Mezcal
How is it produced and drunk
Mezcal is an alcoholic beverage extracted from the agave, being this the most spirituos drink of Mexico. Ten thousands years ago in Mesoamerica began the relationship between man and the agave, same wich is used to make mezcal. The agave has been known as tree of wonders, from wich water, wine, vinegar, honey, syrup, thread, needles, mezcal and hundred more things are extracted.
At the end of the 16th century, distillation was introduced in Mexico by the spaniards and from date on, mezcal has been processed in artisian method with some advanced changes. Sumary of the process It takes up to ten years for the agave plant to reach the desired maturity so that it can be cut and processed. It´s cultivation is within what is known as organic agriculture, due the fact that no pesticides or fertilizers are used during it´s growing and developing period. The heart of the agave is called "piña" wich is the part of the agave used for the mezcal making. Some of this piñas weight as much or more as one hundred kilosonce they are cut from the ground. These piñas are cooked in a floor oven, the baking lasts three days. The purpose of cooking is so that the carbohydrates of starches contained in the piñas become sugar. When the piñas are brought out from the floor oven, they are crushed at the egyptian mill, a stone well with a central post and a stone wheel of one meter and a half in diameter, wich turns by being pulled by one horse wich is controlled by a person. The result of this crushing is then transferred to be fermented in wooden tubs. Fermentation lasts up to ten days depending on the weather, the warmer the weather the faster the fermentation is done. With the juices already transformed into "tepache" (the effect of fermentation), distillation starts in a copper container sitting into a square adobe base with an opening or small funance on one of it´s sides to stir the fireand on the other side stands the copper condensor; wich is used for a double distillation. After distillation is made, quality controls follows at the bottling plant. It is tested in the laboratory, homogenized and filtration takes place. This is the result of how the mezcal, mystical and extraordinary drink is produced.
