Margaritas competition in Denmark… The ultimate Buen Vato!

This is probably as good as a Monday will ever get! Margaritas competition and tacos. What better plan!

The best margarita with Buen Vato will be awarded next August 28 in Cinco, Aarhus, Denmark. The judging will be based on taste, creativity, ability to complement and enhance the Buen Vato character, presentation (cocktail look and storytelling), and a sustainability aspect.

After crowning the ultimate Buen Vato, we will have tacos with a unique cocktail menu prepared by Cinco.

See the details of the event and register at the following link:

(2) TACOS & MARGARITAS – The Ultimate Buen Vato! | Facebook

 

 

Biofuels: an alternative to reduce environmental impact

More than 40 degrees of temperature in many of our countries already seems to be common news every summer. These rising temperatures are just one of the many effects of environmental damage caused by greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from human activities. A reminder that governments, industries, and individuals must do something to stop the damage to the planet. A reminder also for us, as a brand in the tequila industry, to continue looking for options to reduce our carbon footprint at every stage of our production and distribution process.

On average, Tequila at 40% alcohol volume produces 3 kg of carbon dioxide emissions per liter. The raw material (agave crops) does not play an important role here as it only contributes 1/10 of the total GHG emissions. On the other hand, the processing of raw materials and packaging is the main contributor, representing approximately 2/5 and 1/5 respectively. The use of fossil fuels (mainly fuel oil) and heavy glass bottles are the causes of these high contributions.

As our commitment is to drive change in the tequila industry, Buen Vato has worked to find lighter packaging options. Our next step is to start a project to reduce carbon emissions from the main source of tequila production, fossil fuels for the cooking and distillation process, and we believe biofuels are a great option.

But… what are biofuels?

Biofuels have become an environmentally friendly alternative to fossil fuels, since they are produced from renewable biomass sources, such as plants, animals, and food waste, have lower pollutant emissions, and are fully biodegradable. Biofuels also release carbon dioxide; however, a higher amount of carbon dioxide is typically captured during the cultivation of renewable biomass and/or during biofuel production, making them “carbon-negative fuels.” The challenge is the production capacity to meet current demand.

There are mainly two categories of biofuels, first and second generation. First-generation biofuels are produced from edible biomass, such as corn, sugarcane, and oilseeds. Hence, crop production for first-generation biofuels competes with land use for food production, limiting availability. Second-generation biofuels were developed to overcome this limitation, using non-edible biomass available in greater amounts (for example wood and waste) as feedstock. One of these feedstocks is “used cooking oil”, which can be used to produce biodiesel to reduce carbon emissions by up to 90% compared to conventional diesel.

We know that it is not an easy process, but once again we are willing to work on it. That is why we are in the phase of searching for experts in the biofuels field, ranging from suppliers, consultants, and researchers, who can guide us to face the challenges of implementing a plan to reduce the impact of the fossil fuels at the distillery by up to 90% using biofuels that come from used cooking oil. So, we hope in a while to announce this great news.

 

References:

Pleanjai, S.  Gheewala, S.  Garivait, S. “Greenhouse gas emissions from production and use of used cooking oil methyl ester as transport fuel in Thailand”, Journal of Cleaner Production, vol. 17, pp. 873-876, 2009.

Buen Vato. Carbon emission in the Tequila industry: something we have to think about. 2022.

IWSC gold for Buen Vato

With 96 points, our tequila won a gold medal at the International World Spirit Competition.

120 of the world’s leading spirits experts tasted and judged 4,100 entries from 98 countries, so we are very proud that our flavor has been recognized, awarded, and described as: “Beautifully floral, bursting with sweet grassy aromas and delightful savoury tones. Seductively viscous, the palate reveals notes of toasted corn and a whisp of smoke, paving the way to an elegant finish, with a lingering citrus zing. Superb!”

According to the IWSC, this is more than a competition, “It is a global wine and spirits community, focused on people and expertise”, with the mission to champion the best wine and spirits from around the world. In the competition, the IWSC recognizes Tequila as a popular category that grew during the pandemic, with people’s interest in enjoying it at home, and its versatility in terms of flavors and cocktail recipes.

This result motivates us to continue working on our product and our entire sustainability project behind the brand.

4,5 stars: Difford´s guide

Buen Vato values taste and sustainability with the same reverence, and the 4,5 stars over 5 that Difford´s Guide gave to this Tequila Blanco is proof of this.

This global authority on drinking culture highlighted the raw material and process of Buen Vato, as a tequila made of agave harvested in the Valley of Tequila, cultivated without herbicides and pesticides by a 5th generation tequila maker family, cooked in an autoclave (pressure cooker), slowly fermented without any accelerator and distilled in stainless steel pot stills.

Difford´s guide also described the reason because Tequila Buen Vato is not 100% agave, mainly that to minimize the environmental impact, Buen Vato is bulk shipped in tanks at 55% alc./ vol. and it is bottled in Europe using paperboard bottles.

“Although this tequila cannot claim to be “100% agave” it still stands up well when compared to many tequilas that are. And with its sustainable credentials, Buen Vato is an attractive well preposition for bars”, Difford´s guide.

Read the article here: https://www.diffordsguide.com/beer-wine-spirits/7698/buen-vato-tequila