CIRO y JAVIER BARRANCA
AHUACUOTZINTLA, CHILAPA DE ALVAREZ, GRO.
Don Ciro has been distilling agave spirits longer than most mezcaleros have been alive. His grandson Javier, on the other hand, is relatively new to the family business, having spent much of his 20s in “el Norte.” Working together for the past 7 years, theirs is a story of tradition, the passing of generational knowledge, and its adaptation to a new era.
Like other mezcaleros in the region, the Barranca family works mainly with maguey papalote, though they also have Chilapa’s largest collection zacatoro (local A. angustifolia variant).
THE BASICS (NOVEMBER, 2020)
How old are you, and how long have you been making mezcal?
Javier: I’m 35, and I’ve been dedicated to mezcal for 7 years. My Grandfather is 84 and has been working in the fabrica for much longer.
How many generations has your family been producing mezcal?
Javier: I am the fifth. I learned from my father and grandfather [Don Ciro], who learned from his uncles, who learned from their father.
What is the key to making excellent mezcal?
Javier: The process - the cooking, the fermentation, the distillation - taking a delicate touch through the whole process.
What do you hope to accomplish through your work?
Javier: To be the guardian of good mezcal.
PRODUCTION
Distilling Season(s): January-July
Woods used in Oven: Encino amarillo, encino prieto, tepozcahuite, tepehuaje
Agaves used: Papalote, Azul, Zacatoro, Espadín, Desconocidos
Oven Size: 10 tons
Cook Time: 4-5 days.
Rest Between Oven and Mill: 1 day
Mill Type: chopped with a hatchet, then fed into a wood chipper
Fermentation vessel: Open air ayacahuite tinas
Water Source: Spring
Fermentation Time: 5-7 days
Still Type: 2 Copper Alambiques (400 liters/each)
Distillations: 2
Composition: 40% cuerpo, 30% puntas, 30% colas.
batch tech sheets
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