Perla o Concha
Pearl or Shell - A bubble that remains on the surface of the tequila after serving it or stirring it. To see if it is there, close the bottle tightly. Hold it upside down, then turn it right side up - the bubble should appear and continue to float. If the perla does not appear, the liquor is most likely a mixto.
Pencas
The spiny, broad, leaves of the agave plant, used by early Indians as needles and paper. In cultivating the agave, these leaves must be cut on the proper angle. If they are cut too short, the weight of the piña could be lost; if they are too long, the plant could become difficult to handle.
Picador
Literally translated at horse-trainer. Agave field worker who does the desquiote.
Piloncillo
Unrefined brown sugar cones used when making mixto tequilas to speed fermentation to be able to use immature and fewer plants.
Piña (peen-yah)
Translated as pineapple. The piña is the pineapple-shaped heart of the blue agave plant that averages between 40 to 70 pounds, but has been known to weigh in at 150 pounds. The hearts are cooked in traditional brick ovens or modern autoclaves and then crushed, shredded or grounded into a pulp. The juice from the piña is then distilled. The piña is also called cabeza (head) and corazon (heart). Approximately seven kilos (15 lbs) of raw agave piñas are needed to produce one liter (one quart U.S.) of tequila.
Pipa
Tanker truck used to transport mixto tequila. Pipas also transport water to many areas within Mexico where municipal water systems do not exist or are not adeuate.
Pipones
Large barrels. Wooden depository with a capacity for 80 barrels, or 5,280 liters. There can be other sizes.
Plata / Silver Tequila
Clear, unaged tequila that is normally bottled right after being distilled. When the clear white tequila drips from the cooling coils of the alambique, it is correctly called silver or plata, but is more commonly called white or blanco.
Potrero
Pasture Land. The way they name the agave plantations in Tequila; they are also known as trains, ranches or campo de agave (orchards).
Proof
A unit of measure of the amount of alcohol in liquor or spirits. In Canada and the United States, proof is exactly twice the percentage of alcohol.
Pulque
Pulque is the fermented sap (aguamiel) of the agave. It has been a traditional drink since Mayan times. The Spanish Conquistadors distilled pulque into mezcal wine, which later became today's tequilas and mezcals. When fresh, pulque is white, thick and quite sweet, usually called pulque dulce. Older, sour pulque is called pulque fuerte. Pulque is not distilled. It has been consumed since the era of the Mexicas. In Santa Maria Tejacate, pulque has been industrialized and canned. Pulque curd is the mixture of pulque with various fruits to sweeten the taste, sometimes prepared with walnut, pine nut, guava, celery, orange, cantaloupe, lemon, wild plum, and other ingredients. Source: http://www.ianchadwick.com/tequila/
