Pulque is the oldest ancestor of tequila and mezcal, Mexico’s two most popular alcoholic beverages.

It’s not as popular as the other two, but that wasn’t always the case. In the late 1800s, pulque was Mexico’s most consumed alcoholic beverage. But unfounded rumors that it was fermented with feces, its reputation as a drink of the poor, and competition in the beer industry led to pulque’s near-extinction.

Now young Mexicans are fueling the dying drink’s renaissance. So can pulque become a global hit like tequila and mezcal? So how is it that it is still standing despite everything?