SINCE ANCIENT TIMES IN MEZOAMERICA …
Pulque was revered as the “drink of the gods,” rightfully holding profound spiritual and ritualistic significance. This milky, fermented sap of the maguey (agave) plant, known as octli in Nahuatl, was consumed primarily by: priests to facilitate divine communication; by sacrificial victims to ease their suffering; by the elderly to treat chronic pain; and by pregnant women.* See note below
Central to pulque’s ancient mystique lay the myth of the Centzon Totochtin, the “Four Hundred Rabbits.” These were the divine offspring of Mayahuel, the goddess of the maguey, and Patecatl, the god of healing and pulque. Each of the 400 rabbits represented a different behavioral manifestation of drunkenness, and it was believed that when one consumed pulque, one invited these rabbits to possess them — and hence the phrase “drunk as 400 rabbits”.
* Note: We 100% do NOT endorse drinking pulque to the point of disassociation! NOR do we endorse human sacrifice or leveraging pulque as your cornerstone of pain-management. And if you are pregnant? Please steer clear of pulque and all alcohol!
BUT WITH THE AZTEC’S FALL, CAME THE CULTURAL PURGE, AND THE DARK AGES OF PULQUE
Colonial forces, viewing the sacred drink as a pagan symbol, initiated its systematic repression. They demonized its ritualistic consumption, and promoted European beverages like beer and distilled spirits (such as tequila), which were easier to tax and easier to control.
And the suppression only intensified with industrialization. Large commercial monoliths actively disparaged pulque, labeling it unhygienic and primitive and drowning the populace in propaganda. Thus the way was paved for a century plus of Beer & Tequila hedgemony.
Pulque’s artisanal production, once central to indigenous life, was left to wither under colonial decree and capitalist oppression.
BUT PULQUE WOULD NOT DIE!
Instead, like the tenacious and resilient maguey plant itself, pulque found means to resist.
And with the coming of 21st century, a modern resurgence has taken bloom. Fueled by a renewed interest in Mexico’s rich pre-Hispanic heritage, and riding advancements in refrigeration and modern transportation (which allows fresh batches to reach you more efficiently), a rebirth is undeniable.
Beyond that, a better understanding of fermentation has raised quality immensely, and improved ingredient access has taken our creativity with fruit and spice-blended pulque (curado!) to new levels. So if you haven’t yet, it’s time to rediscover pulque!
