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Mezcal in Oaxaca
Written by Alvin Starkman
Thursday, 04 September 2008

Think of mezcal as you would single malt scotch, or better yet as you would red wine with different vintages from different regions of France, or perhaps as wine from grape varietals from the diverse valleys and coastal areas of Australia. Forget about the worm for the time being, and forget forever the reputation with the college crowd of mezcal's better known sister, tequila. Introduction

Mezcal is made from the agave plant, often referred to as maguey. Its production, according to most recent evidence, pre-dates the Spanish Conquest. Many of today's facilities use the same age-old technique, although some of the tools of the trade have changed. Clay pots originally used for manufacture and storage have been replaced with copper serpentine for distillation, and oak and glass for aging and transporting.

Most mezcal is produced in the State of Oaxaca, where it is estimated that there are about 5,000 production facilities. Less than 150 of these are members of the regulated association. Most are tiny mom and pop operations serving a local community and its hinterland. Some produce the spirit for distribution primarily in the City of Oaxaca, and a handful cater to the export market. In all there is a broad range of quality in terms of smoothness, flavor nuances and smokiness. In fact the well-entrenched tradition of Oaxacans discerning personal palate-worthiness of different mezcals, manifests itself not through sampling store-bought designer bottles with smart labels, but rather through acquiring multi-liter receptacles from towns and villages in different regions of the state.

There are three major reasons for the diversity of mezcal. Firstly, as is the case with grape varieties in wine production there is a range of agave suitable for mezcal production. Secondly, there are micro-climates yielding plants with subtle differences based on for example soil composition and length and quality of growing season, again similar to what we find regarding vineyards. Finally there is significant variation in the means of production as determined by the mezcalero, or brewmaster if you will. Each decision is crucial in determining the quality of the finished product, beginning with choosing the precise time when the plant is ready for harvest. Production

In Oaxaca there are well over 50 varieties of maguey, roughly 18 of which are used in the production of mezcal. However, about 90% of mezcal is made with the espadín agave, perhaps 5% uses tobalá, and the remaining types, found predominantly in the wild, comprise the balance. Espadín is similar to the blue agave traditionally used in the production of tequila. However, since blue agave grows in different climates than does espadín, the geographical distinction alone is enough to create a differentiation in taste. But the main difference between mezcal and tequila is that tequila is produced using stone ovens or stainless steel tanks for cooking, while mezcal in most instances still employs the centuries old method of baking the agave in an in-ground oven over firewood and river rocks.

The investment of time required to produce a bottle of mezcal begins with 8 years -- the usual wait between transplanting a tiny agave plant produced from runner or cut from its tall stock, and harvest. Towards the end of the growth period, the stock shoots up, signifying the initial stage of readiness. The stock is cut down, and then for several months nutrients gather in the base of the plant. When ready, the spiny succulent leaves are cut away and discarded to reveal the spherical central core, or piña. It is this central core of the agave that is transported by truck or on the backs of donkeys to the factory.

It takes approximately 7 tons of raw piña to produce 1,000 liters of mezcal, depending on the type of mezcal being produced.

A pit dug into the earth and measuring about 8' deep by 12' in diameter is preheated for a couple of days with thick smoldering logs, on top of which are then placed river rocks. After the rocks have become red-hot, a thin layer of discarded fibrous material from another stage of the process is often placed atop, serving to insulate the rocks from the piñas which are piled on top of the heated rocks, forming a mound, perhaps 4' - 5' above ground level. Traditionally the small hill would then be covered with a woven palm leaf mat known as a petate, but now a sheet of synthetic product such as grain sack material is used, sometimes in conjunction with the petate. Then all is covered with earth to ensure the contents of the mound remains airtight. Finally and for good measure a few logs are placed on top of the heap of earth.

The agave bakes for 2 – 3 days, absorbing the characteristics of the earth, any clay brick used to line the pit, charred wood and smoke. (It's important to keep in mind the particulars of each step during which distinct flavor and smokiness may be imparted.) Carbohydrates or starches are converted into fermentable sugars. With its now carmel-like sweetness, the piñas are removed, then cut into small pieces with a machete, and then crushed by a horse or donkey dragging a multi-ton circular concrete wheel over a round, low-walled area in which the charred piña pieces have been placed.

The pulverized cooked agave together with any extracted juices is then pitched into large pine vats where it is left to ferment for five to fifteen days. Only a bit of water is added to the wooden receptacles which are either covered with plastic or left exposed to the air. No chemicals or other substances or agents, either man-made or natural, are added.

The fermented mixture at about 6% alcohol content is then placed in a brick still and heated with firewood. The vapor passes through a serpentine copper pipe surrounded by a tank of water. The water cools the vapor in the tubing. A small spigot at the bottom allows liquid mezcal to slowly drip out into a collecting receptacle. It is normally distilled for a second time, often with the addition of further fermented agave, using a recipe determined by the master mezcalero. This second distillation brings the finished product to the desired alcohol content, usually about 40% by volume. Mezcal is now in its purest form, known as blanco, before aging or the use of additives such as herbs, fruit or the worm. The Gusano

The gusano worm is in fact not a worm, but rather a caterpillar, an infestation to which the agave plant is susceptible. However, in the production and sale of mezcal it has served three primary functions over the years. Firstly, prior to there being any labeling or regulation of mezcal, a gusanito was inserted into a bottle of mezcal as proof to the purchaser that the liquor had a sufficiently high alcohol content. The worm's preservation in the mezcal, without any decomposition, signified that the alcohol content ought to be acceptable to the purchaser. Secondly, today the worm is a valuable marketing tool. Often the one to finish the bottle is expected to ingest the gusano remaining at the bottom. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, it adds a distinct and appealing flavor to the mezcal as well as smoothness, particularly crucial if the mezcal is otherwise not particularly suave or has not yet been aged in wood.

The gusano has been a staple in Oaxacan cookery for generations, often purchased live in the marketplace, or dried, sometimes with 100 strung up into a necklace. Some of the finest prepared salsas are made with ground gusano. And of course there is sal de gusano, a combination of salt, chili and worm, used not only in the ritual of imbibing, but also to bring out and add flavor to fruit, to rim glasses used to serve other alcoholic beverages, and more. Tasting Notes

The three main types of traditional mezcal one encounters are blanco or joven (young), reposado and añejo.

The first, blanco, represents mezcal which has come directly from the still without any aging whatsoever, except while in glass or plastic receptacles awaiting bottling or sale. It can be quite sharp or strong, but is also encountered in a rather smooth state depending on the skill level of the mezcalero, percentage alcohol, number of distillations, and so on.

Reposado literally means lying down, resting, or reposing, so when one finds mezcal reposado it's been aged, in theory in oak barrels anywhere from 3 to 18 months or so, but frequently simply allowed to sit for a period of time with fruit in it which imparts flavor and smoothness.

Añejo, by contrast, signifies mezcal which is mature or aged, having been kept for generally 3 or more years in French or American oak barrels sometimes previously used for wine or brandy, or perhaps charred inside to produce a distinct taste. A good añejo which has been carefully distilled and aged has a fine, smokey essence and is extremely smooth.

One can encounter joven or reposado with gusano, but virtually never an añejo because it has already had a great deal of time and effort expended to produce a product of the finest of quality. Because of the time and effort involved, it's rare to find a small operation which even purports to produce añejo.

In Spanish "pechuga" means breast. In the context of mezcal manufacture, true mezcal pechuga has been made by hanging a raw chicken breast in the still during production, imparting in the spirit a subtle flavor nuance and a bit of body created by the minute percentage of fat which has been allowed to vaporize. One should exercise caution in purchasing what is purported to be true mezcal pechuga, once again because of the lack of industry control. In some rural operations one encounters pechuga which is dark in color. The mezcalero may state that indeed it has been made with chicken breast, the color having been derived from aging with fruit. Whether chicken has actually been used in production is not certain unless you witness the process. This doesn't mean that the mezcal should be avoided since we've sampled some excellent rural pechuga... only to warn that the actual ingredients used might be debatable. Flavored Mezcals

The balance of mezcals one is apt to taste include a wide range of blended flavors. The simplest is a spirit with no additives except a particular herb or fruit zest -- for example, one well-known producer, Mezcal del Amigo, has a citrus mezcal. Similar to the citrus additive is cedrón, a local herb producing a pleasant lime-like aroma. Then comes the more herbaceous products such as poleo, also used to make a tea to cure stomach ailments. The sweet mezcals, referred to as cremas are made with a range of exotic fruits, but almost always contain a sweetening agent, including honey, sugar or cane alcohol. The percentage of mezcal used in such production is frequently quite small, and in fact there is currently controversy in the industry regarding whether or not the word mezcal ought to be used in labeling these beverages. Some cremas are made with cream or milk, while others are not, but can nevertheless be mixed with either, perhaps on the rocks, or in making desserts, for example poured over vanilla ice cream. Those who reside in Oaxaca can purchase bulk blanco mezcal and experiment with their own private recipes such as peach-honey, raisin-apple, guava, rosemary, and innumerable others.

Regardless of any preconceived notions you might have about mezcal, have a taste, whenever the opportunity arises, and of whatever is being offered, if only enough to discern differences. Soon you'll develop a palate and find there are one or more types you prefer from the broad array of flavors, agings and degrees of smokiness.

Alvin Starkman together with wife Arlene operates Casa Machaya Oaxaca Bed & Breakfast ( www.oaxacadream.com). Alvin received his masters in social anthropology in 1978, and his law degree in 1984. Thereafter he was a litigator in Toronto until taking early retirement. He and his family were frequent visitors to Oaxaca between 1991 and when they became permanent residents in 2004. Alvin writes about life and cultural traditions in Oaxaca, tours couples, families and small groups to the craft villages, ruins, colonial churches and more off-the-beaten-track destinations in Oaxaca state, and is a special consultant to documentary film production companies.