07.24.2023

Today’s Forecast

95º | Partly cloudy | 24% chance of rain | Sunrise 6:41 a.m. | Sunset 8:57 p.m.

That’s the tequila talkin’

Get ready for National Tequila Day

National Tequila Day is celebrated every year on July 24. | Photo by LOUtoday

Cue the “Tequila” song, it’s National Tequila Day.

But don’t start sipping just yet — it is a workday, after all — because first, we want to talk a little bit about the origin of this agave spirit.

John Douglass, who owns the botany shop + cocktail bar Pretty Decent with his wife, Jeanne, knows all about the drink named after a small, Mexican town.

“A few hundred years ago, if we were making what’s tequila now, we would have been calling it mezcal,” John said. In fact, it wasn’t until the 1970s that the name “tequila” became the intellectual property of the Mexican government.

Today, people tend to use the terms tequila and mezcal interchangeably. But as John explained, there is a clear difference between the two. “Tequila is made in one part of Mexico, from just one plant,” he said, “whereas mezcal is made all over the country... from 50+ varieties of plants. So, tequila is a subset of mezcal.”

hand holding a bottle of Real Minero — Real Minero — which is available at Pretty Decent — has been made by the same family in Oaxaca since the late 19th century.
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Photo by LOUtoday

Whether you choose to celebrate today with tequila or mezcal, (why not both?) try to do it at a local bar that serves sustainable + socially conscious options. Here are some suggestions to look forward to — after work, of course:

Spicy Oaxacan Old Fashioned, Pretty Decent | This boasts tequila, mezcal, poblano, and a sugar cube.
A Jimador’s Breakfast, Epiphany | This specialty cocktail features both tequila + mezcal with pepita orgeat, ancho, lime, and a whole egg.
Try a brand-new cocktail off of Pretty Decent’s new mezcal-focused menu, which debuts today at 4 p.m.

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This content is sponsored by Heine Brothers Coffee. As Louisville’s original coffee roaster since 1994, they take pride in the city just as much as the coffee. Order ahead and Drink Up.

LOUtoday thanks our sponsors. Sponsorship has no influence on editorial content.

Events

Monday, July 24

Wine Education: Rose All Day | Monday, July 24 | 7-9 p.m. | Nouvelle Bar & Bottle, 214 S. Clay St., Louisville | $55 | Learn about rosé during this class led by a sommelier.

Tuesday, July 25

Networking Night - Office for Safe and Healthy Neighborhoods | Tuesday, July 25 | 6-7:30 p.m. | Broadway Family YMCA, 1720 W. Broadway, Louisville | Free | Get to know local change-agents who are working to build a better Louisville.

Wednesday, July 26

Do-It-Yourself Sushi | Wednesday, July 26 | 6-7:15 p.m. | Waterfront Botanical Gardens, 1435 Frankfort Ave., Louisville | $36-$45 | Master the art of sushi making + take home a kit to continue practicing.

Thursday, July 27

Barbie Paint & Sip | Thursday, July 27 | 6:30-8:30 p.m. | Old 502 Winery, 915 East Liberty St., Louisville | $30 | Channel your inner Barbie while sipping on a glass of wine and jamming to girls'-night-out tunes.

Friday, July 28

Totally Turtles | Friday, July 28 | 6-8 p.m. | Louisville Nature Center, 3745 Illinois Ave., Louisville | $5-$15 | See live turtles, learn about different turtle species, and enjoy a guided hike through the Beargrass Creek State Nature Preserve.

Events calendar here

Click here to have your event featured.

News Notes

Closed

Square Roots, the tech-based farm in Shepherdsville that opened last month, has closed. The New York-based company — which was co-founded by Kimbal Musk, Elon Musk’s brother — closed three other locations and has one remaining farm in Grand Rapids, MI. (WDRB)

Ranked

Derby City is one of the best places in the US to live in 2023, according to Livability. Louisville scored 740 out of 1,000, with top marks in housing, economy, and transportation. We get it. It’s a great place to live, work, and play.

Sports

Registration for 2024 Kentucky Derby and Oaks pre-sale tickets is open — and necessary if you want access to early online sales. The deadline to register is mid-October. Those who sign up will receive an email with an intent-to-purchase link + pricing info.

Cause

North Lime Coffee & Donuts is holding blood drives at its Old Louisville and Westport Road locations Friday, July 28, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. All donors will receive a $10 Walmart gift card, a Kentucky Blood Center coffee mug, and a free North Lime donut, of course.

Home

Looking to remodel, need some home inspo, or just appreciate interior design and architecture? The Tour of Remodeled Homes is coming up on Saturday, Aug. 12 + Sunday, Aug. 13. Meet the professionals and see quality craftsmanship firsthand as you tour 12 homes in our community. Grab tickets.*

Drink

Get the boba par-tea started

Where to sip on bubble tea in LOU

three plastic cups filled with bubble tea

Honeydew in St. Matthews offers more than 36+ kinds of bubble tea. | Photo by Honeydew

Bubble tea or pearl milk tea — more commonly referred to as boba tea — started gaining popularity all over Asia in the 1980s. Whatever you call it, the drink made with black tea, milk, ice + chewy tapioca pearls (boba) is still on the rise thanks to Gen Z. Here are three places you can get your hands on the creamy and chewy refreshment.

🧋Boba Fete, 1001 Logan St.
Every drink is crafted from locally sourced tea and coffee + vegan-friendly boba pearls.
Sip this: Rocket Fuel, made with Safai cold brew coffee, milk, sweetened condensed milk, and boba.

🧋Fun Tea, 1608 Bardstown Rd.
Build your own bubble drink with popping boba, pearl boba, crystal boba, or jelly.
Sip this: Lavender milk tea, which can also be served hot.

🧋Honeydew, 135 Breckinridge Ln.
This St. Matthews stop specializes in bubble teas, smoothies, and juices.
Sip this: Strawberry milk tea — with strawberry popping boba and a scoop of ice cream.

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The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Lennie

From the editor

I’ve always liked tequila — and I’m glad the days of taking Patron shots are behind me. Now that I’m older (and presumably smarter), I try to actually taste what I drink, savor the flavor of every bevvy, and learn something along the way. If you feel the same, I’d suggest checking out a bar workshop at Pretty Decent. I promise you’ll find a new appreciation for what’s in your glass.

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