Mezcal Process:
Most artisanal mezcal stills used to be clay, but now many destilerías have small copper potstills. The stills are placed in a masonry base – clay and rock, or sometimes brick – with a wood-fired oven underneath.
A still in operation at San Juan del Rio. The potstill is at right, with the wood fire below and the condensing tank at left.
Keeping an eye on things. A lot of distillation is waiting for the right time to do the next thing.
After all the alcohol has been extracted, the solids, bagasso, are discarded, and you start again.
Photographs by Katherine Lewis