Production
HarvestinG
The wild agaves featured in Bozal mezcal each take between 7 and 19 years to mature, making them heavily sought after by local mezcaleros. When they are fully grown, these maguey are harvested by hand with tools such as a coa de jima or specialized machetes.
cooking
In keeping with the 200-year-old tradition, the agave hearts, once separated from their leaves, are cooked in earthen pit ovens. This cooking process is often what gives mezcal its signature smoky flavors.
crushing
Once cooked, the agave hearts are then crushed and mashed by a stone tahona wheel turned by a horse or bull. This crushing and mashing helps to break down the tough fibers of the magueys and release the juices for fermentation.
Fermentation
Bozal Mezcal is made using open-air fermentation in either wood tanks or clay pots without the addition of artificial yeast. This method allows the sugars to ferment utilizing naturally occurring yeast.
Distillation
For our Artisanal mezcals, the spirit is then purified through a double distillation process.
For our Reserva mezcals, our mezcaleros follow the “Ancestral” tradition by strictly using clay pot distillation–an ancient practice that is synonymous with the traditions of the local people. The daily maximum capacity per clay pot to distill our mezcal is 60 liters, producing small craft batches.
Sacrificio
For Bozal’s Sacrificio mezcals, during the final distillation, a protein such as chicken, lamb, or pork, in addition to seasonal wild fruits and grains harvested from the local market, are suspended inside the bottom of the still in a basket. Being an ancient ritual, the recipe for some of our sacrificios has remained the same over generations to keep with family tradition.