The first reference to pulque as a pre hispanic beverage comes from a Spanish doctor who calls it the wine of the Mexicans. Pulque is a distortion of the Nahuatl word for « decomposed » or poliuhqui. It probably derives from a text referring to a pulque that would be safe. Nahuatl is the language of the Aztecs and is still spoken in the region today. Aztec history, the Nahuatl language, and pulque are intimately linked.

Where does pulque come from?

The drink is fermented from the sap of the maguey, a species of agave—not a true cactus, but a rosette-shaped plant with large, flaring green leaves that can grow up to two meters long. Resembling a swarm of tentacles frozen mid-motion, the maguey produces a sweet, viscous sap known as aguamiel (honey water), which is collected and fermented to produce a cloudy, slightly sour and alcoholic beverage called pulque. This traditional drink, deeply rooted in the culture of regions like Hidalgo and Puebla, typically contains between 3 and 4% alcohol.

Pulque is prized not only for its unique flavor—hovering somewhere between acidic, sweet, and yeasty—but also for its nutritional value. It has a high protein content, inspiring the old saying that it’s “only one degree short of meat,” and a rich concentration of probiotic bacteria, placing it among foods considered to have medicinal properties. Its high levels of carbohydrates and nutrients make it an excellent energy source, but they also contribute to its fragility: the drink spoils rapidly and must be consumed fresh. For centuries, these characteristics made large-scale production nearly impossible, as the beverage was easily contaminated before reaching distant markets.

My experience with fermented pulque

I had the chance to drink pulque first-hand while visiting Mexico City. First off, I tried the world-famous agave plant in the form of a curado in an Oaxaca restaurant in the historical centre. I have to say the dark, rosy one-liter pitcher smoothie I was served was nothing like I had heard, and frankly, didn’t taste anything like pulque. That’s because many restaurant owners want to lure tourists with some exotic liquid, but they also know that most people will find the taste repellent (at least for the first time). So what do they do? They drown the poor agave wine in a fruit juice called pulque curado.

My second take, in Tenochtitlan, was closer to the real deal. I was handed a small porcelain taster containing a pale, milky liquid with a taste surprisingly closer to sake. But make no mistake, they don’t produce pulque like they hatch out tropical IPAs. Pulque production is a delicate process, and you need to truly appreciate the small details to truly savour this alcoholic beverage. Pulque is generally a weak alcohol drink with a bit of a sour taste.

Agave Species and Agave Production

Made from the fermented sap of the agave Americana—also known as the century plant—pulque is a cloudy, slightly viscous beverage with a sour, yeast-like taste. The production process begins by harvesting fresh aguamiel (honey water) from the heart of the mature agave. This sweet liquid is then left to ferment naturally, without distillation, creating a low-alcohol drink prized for its probiotic qualities.

The fermentation process is delicate and fast—pulque spoils quickly, which is why the best pulque is found close to where it’s made, usually in rural areas or specialized pulquerías. Most pulque on the market today comes from small-scale producers, although modern beer producers have tried reviving its popularity. During colonization and the rise of beer, pulque lost its status as Mexico’s drink of choice, but it’s slowly making a comeback. To truly appreciate it, seek it out fresh and local—only then can you experience pulque consumption as it was meant to be enjoyed.

Agave grows slowly—often taking up to 10 or even 15 years to mature—and once it has produced enough sap to make pulque, the plant dies shortly after. This natural life cycle adds to the cultural weight of pulque, especially in traditional regions like Tlaxcala state and the Estado de México, where the drink still plays a role in daily and ceremonial life. Historically, pulque was consumed from a dried gourd and held such significance that it was once regulated by strict laws and rules, limiting its use to priests and nobles during the pre-Hispanic era. Even during the colonial era, when beer began to rise in popularity, pulque maintained a stronghold in rural communities.

Today, although not all pulque is labeled or mass-produced, it’s still made from the sap of several species of agave, depending on the region. Its revival in recent years reflects a broader cultural appreciation for indigenous fermentation techniques and sustainable practices—one gourd at a time.

The social, economic and cultural role of pulque among the Aztecs

Pulque is the dominant pre-Hispanic beverage in Mexico. It’s rapid fermentation from mature plants ensured a relatively accessible popular drink at a time when good quality water and medicine were scarce.

One of the most popular pulque legends tells the story of Mayahuel, a young girl who lived with her grandmother in Mexico. The god Quetzalcoatl fell in love with her, and they were eventually transformed into the branches of a forked tree. Mayahuel’s grandmother, furious, broke off her granddaughter’s branch and left it there to be devoured. Quetzalcoatl’s branch having remained intact, the loving god took the remains of his young lover and buried them. Thus was born the maguey plant and Mayahuel became a goddess. According to other legends, the princess was saved by Mayahuel. In all cases, divine intervention, salvation, and taboo.

A ubiquitous beverage among the Aztecs, it was nevertheless religiously controlled. Consumption of the sacred drink was forbidden to the vast majority of the population due to its sacred nature. Shamans, doctors, priests and soothsayers reserved the almost exclusive use of cactus nectar. Poisoning was thought to be a telltale sign. Only people over the age of 52 (you’ll also read 70 in some texts) were allowed to consume it, and even then, they had to do so in secret in their own homes. The only exception was a kind of annual cosmic festival called Ometochtli, which allowed everyone to take great gulps of agave juice.

The drunkenness permitted at these events was considered the temporal incarnation of Mayahuel, goddess of the earth and of drunkenness. It was therefore forbidden to mock or insult anyone staggering under the powerful effect of drink, on pain of severe punishment. And if a youngster decided to serve the magic potion outside the party, the penalty could go as far as death. Let’s just say it’s a little harsher than having your driver’s license confiscated.

The Aztecs didn’t skimp on discipline. A rigorously organized militaristic regime, the Aztecs were obsessed with physical and cosmic order, as well as human sacrifice. And guess what they gave the future sacrifices to drink? Pulque.

All that changed when Hernán Cortèz savagely devastated the Aztec empire. With the fall of Emperor Moctezuma II and the dissolution of the politico-religious organization erected two hundred years earlier in Mexico City, all controls over pulque fell with him, and pulquerias gradually appeared all over the country. Semi-industrial production began on plantations. At the same time, the drink lost its religious vigor and became, so to speak, a modern beverage. In October 1858, New York family magazine Frank Leslie reported that « the inhabitants of the Mexican capital can no more live without pulque than the Germans of New York can live without lager beer. »

When the mexicain revolution broke out against Porfirio Diaz in the early 20th century, pulque became the official sponsor of the revolutionaries. The nutrient-rich drink was widely consumed by the so-called rebels. The Mexican revolution was a nasty, tragic event by all means. Among many of its catastrophic consequences, the face of pulque would be changed forever.

When revolution broke out against Porfirio Dias in the early 20th century, pulque became the official sponsor of the revolutionaries. The nutrient-rich drink was widely consumed by the so-called rebels.

Yet, less than ten years after the end of the revolution, the capital’s pulquerias had dwindled from 3,000 to fewer than 30. The new government hates this drink, which ferments unrest and brews insurrection. At the same time, the German beer market expanded and began to dominate the struggle of the country’s thirsty. Commercial beer strategists, in order to promote the attractions of lager, advertised themselves as a better alternative to maguey.

Myths soon emerged that artisanal pulque was produced using cow dung. According to researchers Rodolfo Fernández y Daria Derega, it was the new industrial breweries that created the myth that cow dung was used for fermentation, wrapped in a muñeca that was nothing more than a piece of cloth in contact with the drink. Research has shown that these muñecas were indeed used to produce tequila and mezcal, but not pulque, and only for a limited time.

How popular is pulque production now?

In recent years, pulque has enjoyed a considerable resurgence, not only in Mexico, but also on the West Coast of the USA. This is due in part to pasteurization, first applied to pulque on a commercial scale in 1994 by Señor del Razo. There’s even a delicious podcast, Agave Road Trip, devoted to the maguey drink.

If pulque is intensely gaining in popularity, it’s a phenomenon limited by geography and propelled by tourism. Northern Mexico hardly consumes this ancient drink of the gods, and generally considers it uninteresting. By contrast, the more temperate, maguey-friendly south is a region that literally worships pulque. These are the states of Hidalgo and Oaxaca. It is customary to offer pulque even to children. Pulque is also closely linked to indigenous culture. Consumption of pulque is as much a feature of identity as language, as it lies at the heart of the human experience.

On the downside, the drink is far from unanimous and is no more popular in Mexico than craft beer, far from it. My Mexican friends assure me that pulquerias are places for tourists. The drink most often offered to tourists will be a curado, which is a mixture of pulque and fruit juice, more accommodating to the unaccustomed palate. Sergio, manager of the prestigious Hercules brewery, compares pulque to a kind of lambic. What they both have in common is a significant contribution of acetic acid and Brettanomyces.

Medicinal effects

Numerous recent studies defend the drink’s medicinal virtues, painting a picture of an alcoholic superfood. Endowed with probiotic properties and considerable nutritional value , pulque is a good source of iron, promotes sleep, and combats stress. The drink is currently the subject of several studies in Mexico, corroborating its promising virtues for beer lovers who want more than just a commercial beer.

The pulp contains B-complex vitamins (B1, B5, B2) that help regulate the metabolism. It is rich in vitamin C, which promotes iron absorption and reduces hemoglobin and ferritin deficiencies. It also contains minerals such as phosphorus and iron, as well as sugar and certain essential amino acids (not synthesized by the body) such as lysine and tryptophan.

However, we advise you not to get too excited about pulque. While the above-mentioned studies reveal its great potential, it is not a panacea for all ills. First contact with this drink can upset your stomach and cause intestinal problems. Drink in moderation and take the time to talk to the locals to find out more.

Mexico’s Other Fermented Beverages

Rest assured, there is plenty of other great drinks to try during your next trip to Mexico. On top of class a commercial brands such as Corona and (my favorite) Modelo, Mexico boasts a thriving craft beer industry.

But where Mexico truly stands out is with its unique home brand of tequila and mezcal. Much like Portugal with its port, and Scotland with its Scotch, tequila is a must-try in the country. Word on the street is that the best tequilas are to be found in Oaxaca, in the southern half of Mexico, a region that boasts the largest tequila distillers as well as some of the country’s best food.

Tequila is made from the blue agave plant, native to Mexico’s arid regions. The heart of the plant, called the piña, is harvested, slow-roasted in ovens to release its sugars, and then crushed to extract the sweet juice. This juice is fermented and distilled twice, in most cases—before being aged in barrels (for reposado and añejo varieties) or bottled straight away as blanco. Authentic tequila can only be produced in specific regions, mainly around the state of Jalisco, giving each bottle a unique taste of place.

As for mezcal, Mexico’s smoky, soulful cousin to tequila, it packs a punch in both flavor and character. Often described as tequila’s wilder sibling, mezcal can be made from dozens of different agave species—not just blue agave—giving it a much broader range of taste profiles.

The traditional method involves roasting the agave hearts in underground pits lined with volcanic rock, which imparts that signature smoky aroma. Mezcal is deeply rooted in indigenous traditions, especially in Oaxaca, where it’s still often produced in small batches by local families using centuries-old techniques. Sip it slowly, and you’ll taste not just the spirit, but the story of the land.

Pierre-Olivier Bussières is the Editor-in-Chief of Hoppy History and Uber Optimized. He is the Sales and Marketing Director at Uberflix Studio. He also writes about travel, geopolitics, and alcohol markets, and has published articles in The Diplomat, Reflets, The Main, Go Nomad, Global Risk Insights, and Diplomatie.