For this project, I’ve chosen a spirit I’ve kept coming back to since I first started at France 44; G4 Tequila. Standing for Four Generations, G4 is a collaborative project between Felipe Camarena who is known as “The Mad Scientist of Tequila”, and the namesakes of the brand, his sons Felipe and Alan. The Camarena family is steeped in tequila lore, forming the brands Tapatio, El Tesoro, Tequila Ocho, Volans, Primo 1861, and Terrralta; their knowledge is passed down to the next generation of tequileros who both honor traditional methods while boldly innovating for the future.
The agaves used in G4 are grown in the red, mineral-rich soil at the El Pandillo distillery in Jesús María in the highlands of Jalisco. This lends to the black pepper, citrus, and delicious mineral notes that make G4 highly sippable and insanely mixable. Felipe Sr. is a civil engineer by training and uses this experience to increase efficiency and minimize waste. His stone ovens have special valves that release methane, allowing him to make wider cuts while distilling to keep more of the tasty heads that are usually more volatile. He created his own milling device called “Felipestein”, essentially a recycled steam roller with spikes on it, to mill his cooked agave to an unheard-of 97% sugar extraction. Depending on the expression, the agave juice can be fermented in either pine or stainless steel, distilled with or without fiber, and aged in a variety of pre-used barrels.
Felipe and his sons are always trying something new and that creative spirit is what keeps brining me back to G4. I could write an annoying amount about their many expressions but why not try them? I will be pouring G4 and other brands carried by PKGD Group this weekend September 20th & 21st at Viva La Vida Taco and Tequila Festival in St. Paul. This is Minnesota’s first festival of its kind and there will be fun for everyone! A LOT of great Mexican spirit brands will be there along with music, lucha libre, food, mariachi, shopping, and so much more!
