Does the worm mean Mezcal is good?
Mezcal production is similar to Tequila. Agave are harvested and chopped down into pinas. These are then baked in wood or charcoal ovens to convert the starches to simpler sugars. Mezcal picks up some of its smoky, earthy flavor from these wood ovens. In contrast, for Tequila, the pinas are steamed. After cooking, the juice is extracted and is fermented naturally to produce a mash. At least 80% of this juice must come from agave, whereas with Tequila, a minimum of 51% of the juice must come from agave. The mash is distilled twice and then either aged or bottled. Sometimes a worm (actually an insect larva) is added. The worm used to be added to affect the flavor, but today, it is mostly a marketing tactic.
