktails or on its own, with a variety of flavours, too. We also can’t ignore the rise of celebrity-owned/endorsed tequila brands, namely that of George Clooney’s Casamigos Tequila (now owned by Diageo), Dwayne Johnson’s Teremana Tequila and Kendall Jenner’s 818 Tequila.
Our approach to tequila production and processing
As a specialist process engineering company since 1732 with our own great sense of history, we value the need for a blend between tradition and technology here at BRIGGS. This is something we relate to and put into practice at each of the tequila distillery projects we undertake.
Our engineering services at BRIGGS covers everything from concept and commissioning, to customer service and support. In understanding traditional, modern and hybrid production processes for agave-based spirits, our team is able to support on both small (exceeding 10,000 litres per day at 55% ABV) and industrial (exceeding 100,000 litres per day at 55% ABV) scale tequila production facilities in Mexico.
Our variety of agave-based spirit engineering solutions work to match the variety of tequila in the sector, each supporting in the excellence and quality of modern day tequila production. From varying production scales and product types, to VIP experiences, sustainability and CSA partnerships, the BRIGGS approach is adaptable and bespoke to each tequila producer we work with.
Speak to our Mexico team to discover more about developing your tequila distillery today.
