I just booked my airline tickets, and will be returning to Guadalajara in September, so I can attend what is shaping up to be a very cool event.

Last month, Scarlet and I met up with David Ruiz, a tequila expert who really knows his stuff. He was very generous with his time and introduced us to people from all aspects of the tequila industry.

While we were there, David shared details about an event he was planning to host, called the “WORLD INTERNATIONAL TEQUILA CONFERENCE AND DISTILLERY TOUR 2009,” and he recently launched a website with details for all to see.

http://www.tequilaconference.com

From his announcement:

Five days in the heart of the Tequila production region

This conference, presented in English, was especially developed for wine and spirits industry professionals, international investors, brand developers, bar and restaurant managers, importers, distributors, researchers, journalist and individuals interested in learning about the Tequila industry, its regulations, production techniques, history, culture, and the appreciation of fine tequila.

The conference includes twelve hours of seminar instruction, industry workshops on government regulations, production techniques, and investment opportunities, plus a visit to an agave plantation, and visits to six Tequila distilleries. Complete conference details and registration available at www.tequilaconference.com

If you’re a hardcore tequila freak, and you want total immersion into the heart of Mexico’s tequila industry, here’s your chance to meet David and many others in the tequila industry and experience something truly special.

I will be reporting live from the event, which runs September 13 – 18, 2009. Stories, photos and video interviews from the five-day conference will appear here on TasteTequila.com

I just spotted an interesting story on just-drinks.com. Most interestingly is what they’re saying about our beloved beverage:

Tequila posted the fifth-largest volume increase, and Tequila’s rising prominence on the world stage, the report posits, is a further reason why speciality spirits should be taken seriously by international players.

“Tequila’s transition from being principally a national category into one of the hottest international categories shows what is possible,” the report says. And that success should give multinationals good reason to take a look at cachaça. “Volume sales of cachaça may not be high enough to register on the strategic radars of most multinationals in Europe, but the current situation is similar to that of Tequila in the mid- to late ’80s.”

In 1985, volumes of Tequila in Europe stood at just under 180,000 cases, but by 1989 had risen to 600,000 cases, and now stand at around 2m cases. Today, every multinational has a Tequila brand in its portfolio.

You may be interested in reading the full story, because it talks about many other beverages and you can get a good sense for where tequila is with respect to other drinks.

During our last trip to Mexico, I was busy shooting many pictures of everything that looked interesting, and everything looks interesting in Jalisco. I was armed with two cameras that represented the widest possible spectrum in terms of camera quality and price.

On my shoulder was a Canon EOS 5D Mark II – a 21 megapixel monster that produces stunning digital images (and even high-def video.) It’s a professional-level SLR camera, big and heavy compared with any normal consumer-type camera. The quality is worth dealing with the size and weight.

In my pocket was my other camera. Or I should probably say, “camera.” My iPhone.

(Click to continue and see the images)

Our trip to Jalisco last month included some time visiting with Rafael, a real life jimador who works for the Tres Mujeres distillery. We were able to watch as he made a very difficult process look extremely easy. He was able to get an entire plant out of the ground in less than 5 minutes.

(click image to view video)

At one point, Rafael handed the coa (his cutting tool) to Scarlet and I so we could experience the process firsthand. The tool had some weight to it, and it was razor sharp – slicing through the tough agave plant with ease.

He shaves away all of the leaves so that all that remains is the “piña,” the pulpy center which is later steamed, crushed and turned into tequila.

– Grover

Scarlet and I were sitting at Casa Fuerte, a restaurant in Tlaquepaque, Mexico, scanning through the tequila menu. I spotted something that I never heard of – Pueblo Viejo. Usually this excites us, because we love trying new tequila.

I looked at the price and my excitement faded. It was too cheap. I was certain that this couldn’t be very good because it wasn’t expensive enough, since I tend to shy away from any shot that doesn’t set me back at least $15, and this one was about 60 pesos (under $6).

I ordered it anyway, Pueblo Viejo Añejo, with sangrita.

Scarlet ordered a Tamarind Margarita, a drink that is unique to this restaurant.

When our drinks came to the table, the shot of Pueblo Viejo looked really good. It had a nice golden color, and it smelled like a beautiful blend of agave and vanilla. It had some crazy legs and my excitement was restored.

I tasted it. Warm, rich, and very, very smooth. A nice agave warmth in the back of my mouth lingered pleasantly for a bit, and then faded out gracefully, inviting me to taste again.

In short, I really liked it, and I was certain that Scarlet would too. I handed the glass to her, and she agreed. We were both pleasantly surprised.

I wasn’t the only happy drinker at the table, though. Scarlet was really enjoying her Tamarind Margarita. Sweet, a little spicy, but yet not overly-sweet. Definitely something she would order again (and she did.)

For the rest of our stay in Mexico, I was on the lookout for Pueblo Viejo Añejo, and was able to find it in a few places. Each time I would order it, almost as if I was still in disbelief.

We found ourselves in a cool bar in Guadalajara (we’re going to write about this place later) and I spotted it behind the bar. I ordered it just so I could watch the bartender pour it from the bottle so I could verify that it wasn’t just a fluke – and it was the same nice tequila, for the same cheap price.

I’ve been recommending it to all of my tequila-loving friends here in the US. I was unable to find it at BevMo, so I ended up buying it online for $30 at TheCellarOnline.com.

We’ve been drinking it at home ever since. Good tequila that doesn’t break the bank — recession tequila!

Casa Fuerte is at Calle Independencia 224, Guadalajara, Jalisco.

Pueblo Viejo Anejo is produced by Casa San Matias.