Pulque: Ancient Drink Of The Gods Is Popular Again But It Has Odd Side-Effects

A. Sutherland - AncientPages.com - Pulque is Mexico's oldest alcoholic beverage. Known as the "Drink of the Gods, it was drunk by the Maya, Aztecs, Huastecs, and other cultures in ancient Mesoamerica.

Pulque vessel in the shape of a monkey, Aztec, 1200–1520, onyx, Dumbarton Oaks Museum , Washington, DC - Image credit: TomR - CC BY-SA 3.0

The ancient drink has been re-introduced to our modern society, and its popularity is increasing, but if you want to taste it, be warned, this is no ordinary beer. It has some quite odd side effects.

Pulque is made from fermented juice or sap of the maguey plant (Agave americana) and is only slightly alcoholic. Those who tried it say one can sit and drink Pulque for hours without getting drunk, but later, something odd happens. When you get up to leave, realize your legs don't work right. Your mind is clear, but your body doesn't work.

Pulque In Myths And Legends

Pulque is mentioned in several myths and legends in Mesoamerica. Being the ancient ancestor of mescal and tequila, Pulque predates the arrival of the Spanish by at least 1,500 years, and the drink has long been considered sacred.

Ancient myths and legends tell that Pulque was given to humans by the great god Quetzalcoatl, who noticed that people seemed miserable instead of singing and dancing. So, he decided to give them something to brighten their days, and this was the beginning of how Pulque entered the lives of people in Mesoamerica.

Mayahuel, the Aztec goddess of the maguey, is often depicted as a beautiful young woman associated with fertility and sometimes referred to as 'the woman of 400 breasts', no doubt about the milk-like sap of the plant.

She was also the goddess of pulque, an alcoholic beverage made from agave juices.

Depiction of the goddess Mayahuel. 

In ancient times, Pulque was not a drink for poor people but reserved for the highest social classes. Later, it became the drink of poor farmers.

Ancient people drinking Pulque are depicted on several relics and monuments. The Zapotec civilization (500-900 CE) had monuments showing scenes from wedding ceremonies where guests drank Pulque.

The earliest depictions in Mesoamerican art of Pulque are from the great city of Teotihuacan, at its peak between 300 and 550 CE. Stone relief carvings show masked figures with milky drops falling from their mouths, and one mask has a background of maguey leaves.

Pulque Used As Medicine

In more modern times, for some Indians of the central highlands, Pulque was once at the center of their religion and the cure for just about everything – from diabetes and intestinal problems to sleep disorders.

Agave plant in Oaxaca state. Credit: Adobe Stock - Thanh

The drink is said to contain plenty of probiotics, protein, various vitamins, and minerals. In its long and strange life, it's been used as an aphrodisiac, a fuel for celebrations, and to ease the pain of sacrificial victims in ancient times.

Antonio Gomez, a pulque producer in the community of Santiago Cuautlalpan in Tepotzotlan municipality just north of Mexico City, produces the drink the old-fashioned way by hollowing out the pulpy heart of the region's maguey plant and using a sort of suction pipe to pull out the sugary liquid that collects in the hollow section. The beverage at that stage, known as "aguamiel," is barely alcoholic, if at all.

Gomez says that Pulque was once served in some parts of Mexico in the morning and for health reasons.

"The old people, they say that before, they didn't drink coffee; they had some pulque, tortillas, and beans, and that was their breakfast," he said.

"A lot of doctors are prescribing it as medicine," Gomez said. "A diabetic person, for example, should drink strong pulque."

Because it's so vitamin- and mineral-rich, it was once consumed in arid parts of Mexico when water was scarce, and some pregnant women and new mothers still drink it to promote health and lactation.

Today, Pulque is considered a nutrient-rich drink and has come among a new generation of Mexicans. It is said that old habits die hard, which is undoubtedly true for Pulque, who has survived for 2,000 years.

Written by – A. Sutherland  - AncientPages.com Senior Staff Writer

Updated on January 17, 2024

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