is a fermented alcoholic beverage from Mexico with pre-Hispanic origins, made from the maguey (Agave Americana or century) plant and known by its Nahuatl name as octli. Before the Spanish Conquest in the 16th century, it was a sacred drink used for various religious festivals as well as public fiestas.

After the arrival of the Spanish, the drink assumed a wider audience with both Spaniards and the indigenous consuming it, as distilled drinks had yet not developed a production base and importing alcohol from Europe was still difficult. With increasing consumption throughout the 16th and 17th centuries, Spanish authorities decided to impose tighter restrictions on its sale and consumption because of problems with public drunkenness, despite the fact that it accounted for a large percentage of government tax revenue. During this period, pulque came to be associated with the poorer classes, with it being frowned upon by the nobility and wealthy because of its association with alcoholism. Following the Mexican War of Independence (1810–1821), the drink achieved a short-lived renaissance in which rich and poor were imbibing large amounts in celebration of their shared indigenous past; this ended when burgeoning commercial beer interests in the 20th century sought to monopolize the Mexican liquor market. More recently, producers have begun to add fruits to improve the flavor; these are known as curados.

Pulque’s long and complicated production process has hindered its popularity, since the maguey plant has to initiate the fermentation process, which, once begun, does not stop, eventually making the drink unpalatable. As a result, its distribution has always proven difficult, forcing production and consumption to remain local despite recent attempts to bottle and can it for long-distance sale. While pulque is not technically related to beer, it tends to occupy a similar socio-cultural space and is therefore worth noting in that context.

See also mexico.