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On Tue, 10 Dec 1996, Conrad Berube wrote:
 
> >...Mayan bee god
>
> In classical Mayan days the honey of stingless meliponid bees was used to
> brew a potent mead-like drink called pulque which was an important feature
> at religious and civic functions (the alcohol and narcotic properties, the
> latter derived from the root of the maguey agave included in the concoctions
> recipe, probably were used to induce revelatory visions).
 
 
In the 70's I drank PULQUE at several PULQUERIAS near the Merced Market in
Mexico City.
 
It is a whitish semi sweet drink that has the consistency of buttermilk
and is only mildly alcoholic. I believe it is made exclusively from the
fermented sap of the MAGUEY cactus.
 
A good photograph of a collector of the Maguey juice is in the National
Geographic book " The Aztecs" ( p 109).
 
From my experience it is not narcotic.
 
I add honey to an Australian Coopers  2 row barley beer kit and , some
claim,  that IS narcotic!!
 
regards
 
Peter Wilson
Edmonton, Alberta.Canada.