Everything You Need to Know About National Tequila Day

We've got you covered if you've ever needed an excuse to celebrate Tequila: July 24th is National Tequila Day! We've got everything you need to know about the holiday and the cocktail that started it all down below.

Tequila may have originated in Mexico, but Tequila Day is a national holiday in the United States. Mexico, on the other hand, is all set to join in the game! Mexicans celebrated their first National Tequila Day on March 16th this year, after their Senate approved it last year to help promote the booming industry.

Tequila's origins can be traced back to an ancient Aztec beverage produced before the arrival of the Spanish in the 1500s. Locals in the city of Tequila were producing a drink similar to their ancestors' by the time Mexico was a Spanish colony. The original concoction, which was made by fermenting the agave plant, was more like a Mezcal wine than a true tequila. Tequila as we know it today was not invented until the 17th century, when the Cuervo family was granted permission to begin production.

Tequila must originate in Jalisco or select cities in one of four other Mexican states: Guanajuato, Michoacán, Nayarit, or Tamaulipas. The blue agave plant must account for 51 percent of the drink by statute. The blue agave takes 8 to 12 years to mature before it can be cut and cooked, and during that time it can grow up to 7 feet tall. However, since the distillation process uses the plant's core, each agave must be regrown from the ground up after harvest.

The myth about a worm in your tequila bottle started as a marketing trick and possibly a machismo challenge. The worm you're picturing is supposedly a moth larvae that was used to sell Mezcal wine in the United States in the mid-twentieth century. Eating the worm is said to increase virility and the buzz from drinking, but there isn't much evidence for either.

Over 80% of Mexico's tequila is now sold to the United States, where sales have more than doubled in the last decade. In reality, America, including Mexico, is on track to drink more tequila than any other country on the planet!

National Tequila Day Activities

1. Drink up.

What better way to commemorate National Tequila Day than by indulging in the cocktail that inspired the holiday? Try going to a new bar or liquor store in the city that you haven't visited before, and bring some friends with you.

2. Drink inventively

If you're even a casual drinker, you've undoubtedly heard of the popular Tequila Sunrise, the ubiquitous margarita, or the never-fail, classic juice-and-soda mix. However, would you make a Serrano-Spiced Paloma, a tequila shandy beer cocktail, or a color-changing margarita? This year, try something new and go for a more innovative drink, whether it's one of the above or one of the countless others you can find with a fast Google search.

3. Drink responsibly .

We're all about holiday hedonism, creature comforts, and having a nice time with friends and family, but please do so responsibly. This cannot be emphasized enough. If you've had one too many drinks to drive, don't be afraid to call a designated driver, Uber, Lyft, or taxi to get you home safely.

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