There’s a saying in Mexico, says Johnny Curiel, chef-owner of Denver’s Mezcaleria Alma: “Sin maíz, no hay país.” Without corn, there’s no country. Here, the Corn Sour in particular speaks to the restaurant’s mission to shine a light on the dynamic range of spirits, flavors, and cooking of Mexico City.

Riffing on typical sours, this drink embraces a soft sweetness and dynamic range of flavors thanks to five corn-based elements—six if you count the tortilla salt garnish. For this, Mezcaleria Alma blends house-made tostadas with a little black Hawaiian salt, sugar, and lime powder. It rests on top of an airy oat-milk-based foam to boost the drink with “a nice salinity,” says beverage director Jen Mattioni. “I wanted to celebrate corn and pack as much into the drink as I could.”

Vago Elote Mezcal

Vago’s pechuga-style Elote Mezcal is infused with fresh corn on its second distillation, contributing an elegant glimmer of sweet corn notes to balance the lightly smoky flavor.

Corn Simple Syrup

This compound simple syrup starts with boiling whole in-husk ears. The kernels are removed and puréed. Raw sugar is added, heated to make a syrup, and, finally, strained.

Siglo Cero Pox

Pox (pronounced like “poche”), is an indigenous spirit with ceremonial roots in Tzotzil Mayan culture. Distilled from fermented corn, wheat, and sugarcane, pox is typically made in Chiapas, the southernmost Mexican state. Mattioni compares it to a cross of white corn whiskey and an agricole rum, an earthy, delicately vegetal element that she affectionately describes as “funky.”

Nixta Licor de Elote

Made in Jilotepec, Mexico, Nixta’s corn liqueur combines roasted Cacahuazintle corn with piloncillo, a.k.a. unrefined sugarcane, resulting in a spirit that’s equal parts savory and sweet. The delicate corn melds with the molasses-like piloncillo for a potent liqueur that adds a darker dimension.

Abasolo El Whisky de Mexico

Abasolo’s corn whiskey employs 100% nixtamalized Cacahuazintle corn. With notes of smoke, leather, and, yes, corn, it is key to the sour’s spirited base.