Pulque
Pulque is an alcoholic beverage made from the fermented juice of the maguey plant. The maguey plant is not a cactus but an agave called "century plant" in the United States. The plant was one of the most sacred plants in Mexico and had a prominent place in mythology, religious rituals, and Meso-American industry.
Pulque first appeared in Indian stone carvings around 200-200 AD. The origin of pulque is unknown, but because it has a major position in religion, many folk tales explain its origins. According to Indian history, during the reign of Tecpancaltzin, a Toltec noble named Papantzin found out how to extract aguamiel from the maguey plant. In Pre-Columbian times the Aztecs consumed it at religious ceremonies.
Pulque is still made and drunk in limited quantities in parts of Mexico today. However, because it cannot easily be stored or preserved, it is not well known outside Mexico. Mezcal (or mescal) is the name given to distilled pulque. Tequila is the name of a Mezcal from the region of Mexico around the town of Tequila. Pulque is the undistilled drink.
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