Mezcal Process:
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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.
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A new copper potstill. That’s the condensing coil in back.
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A copper potstill with the top removed. The tall columns are vent pipes for the oven.
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The fermented liquid is transferred from the tina to the still in 5-gallon buckets.
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It’s hard work. The ladder is for getting at the liquid low down in the tina.
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Pouring the liquid into the potstill.
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The fermented solids are wheelbarrowed
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Fully charged with liquids and fibers. The tequila folks use only the liquid.
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Putting the top on the still.
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Connecting the pot to the condensing coil/tank.
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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.
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Tending the fire. Maintaining a constant temperature is very important.
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Cool river water flowing into the condensation tank.
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Condensed back to a liquid, the distillate is collected in containers.
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Keeping an eye on things. A lot of distillation is waiting for the right time to do the next thing.
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San Juan del Rio’s Iglesia.
Photographs by Katherine Lewis