Sembrar/crecer - plant and grow. The
rumors of agave's demise are greatly exaggerated. What is sometimes in sho...

Sembrar/crecer - plant and grow.&nbsp;The
rumors of agave's demise are greatly exaggerated. What is sometimes in short
supply is the blue Weber, the only agave from which tequila can be made. Mezcal
(of which tequila is but one subtype) can be made from about 30 different agave
species. Pictured is a field of cultivated espadín belonging to my friend and
talented mezcalero,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1022840777&amp;__tn__=K-R&amp;eid=ARAE6rQMuxyfVXU8uOMVyanUxwv8A1OPHu-e_KHrXK578085viqMzJhSWIHNz8ftzFEcwIFGQ9Ij4HjP&amp;fref=mentions&amp;__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARB5TQ2wfgUxpJpoMZbR42VDVHZoiHWSmRKGWdkdEaKXIpGDQurXr5lvpnBP2szDgc8xhXa14hOgaA09asxPwKnvuDiC2Z4Uq1-_f_lwsy4ydqIH5a4DxS631cZ36jRSo6UIoXuHtSMu33472cSypJ1C5jqEtvVkICv82Hu1xVymJrp56tZA" target="_blank">Carlos Mendez Blas</a>, owner
of Palomo Mezcal. Espadín is popular because it is fast-growing, taking a mere
7-10 years to mature.

Cosechar - harvest.&nbsp;As
plants mature, they send up a shoot called a quiote (pronounced like
Cervantes’s character, Don Quixote) that, if left to grow, looks just like a
giant sprig of asparagus (agaves are asparagacea). From these quiotes, both
clones (last photo) and seeds grow. Agaves are pollinated by three things only:
bats, moths, and the occasional hummingbird. Then the plant dies. If there is a
glut of agave that season, the quiotes are cut off (and the plant is called a&nbsp;capón - castrated) and the plants left until the
next year. Cutting the quiotes prevents sugars from being lost in the plants’
effort to reproduce. Good growers allow 5-10% of their crop go to seed/shoot.
This ensures the bats return and genetic diversity can infiltrate the species.
The magueyeros (people harvesting the agaves) know when&nbsp;to cut and they
work&nbsp;really&nbsp;hard. The agaves are stripped of their fronds
(pencas) with spade-shaped blades and the core of the plant, called the piña
(because it resembles a pineapple) is carried to market. Piñas are heavy. I
have seen piñas as small as 25 lbs and as big as 600 lbs. Agaves sylvestres
(wild) are carried out on the backs of burros. It is back-breaking work. When
you shake the hand of a magueyero, it is like shaking a leather glove stuffed
with rocks. (Note the sticks driven into the piñas to facilitate tying them to
the burro.)

Cocinar/hornear - cook/bake. In this stage the piñas are arranged in a below-ground pit to be cooked for 3-5 days. In the artesanal process, the pit may be masonry lined, whereas in the ancestral method it must be earthen (no lining). The mezcalero selects the wood he wants—usually pine, scrub oak, or mesquite—and starts a hot fire in the bottom of the pit. The fire is then covered with volcanic rock to retain heat and prevent the agaves from contacting the fire. Once the fire has&nbsp;died back
to coals, the agaves are piled on, then the whole thing is covered with tarps
and finally earth (or bagasso-the remaining agave fiber from previous batches).
Cooking the agaves breaks down starch (inulin) into sugars, carmelizes some of
the sugar, and imparts flavor. Don’t call mezcal smokey, though. That onluy
happens when a newby mezcalero rushes the process and the fire has not been
left to die back long enough. Good mezcal is seldom smokey; while some smoke
may be present on the nose, mezcal should primarily taste and smell of agave.
That’s the point, and why it is almost always consumed joven, not aged.

Molienda - the grind/maceration.&nbsp;Cooked
agaves are removed from the horno and ground. Everardo, who makes my tobalá,
lets the piñas sit for several weeks before grinding. (He claims this allows
the deep tobalá flavor to develop and as he is the 6th generatio to do it this
way, I’m a believer.) Industrial mezcals (I’m looking at you, tequila) are not
only steamed instead of cooked over wood, they are ground by machine into fine
particles and then put through a diffuser which uses chemical solvents to extract sugars. Real
mezcal, uses a horse-drawn tahona (the big wheel), sometimes a wood-chipper, or
a canoa and mazo (canoe and mallet) to grind. Artesanal mezcals may use a
wood-chipper or tahona. Most commonly, it’s the tahona. Ancestral mezcals must
use either tahona or canoa y mazo. Ángel uses the canoa y mazo, which is
grueling work.&nbsp;

What’s the difference in grind method
and why does it matter? The more rustic the technique, the bigger the chunks of
agave, the more sugar remains locked up, which changes fermentation time and,
importantly, total yield. All of which goes to flavor. Sip a quality mezcal
next to any major-brand tequila and you’ll know immediately that you’ve had
your last tequila.

Fermentación.&nbsp;No translation needed.
After the grind, the cooked, crushed agave is placed into large wooden vats
called tinas. They are topped off with water and left to ferment with whatever
yeasts are present in the local environment. After 5-10 days, depending on
ambient temperature, a “mud” cap forms on the top of the tina and as it pulls
away from the edges, the mezcalero knows it’s done and ready to be distilled.
The undistilled, fermented liquid is delicious and is called tepache.

In this stage, like all the others, there is great opportunity to manipulate flavor. Type of
wood used to make the tina, the age of the tina, the source and minerality of
the water, the starting temperature of the water (which determines how quickly
the yeast gets rolling), the area yeast species, the season of the year, and so
forth. Some mezcaleros don’t use wood tinas. Their local custom is to use
cowhide fermentacion vessels. No two batches of mezcal are ever exactly the
same.

Pictured below is a mountain spring
considered sacred. The devout make regular peregrinations to it for bathing,
payer and collection for use at home. It is considered healing and it is used
in Ángel’s ancestral mezcals. I’ll just write that again, because it still
floors me: Ancestral production mezcal made with sacred spring water.

Destilación Part 1.&nbsp;Mezcal is, as far as I
know, the most variable and complex spirit. Every step in its production
presents another opportunity for variation. Distillation is no different.
Artesanal mezcals are most often distilled in copper alembic stills. While it is
permissible under CRM regulations to distill in stainless, nobody serious about
their mezcal does this. Ancestral mezcals are distilled in clay. This means a
high risk for loss in the event that the clay pot breaks. Clay pots are also smaller in
volume and have to be made by hand. All of this adds to the workload. However,
clay retains characteristics of previous mezcals and produces outstanding final
products.

All mezcals are distilled twice
(every so often you will see one distilled a third time, and raicilla is often
distilled just once using a double alembic still) and during the second process
the mezcalero cuts the puntas (heads) and colas (tails), keeping the cuerpo
(body), or main portion of the distillate. The puntas are cut because these
contain methanol, aldehydes, high alcohols and other undesirable fractions. The
tails are cut because they tend to have sour flavors and are higher in water.
When the body is done, it is usually quite high in alcohol--80% or more. This
means that the mezcal has to be cut down. For most domestic (to Mexico)
mezcals, this is done according taste, not a target proof. Many producers who
export do not wish to reproduce labels frequently (having to update proof
information), so they dilute for proof. (I just print a new label and put up
with the approval process. It's important to me that I sell a product made to
taste.) Dilution can be done with colas or water. I strongly prefer water
because I can detect colas easily and I don't like them. Some people swear they
prefer cola-cut.

Whatever your preference, mezcal is
famous for not creating a hangover. Whether this is due to double distillation,
the cutting out of congeners, or something altogether different, I can assure
you from experience that there is some truth to this.

Destilación Part 2 - Traditional Production.&nbsp;Makers
of mezcal fall into one of three categories of production method: mezcal,
artesanal, or ancestral. This is per the regulatory framework laid out by the
Consejo Regulador de Mezcal (CRM). Purists distinguish between traditional and
industrial--the CRM puts a finer point on things. The CRM is a voluntary
organization that is becoming more of a requirement than an option. If you want
your product to be called mezcal, well, then—you gotta join. Mezcal is a denomination
of origin like Tequila or Champagne.&nbsp;

The first CRM-recognized method of production is permissive and, while I
don’t as a practice, criticize other mezcals, the beverages made this way are
industrial garbage. We don’t discuss them beyond that and after this post I’ll
have little to say about them. The category should not exist; it is the realm
of autoclaves, diffusers, 36-40% ABVs, most aged mezcals, worms in the bottle,
yellow colorings, and other nonsense. These producers are wasting agave. This
is the mezcal that afficionados fear other people will drink as their first
mezcal; they bring shame and ill-repute to the DO. Enough with that.

The CRM's Artesanal method is where
the bulk of the good to great mezcals are coming from. Copper stills, tahona
crush (chipper allowed, seldom used), relatively small batches (sub 5000
liters, anyway). Truly exceptional mezcals can be made under the artesanal
framework. My favorite mezcalero is artesanal. But even within this category
there is a great range in quality.

The CRM's Ancestral method requires
tahona or canoa/mazo, unlined hornos and clay pots. The mezcaleros using the
ancestral method are dedicated with a capital D. The still pots are small, the
labor is intense, and the risk of breakage and loss is high. These mezcals tend
to be on the better end of the quality range because if you’re making mezcal
this way, you are taking great care to get it right.&nbsp;

Technical details. Clay pots are
arranged as follows: complete pot on bottom, sometimes with a copper metal
plate to protect against flame; double mouth pot on top; cooling metal
condenser pot (montera) on top of that. The troughs of water in the photos are
there to add and drain cool water to the top condenser pot. This is where it
gets harder to describe (see photos): there is an aperture in the top clay pot
from which extends a hollow reed called a carrizo. Beneath the condenser pot,
there is an agave frond (penca) that collects the condensate (mezcal) and
funnels it into the carrizo. Into the carrizo there is a sisal or other agave
fiber cord that conducts the drops of distillate into a receptacle pot.

Envasar - bottling.&nbsp;Between producing the mezcal and getting it to market
there are a number of stages involving lots of paper work, safety testing and,
bottling. Of all these, the only thing remotely interesting is the bottling. In
this process the mezcal, a rustic product (as you know by now), is filtered,
put into bottles, the bottles labeled, corked, inspected and then and sealed
with a hologram, indicating authenticity.

There are two steps. In the first
step, mezcal is filtered of particulates then used
to rinse the bottles--in other words, we use mezcal to wash the bottles. That
mezcal (about 3 liters) is continually recirclulated through the filter and set
aside afterwards to be either bottled by hand, or distributed in the gray
market to friends. I have lucky friends. In the second step, the bulk of the
mezcal is filtered and injected directly into bottles. The bottles are corked
with a ruberized plastic cork because real cork dissolves in mezcal and taints
the product. It is then bottled, the inspector comes to take a sample (matched
up with a sample back at the CRM lab), and delivers the holograms for seal.

Disfrutar - Enjoy.&nbsp;I dislike "you're
doing [something everyone does] wrong" and "how to [also something
irrelevant] the right way" think pieces (I hate think pieces, in general),
so this post is about traditional consumption of mezcal. There is no right way.
However you like it, that's cool with me.

On with the show... Traditionally, mezcal has been served in one
of three types of vessel--the jicara, which is a tree fruit husk, halved,
hollowed out, and sun-dried; the copita, which means little cup; or the veladora, which is the glass votive
candle holder familiar to all Catholics. In bars in Oaxaca, you will be served
in a veladora about 70% of the time, the rest of the time in a copita--usually
glass, but often ceramic, too.

At bars, the drink will be poured in
your choice of 1 or 2 ounces, and accompanied by a plate of orange slices and a
flavored salt. Increasingly, bars are getting creative with this. More fruits
are showing up and the salt is getting interesting, too. The salt is nearly
always sal de gusano, or "worm salt," which contains equal parts
salt, ground chili and ground agave moth larvae. You will also encounter sal de
chapulin, which substitutes grasshopper for the larvae. I have seen sal de
jamaica (hisbiscus flower) in increasing frequency, too. But--and this is
important--at mezcalerias, you will probably just be poured your mezcal and
offered no accompaniment at all save a small glass of water. This is because it
is presumed that if you are at a mezcaleria, it is because you wish to taste
mezcal. One bartender explained to me that the traditional orange slice and
salt was a way to cover mistakes in distillation. I'm sure there's a bit of
truth in that.

On the subject of&nbsp;cocktails,
there are two strongly divided camps. One says never do it, the other, why
not--just make sure it's a good damn cocktail. I like the creativity in the
cocktails that are being made, so... come at me, purists!

Last point: Oaxaca is a city of
sybarites and the mezcalerias there are invariably among the most beautiful
bars you will ever see. It is like going into an agave church. If you've never
been, you should get to one soon. With friends. That's critical!

How Mezcal is Made

Mezcal is made from plants that take a long time to grow. These
plants--agaves--are harvested--often from the w...

Mezcal is made from plants that take a long time to grow. These
plants--agaves--are harvested--often from the wild--then roasted in an
underground oven (horno) using collected firewood as the heat source. Finally,
the distillation process produces often-unused cuts that don't get bottled and
sold. These are known as vinazas. So, we have four concerns: continuing supply
of cultivated agave; continuing supply of wild (sylvestres) agaves and the
potential for over-collection; continuing supply of firewood and the potential
for over-collection; and what to do with vinazas, which in large volumes pose
an environmental hazard and disposal problem. Let's take this in four posts.
Today's post is about the posing of the problems and a look at cultivated
agaves, followed by a post for each of the remaining three of the four concerns
just listed. I will try to keep this brief, although there's easily a thesis'
worth in here.

An idea to help establish the baseline for understanding all of
these problems: mezcal has been, up to recently, sustainable for over 400
years. Think about that. Tiny production levels (well below 1% of that of
Tequila for all this time), small footprint, and obviously a steady supply of
all needed components or it would have been abandoned. The fact that it still
exists and is still being made traditionally after 400 years is a good
indicator. If you think that idea is crazy, my reply would be to ask how many
years out you need to go to determine that something is sustainable. 400 years,
I think, settles the question. Now, in 2018, the volume of mezcal production is
way up--it's now just over 2% of the volume of Tequila production. That
doubling, while still minuscule in comparison to Tequila, has made people
notice--and question--if mezcal can survive its popularity. Maybe it's because
I am a meliorist by nature, but I think there is good reason to hope that the
answer is yes.

Cultivated agave--the least of the issues is still an issue.
When people hear about agave shortages in the news, this is almost always about
Agave tequilana Weber--the plant required for production of Tequila. This plant
has been the subject of innumerable bust-and-boom cycles and its supply has
historically been closely connected to Mexican politics. During the period
known as the Porfiriato (1876-1911), the hacienda system concentrated wealth,
land, and the industrialization of Tequila began in earnest. After the Mexican
Revolution, Emeliano Zapata's policy of land reform was enacted (by his
successor, Carranza, in 1917), reinstating the ejido system (formerly banned by
the Spanish). Under this system land-use rights belong to the people. This
means that the haciendas (which owned the production apparatus) could no longer
run the agave farms. With fewer wealthy farmers, and a long growing cycle, the
boom/bust cycle began. A farmer seeing a neighbor cash in handsomely on a crop
of agave during a sellers' market might plant a crop himself, only to find in
7-9 years that many other farmers had the same idea and his crop is now being
sold into a buyers' market. That person, now disgusted with the waste of many
years' time, might move on to something annual, such as corn for a while. Rinse
and repeat--you see the problem. (A note on the ejido system: the
constitutional right to establish ejidos was abolished in the '90s when NAFTA
was being negotiated because foreign investors feared that their land rights
could be expropriated by nationals.)

Add to this the possibility of disease and you have a real
management juggernaut looking at you. What happens (as I posted about
previously some time in October), if at year 4 the agave snout weevil shows up
and starts to devastate your crop? The piñas you have now are immature, low on
sugar, and under weight. That's going to hurt. To make matters worse, the
Tequila DO calls for A. tequilana W--a monocrop with little genetic diversity.
This is a recipe for disaster, and disaster has struck many times. After
millions spent trying to solve the problem, science has not provided much more
than a pesticide and the advice (which runs contrary to the directive of the
CRT) to diversify the gene pool. And so the boom/bust cycle continues.

In Oaxaca where mezcal is King, the espadín agave (A.
angustifolia) is often drawn into the Tequila bust cycles because it is
genetically similar to A. Tequilana W. This is not technically allowed, of
course, but many a blind eye gets turned when the Tequila industry wants something.
(These boom/bust cycles are also, incidentally, why other sugars are allowed in
the production of Tequila--a stopgap to help producers through hard times.)
Espadín is subject to the same fate as A. tequilana W, although at a reduced
intensity given the difference in volume and greater natural genetic diversity
in the espadín.

Sustainability of Mezcal Part 1 - Introduction and Cultivated Agave

Wildcrafted agave is probably the area of greatest concern when
we talk about the sustainability of mezcal. Hum...

Wildcrafted agave is probably the area of greatest concern when
we talk about the sustainability of mezcal. Humanity has seen too many runs on
natural resources for anyone except the most diehard libertarians to NOT
believe in the tragedy of the commons. I recall years ago when ginseng was
popular and commanding a high price how the 'sangers nearly stripped the Smokey
Mountains of this once abundant species. When there is a valuable natural resource
with little to no effective control over its extraction, one can expect an
over-exploitation of the resource. This, I take as axiomatic. Why then my
optimism regarding wildcrafted agaves?

For openers, the ejido system has been in place for a long time,
and it seems to be working. For those readers unacquainted, the idea is simply
this: Land is communally managed. A resident of a pueblo must do some community
service--usually on the order of a year to a year-and-a-half--after which he or
she is considered an eligible ejidatario, who then may ask for some use of the
land. The community decides as a group to approve or deny the use. This use
could be grazing rights, farming rights, or, the right to collect agaves. The
smarter communities are requiring those who harvest agaves to replace them with
2 or 3 new plants as part of the harvest process. Here's the critical piece for
me--an ejiditario can pass their rights on to their children. The rights can be
revoked for poor stewards or they can be left to continue for good stewards.
Which would you be? While this does not solve all of the problems--the new
plants (hijuelos) can die, the replacement plants may not be genetically suited
to the environment, unscrupulous players often steal agaves, and so forth--it is
certainly a good baseline from which to begin a management program. It is not
nothing. In other words, this isn't the Wild West; some controls are already in
place.

The second reason why I am optimistic is that I have seen A.
karwinskii, A. potatorum, A. seemanniana, A. americana, and A. marmorata--all
commonly collected from the wild--in cultivation. Of course, there is a LOT of
A. angustifolia in cultivation. (If you travel to Yautepec, where agave farming
is the bread and butter, nobody there is worried about having enough
agaves--they are worried they have too many to support a good price.)

Now, I do not mean to suggest that over-collection cannot
happen. In fact, I think it has already begun and will continue to happen for a
while. But what does this mean? It means that the easily-reached, desirable
agaves will be collected in short order. I believe certain areas will be
over-collected as the industry ramps up and demand outstrips replacement.
But--and this is my third reason for optimism--Oaxaca is a huge, thickly (and I
mean THICKLY) vegetated state. Many of my readers will not have had the
privilege of having flown over the state. I have on numerous occasions. And let
me assure you--the majority of agaves are simply inaccessible, and will be for
a long time. Even the lowland chaparral is nearly impenetrable. It is thick,
thorny, and suitable for goats, small or flying animals, and agaves. The rest
of us won't have the fortitude to hack through it. This barrier buys time and
incentivizes planting.

The last reason why I am optimistic is that SO MANY MEZCAL
DRINKERS are already onto this issue and paying attention. This is poised to be
an enormous industry. In Oaxaca, mezcal is already pushing 12% of the state
GDP. The CRM (who oversees production) has begun tracking agaves, much like
marijuana is tracked in Colorado, and requiring the collector to replace each
harvested agave with two hijuelos (young agaves). This industry cannot survive
without raw materials. The industry must provide the consumer with what they
want, and they (almost to the individual) want the following: excellent mezcal,
transparency in business and environmental dealings, and a compelling social
story. We have that now, and we can not only keep it, we can improve upon an
already solid foundation.

What is Cuentacuentos doing to prevent over-collection? All of
the mezcaleros we work with either own their own agave fields (Cruz family,
Mendez family), all are responsible ejidatarios who replace agaves when
harvesting, or buy from growers and ejiditarios who manage their crops
(replanting, leaving 5-10% of the crop to flower for the bats, moths, and
hummingbirds to cross pollinate). Even the CC bottler, my good friend, Carlos
Mendez, is planting so many agaves it is hard for me to keep up with how many
hectares he manages. I am proud to spend company money with him and his family.

Sustainability of Mezcal Part 2 - Agaves Sylvestres

This is perhaps the least
worrisome of the sustainability issues. I mean that factually, not as a matter
of per...

This is perhaps the least
worrisome of the sustainability issues. I mean that factually, not as a matter
of personal speculation or anecdote. I realize that much has been made about
this issue in the mezcal community, but I submit that it is not an issue of
primary importance, and in this post I explain why.

Oaxaca is densely
forested (see map), and its forests are unique in the world. For example, its
Sierra Madre is one of the world's most biodiverse pine/oak forests, famous
for, among other things, its incredibly high concentration of fern species, and
its inclusion of over 40% of endemic vertebrates of Mesoamerica(1). Its montane
forests are known among ecologists for their rich herpetofauna diversity.(2) They
are spectacular; a drive through the forests of Oaxaca is an experience you
will not soon forget. Obviously, these forests merit rigorous protection
policies. Fortunately, the people there know and understand this. The forests
of Oaxaca are exemplars of sustainable forestry management practices, practices
that are discussed and praised for their success on the world stage.

The forests of Oaxaca are
managed in a style that mimics the ejido system--Community Forest Enterprises
(CFE). Local communities manage their local hectares of forest, balancing
harvest with replacement. Between 60% - 80% of Oaxaca's forests are managed in
this manner (as of 2010). It works, and it works well. But, please, don't take
my word for it. Simply do an internet search for "Oaxaca forestry"
and see the vast number of scholarly journals making reference to this system.
This NYT piece(3) enumerates the virtues of Oaxaca's forestry management
program and lists a number of certifying agencies that extol it as "...the
gold standard of community forest ownership and management." The agencys
praising Oaxaca's CFE system include the Forest Stewardship Council (founded
and originally located in Oaxaca), Center for International Forestry Research,
and the Rainforest Alliance(4).

To pull a couple more
quotes from the NYT article: ""It’s astounding what’s going on in
Mexico,” said David Barton Bray, an expert on community forestry at Florida
International University who has studied [Oaxacan CFE pueblo] Ixtlán."
And: "“Things are working,” said Francisco Chapela, an agronomist who
first came to Oaxaca 30 years ago and now works for the Rainforest Alliance in
Mexico. “Forest management is a big success,” he continued. “If you look at old
aerial photographs and compare it with what is now, the forest is increasing
here." Read that again. Forest is on the increase in Oaxaca, contrary to
what you may have been told.

Can sustainable forestry
keep up with a rapidly-growing mezcal industry? Let's put it in perspective,
because knowing the scope of the problem is always a useful exercise. There are
approximately 9,000 mezcal producers in Oaxaca. They all have one, but some
have two hornos. Let's call it 1.5 hornos per palenque (still high, in my
experience). That's 13,500 mezcal hornos.&nbsp;

For comparison, in
Mexico, there are 6,000,000 rural households, ~45% of which use wood stoves for
cooking.(5) That is daily use. (Mezcal producers do not all use wood on a daily
basis.) So here we have 2,700,000 wood stoves (comals) in Mexico that are used
on a daily basis. But this is about Oaxaca, not all of Mexico.

My back-of-the-napkin
math for Oaxaca: in Oaxaca *most households are rural* and even in the city
center, wood stoves are ubiquitous. I am struggling to think of where I last
saw a gas or electric stove in a Oaxacan household outside of the city *instead
of a wood one* and I can't. (In addition, yes, but not instead.) Oaxaca's,
population (state) is 4,000,000. The only city in Oaxaca to speak of, Oaxaca de
Juarez, has a population of about 200,000. What percentage of Oaxaca would be
considered "rural"? 62% of Oaxacan households fall below Mexican
government poverty guidelines.(6) Absent another approach, let's assume 62%
rural and that the 45% figure for all of Mexico holds (again, this is getting
really conservative--the urban centers in Mexico are simply elsewhere).
4,000,000 x 62% = 2,480,000 "rural" households x 45% wood stoves =
1,116,000 households using wood stoves. (Moreover, among indigenous households--for
which Oaxaca is famous--95% use wood stoves, so I suspect the number is much
higher.) Even using what I suspect is a conservative number, the comparison of
13,500 mezcal hornos to 1,116,000 daily-use wood fired comals is what we are
talking about here.

That's firewood. It is a
by-product of the finished lumber business, or collected by hand from the
forest by ejido families.* The vast majority of trees taken are being used for
construction of finished goods, not firewood. I could find no percentage in my
research, but it is safe to conclude that it is low, even if it is much higher
in Mexico than in countries where wood stoves are uncommon.

If firewood use by mezcal
producers is your concern, I submit that it is misplaced. In terms of
attention-to-problem energy spent, you are stepping over dollars to pick up
dimes.

Does it make sense to
criticize mezcal producers for their for firewood use in this context? Yes. I'm
not suggesting it doesn't. But it's not a problem because firewood is an issue
now (it isn't), but rather, because it is wise to think about the future.

I suspect that a lot of
the hand-wringing over the firewood supply comes from a concern for the future
growth of the industry. This is a valid concern and one all responsible
producers must consider. Oak and pine are the woods most mezcaleros prefer. Oak
and pine are extraordinarily well-managed in Oaxaca. The answer is obviously to
buy from certified suppliers. To do otherwise is pure laziness. Buying from
certified sources not only preserves the forests, it preserves the livelihoods
of Zapotec forest management communities.

Can mezcal producers
replace the wood they use? Sure they can. But to me, a better question is: Can
they do it effectively? It is not true that 1 tree = 1 tree. Planting the wrong
species in the wrong habitat does environmental damage. It screws up habitats.
There are 45 (!) species of oak in Oaxaca.(7) An introduced species may compete
more successfully than a native species. An introduced species may simply die.
Monocropping is rife with well-known problems. And I know of precisely zero
mezcaleros who also have degrees in forest management.

Why not leave the
forestry concerns to the forestry experts? Let's mezcal companies contribute to
the forestry experts' expert-guided efforts rather than invent our own. At
least, let's consult with the experts before acting. And before you ask,
absolutely, Cuentacuentos is committed to sustainably-sourced firewood.
Everyone in the industry should be. It's a minor issue and it's easily
resolved.

Next post: Vinazas - A
Problem That Scales with Growth

1. <a href="https://psmag.com/environment/saving-forests-with-a-sense-of-place-25911">https://psmag.com/environment/saving-forests-with-a-sense-of-place-25911</a>

2. <a href="https://www.worldwildlife.org/ecoregions/nt0146">https://www.worldwildlife.org/ecoregions/nt0146</a>

3. <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/23/world/americas/23mexico.html">https://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/23/world/americas/23mexico.html</a>

4. <a href="https://www.rainforest-alliance.org/in-the-field/our-work-in-mexico/">https://www.rainforest-alliance.org/in-the-field/our-work-in-mexico/</a>

5. <a href="http://cleancookstoves.org/resources_files/mexico-market-sector-mapping.pdf">http://cleancookstoves.org/resources_files/mexico-market-sector-mapping.pdf</a>

6. <a href="https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/the-poorest-states-in-mexico.html">https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/the-poorest-states-in-mexico.html</a>

7. <a href="https://www.worldwildlife.org/ecoregions/nt0308">https://www.worldwildlife.org/ecoregions/nt0308</a>

*The dissertation below
describes the intricacies of social forest management. If you have read this
far, please go to page 158 of this paper to see the three reasons why this
author believes things work in Oaxaca.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.ccmss.org.mx/descargas/What_makes_community_forestry_work._A_comparative_case_study_in_Michoacan_and_Oaxaca_Mexico.pdf">https://www.ccmss.org.mx/descargas/What_makes_community_forestry_work._A_comparative_case_study_in_Michoacan_and_Oaxaca_Mexico.pdf</a>

Sustainability of Mezcal Part 3 - Firewood

Of all the concerns in mezcal production
sustainability--cultivated agave, agaves sylvestres (wildcrafted), fir...

Of all the concerns in mezcal production
sustainability--cultivated agave, agaves sylvestres (wildcrafted), firewood,
and vinazas, the vinazas rank second in my opinion. Let me rephrase--if we
count Tequila as a mezcal--vinazas are the #1 problem, but if we are talking
about Mezcal (capital M--certified product, excluding Tequila), it's
fortunately less of a problem. Still, it's a problem that scales with the
growth of production. And like most problems, it's a problem because people are
either lazy or are not required to pay the entirety of the costs of their
economic activities. (You know--like how beverage manufacturers moved off of
returnable glass bottles and into single-use plastic ones that pollute every
corner of the globe.)

Vinazas are the unwanted cuts of the distillation process--the
puntas and the colas. In small quantities they are not much of a problem. In
large amounts the stuff becomes a real disposal issue. The issue is not the
substance itself, but the illegal dumping of it. This problem arises because of
two features of the vinazas; 1) the pH is around 4 (acid); and, 2) the chemical
oxygen demand is very high. This means that if the vinazas get dumped into an
arroyo and run to a creek, the oxygen in the creek water gets consumed and life
in the creek is badly hurt (in warmer climates, where water is also warm, the
dissolved oxygen levels are already low). While vinazas are comprised of usable
components--mostly alcohols and nutrients that can be used as fertilizers, the
problem, it seems--as always--is that the cost of separating the useful
components is higher than the value of the resulting products. The producers'
costs get externalized onto the people and wildlife that depend on (or simply
appreciate) healthy streams. Vinazas simply must be disposed of responsibly.

The history of how this disposal problem has been handled in the
past is nauseating. Noted agave critic and journalist, Mike Morales, wrote a
short book on this problem, Vinazas: The Corpse of the Spirit of Mexico
(recently renamed and updated to: Vinazas: The Tequila Industry's Dirty Little
Secret--which will set you back a mere $2.99 on Amazon, or $0 if you have Prime),
that those concerned about the issue *must* read in order to get a good handle
on the history and scope of the problem. I do not wish to repeat Morales' work,
but do want to point out that he told me in an email that while he was
researching and writing this volume, he was threatened by one of the major
Tequila producers in an effort to prevent him from publishing. That's how
serious of a problem this is and how badly the Tequila industry wishes to
prevent its being known.

Fortunately, according to Morales, after the famous Patron
shutdown in 2008, a few of the Tequila companies seem to be taking the problem
seriously, installing bioreactors to clean up the vinazas before discharging
the (then drinkable water) into nearby arroyos. What the state of the industry
is at this point is not entirely clear, although things have certainly improved
since then, with many companies now doing the right thing.

As I have tried to stress in previous posts, mezcal is already
sustainable. It's rapid growth is the concern. The tiny producers Cuentacuentos
deals with simply either use their vinazas to cure plastic tombas of the
plastic smell they have when new (for storage of mezcal), or pour them over the
used bagazo (spent agave fiber) to help compost the bagazo. That composted
material then gets spread on fields where it helps keep weeds down and
fertilizes the land (the alcohols evaporate, leaving nutrient behind just like
any other compost).

It is the larger producers that face this vinazas issue--those
brands that are either industrial or are larger artesanal producers--because it
is the volume of vinazas that is the problem, not the substance itself. I know
of a few projects that use both the bazago and vinazas to make building
materials, or are investigating the installation of community bioreactors to
treat the vinazas before dumping (the resulting clean) water. The basic idea is
to separate solids and sugars from the liquid and then either use or evaporate
the liquid (the alcohol is not that useful as a fuel, while water can be reused
or left to evaporate). As is typical, the issue vanishes if the business model
takes into account treatment and disposal of effluent as what it is--a cost of
goods sold. Like buying certified lumber, there is no good reason to not pay to
dispose of vinazas properly, whether that is through bioreactor or a simple
solar evaporator.

Sustainability of Mezcal Part 4 - Vinazas

We buy small batch mezcals from the families that make them. Why
small batch? Because that’s how mezcal is trad...

We buy small batch mezcals from the families that make them. Why
small batch? Because that’s how mezcal is traditionally made. Mezcal is the
oldest spirit in the Americas. It is also the only spirit that can express
terroir. More on that later. For over 400 years, families have distilled
mezcals for their own use, for their friends and for others in their village.
It is served at every major right of passage in a Mexican life from cradle to
grave. Because most villages are not large affairs, the batches needed for a
given occasion seldom exceeded a couple hundred liters. 4,000 liter batches for
local consumption? Nope. That didn’t start until the commercialization of
mezcal only recently. Small batches of expertly made mezcal, from the families
that have been doing this for as far as they can remember: that’s what we bring
you.

We pay a fair price. It wasn’t too long ago that you could buy a
liter of mezcal for $15 pesos. Now that mezcal has been discovered, those days
are gone. The agaves needed to produce mezcal take a long time to grow. The
fastest growing agave, the popular espadín, requires at least 7 years to
mature. That includes the costs of planting and tending the crop, weeding,
guarding against theft (still too common, despite the real risk of vigilante
justice if the thief is caught), and the risk of loss by pest—for 7 years. Now,
add to that the labor of chopping off the pencas (fronds or leaves) in 86º
heat, loading 120-240 kilo piñas onto a truck or the back of a burro,
transporting it, (cutting it down to halves or quarters if they are large
ones,) cooking it, grinding it, loading the ground material into the tinas
(fermentation vats), then transferring it to the still for distillation. Twice.
Then get that process certified by the Consejo Regulador de Mezcal (CRM), have
each batch tested at the CRM lab, sell it to a buyer, who then will have to
bottle it, and label it (a process requiring certification by Mexican and US
federal, and US state governments). Forget the rest of the process (getting it
to the US consumer: packing, palletizing, trucking, warehousing, clearing
customs on both sides of the border, paying taxes—US, Mexican, state— then
distributing to retail establishments—all of which requires two more doublings
in price), that’s just the mezcal sitting in a bottle in México. That labor is
not free. We know it, we respect the people who do this labor and we are happy
to pay for a quality product. This is why we find it heartbreaking to see a
sub-$40 bottle of espadín on a US liquor store shelf. $40-50 will get you a
good bottle in México. $60 and up is what you should expect (and, for all these
reasons, want) to pay in the US.&nbsp;

We don’t bottle “good” mezcals. We spent over two-and-a-half
years just meeting people and tasting mezcals before launching our first line.
We made mistakes in judgement. We learned. By tasting over 100 mezcals and
letting them sit, and tasting them repeatedly over time, we learned how to
separate the superb from the merely good. So we don’t buy good mezcals; we buy
superlative mezcals. The people making them know what they have and charge
accordingly. We are happy to pay their higher prices.

We give back. Every community from which we buy has different
needs. One community wants a school bus, another wants adobe bricks, yet
another wants to plant more agave. We listen and we set aside a percentage of
our bottom line to support community projects.

We bottle sustainably-sourced mezcals. The people we buy from
are buying farmed agave, or are ejidatarios who are replacing their
wild-crafted agaves (two planted for every one taken—we were doing this before
the CRM began requiring it) as they harvest them. We support local labor and
local businesses by keeping the process traditional.&nbsp;

We don’t sell “mezcal.” We sell artesanal or ancestral mezcal.
These are three designations that have to do with production method. Ancestral
process requires clay distillation pots. Artesanal allows the use of copper
stills and machine-powered grinding (most artesanal producers use tahona and horse
for the molienda—certainly all of ours do). The designation “mezcal” is
industrial. This process can include autoclaves in place of traditional earthen
ovens, diffusers in addition to machine-grinding (including chemical sugar
extraction processes), and proprietary yeasts in place of natural airborne
yeasts. It produces an unpalatable product, eliminates jobs, wastes agaves, and
worst of all, emits a large volume of vinazas.

Vinazas are the cuts that don’t end up in the bottle. In large
amounts, this means oxygen-depleting byproducts that pollute streams. We wish
industrial “mezcal” didn’t exist, and although we don’t say bad things about
other producers, they know who they are and you will too, because the bottle
you buy will tell you if the product inside is “mezcal,” “mezcal artesanal,” or
“mezcal ancestral.” (If you’re wondering, small producers don’t have a vinazas
problem, they mix their vinazas with their bagasso—spent agave fiber which,
still containing useful nutrient, gets spread back onto local fields as a
fertilizing mulch.)

We don’t take this lightly. Odds are you are drawn to mezcal
because of its transparency in production, and for its hand-crafted character.
Families that have been living at a subsistence level for generations are now
enjoying an income that allows them to do things they’ve never done before—own
and upgrade property, put their children through school, pay for medical
services.&nbsp;

Why would we mechanize this process, thereby eliminating jobs?
Mezcal, it is true, brings people together. It also pays the bills. Our
business model accounts for a change in the peso-to-dollar exchange rate that
will not require us to pinch the producer if the peso increases (as it has been
steadily doing since the last US presidential election). So—a piece of the
action on the back end for community projects, and a hedge against peso
inflation on the front end. Everybody can stay happy.

Small Batch Mezcals: Welcome to the Family!

For hundreds of years, family producers have made mezcal in small batches according to time-honored processes. ...

For hundreds of years, family producers have made mezcal in small batches according to time-honored processes.&nbsp;

As demand for mezcal has increased over recent years, large producers are now taking over the industry and changing these traditions. Small producers have been forced out of business due to their inability to compete with the prices offered by larger companies.&nbsp;

Cuentacuentos is here to ensure the economic well-being of these families and prevent these distillers from being driven out - keeping the storytelling tradition alive.&nbsp;

The Mezcal Industry is Gripped by a Moral Crisis

When I say the word mezcal, what comes to your mind?&nbsp;

It may conjure images of smokey, earthy flavors and cocktails made by mixologists at fashionable restaurants.&nbsp;

If you're a true mezcal lover, though, you might have a loftier opinion of this spirit: you may think of it as an artisanal product made in small batches by family producers, who have protected and passed down their tradecraft for generations.

The recent marketing of mezcal has created demand among tequila lovers, but these new consumers are also contributing to a trend that's completely changing how mezcal is produced and marketed - and it could threaten the economic wellbeing of small producers.

The real issue is that all of this excitement about mezcal is leading to an inevitable commoditization of the spirit, which will ruin its quality and potentially threaten the economic livelihoods of small producers who have been making great mezcal for hundreds of years.&nbsp;

In recent years, large companies have started popping up around mezcal. These businesses are backed by investors who want to capitalize on the rising popularity of the spirit - sacrificing almost everything it stands for.

As demand for quality agave spirits increases, we see an opportunity to help these families grow their operations while also creating a market for outstanding mezcal around the globe. The best way to do this is by continuing to work with small producers that take pride in their spirit's distinctive qualities.

How are we able to meet the demands of our growing customer base without compromising the quality of our products? How are we able to provide such an amazing experience while ensuring that the producers who make mezcal for us and their families can earn a living wage? And why is all this so important?

With Cuentacuentos, we've taken a different approach to the recent mass production of watered-down, compromised products: we provide small producers with the tools they need to grow their businesses and improve quality while staying true to the traditions of mezcal.&nbsp;

We're helping them produce high quality products without sacrificing their family business. We aren't interested in taking over an industry, we're interested in helping to support the families that have been making mezcal for generations.

Join Cuentacuentos as an Early Backer on StartEngine

Cuentacuentos is about quality, tradition, heritage, and passion.&nbsp;

If you feel like you connect to our mission and believe that agave spirits have a future rooted in quality and ethical production, we encourage you to visit our StartEngine <a href="https://www.startengine.com/cuentacuentos">raise page</a> and join our community of early investors.

The Marketplace is Eroding the Soul of Mezcal

We recently held a webinar to spread the word about Mezcal’s rich heritage and meaningful tradition. ...

We recently held a webinar to spread the word about Mezcal’s rich heritage and meaningful tradition.&nbsp;

During this event, we discussed our mission, solutions to problems facing the marketplace, and our current equity crowdfunding raise on <a href="https://www.startengine.com/cuentacuentos">StartEngine</a>.

If you were not able to attend, we’ve provided a recording of the discussion for you to watch at your earliest convenience. We’ve also highlighted some of the important topics that were covered directly in this article.

I think for a lot of people maybe they had some mezcal in their teenage years and they don't understand why people are interested in it now and what's behind the growth of the category. Most people will have heard of tequila, but most people don't know that tequila is a subtype of mezcal.

Mezcal has been made for over 400 years, and it's the oldest spirit in the Americas. It doesn't have these restrictions that tequila has on it, so you can pick up a bottle that's made from anywhere up to around 40 different kinds of agave as a source of sugar.&nbsp;

The method of production hasn't been industrialized, so it's mostly still artisanal. It's made by hand in small batches, by families who have learned the process from their fathers, their grandfathers, their grandparents. And now you see a lot of women coming into the industry and placing their names on the bottles as the mezcaleras.

What Sets You Apart From Your Competitors?

One of the things that is separating us from our competition is that we have spent a tremendous amount of time examining and organizing our process.&nbsp;

We have an outstanding programmer who's been working with us for well over a year now, and is intimate with the mezcal production process. We are able to hit efficiencies that other mezcal producers can not.&nbsp;

But there's a greater push in the craft distillery segment in the United States to start to overcome the three tier limitations. What I mean by that is, in about 16 states, distillers are now able to set up their own restaurant, their own tasting room, or even in some states for collectible items they’re able to sell directly to their customers. These are bottles that are two years or older, and able to sell directly to consumers. We’ve developed ways to streamline our direct to consumer pipeline without circumventing the three tier system. Our wholesalers are able to order batches of mezcal as they’re being made. This reduces our receivables time because they have to put significant deposits down.

We're on a mission to prevent the tequilafication of mezcal. The solution is to have all the small producers remain in business. They need a platform to get the products to the consumer. We have that.&nbsp;

The reason why we want to do that is because we think mezcal is a fantastic cultural heritage that's much more profound than just an alcoholic beverage.&nbsp;

I knew I wanted to get involved in small business development in Latin America back in 2012, 2013, when I conceived this project. The thing that is great about mezcal is it's there from literally the moment that you're born, to well after you're gone and in the grave.&nbsp;

Your parents conceived you, mezcal is served. You're born, mezcal is served. You have your baptism, your communion, mezcal is served. You have a birthday, a quinceañera, a wedding, so on and so forth, it's there.

Join the Cuentacuentos Investor Community on StartEngine

If you believe in our vision and that agave spirits should be continued to be produced with integrity and quality, then we want you with us along this journey.

I encourage you to head over to our StartEngine <a href="https://www.startengine.com/cuentacuentos">raise page</a> for more information on our mission and how you can join our community of early investors today.

Just in Case You Missed Our Webinar

Cuentacuentos promotes and distributes traditionally-made Mezcal. We cultivate and curate a network of traditio...

Cuentacuentos promotes and distributes traditionally-made Mezcal. We cultivate and curate a network of traditional family producers, who have been making mezcal for generations. By adding more family producers, we are able to meet demand while still offering small batches of high-quality mezcal that can be enjoyed by aficionados around the world.

Our vision is that these families thrive as producers of quality mezcal, becoming true ambassadors of their culture, so they can pass down traditions to future generations.

The Cuentacuentos team wants to help promote cultural heritage and the ancestral know-how of these families by empowering them to take charge of their future. In today’s article, I want to take a moment to highlight the visionaries bringing this dream to fruition.

Donald Read Spear’s entire professional career has been in regulated, consumable products requiring a high level of internal company organization. (Mr. Spear believes that a high barrier to entry combined with the need for a high level of organization makes for an unfair playing field, an advantage worth the effort to acquire.) From 1997 to 2004 he was one-third owner and COO of an online dietary supplements company, which sold in late 2004. For this company, Mr. Spear did all product research, wrote all sales copy, created and managed the back-end data management and order fulfillment system, did regulatory compliance for product labeling, and managed the fulfillment center in Boulder, CO. Following the sale of that company, Mr. Spear traveled around the world, ending his two-year trip in the fall of 2006 in Oaxaca, Mexico, where he had his first experience with traditional mezcal.&nbsp;

From 2008 to 2020, Mr. Spear worked in various enterprises within the burgeoning medical and adult use cannabis arenas. Following the sale of his dispensary and cultivation operation in Lyons, CO in 2013, as RS Consulting, Inc, Mr. Spear began doing business consulting work with private investment groups seeking licensure in states around the US as those states added legal cannabis programs. Mr. Spear worked with groups entering nearly every state in the US that has announced a cannabis program, helping them comprehend and accommodate the extreme level of regulatory scrutiny in this arena. Mr. Spear used the proceeds from his business consulting activity to fund Origen Imports, LLC (now Origen Imports, Inc) in May of 2015.

Mr. Spear earned his Bachelor of Arts Degree (cum laude) in Philosophy at The Pennsylvania State University in 1992, and his Master of Arts in Philosophy (cum laude) at Duquesne University of the Holy Ghost in 1994. Early success in business has led Mr. Spear to help people who otherwise would have no access to US markets.

Oaxaca-born Jacob Alan Lara Ruiz studied Business Administration at the Universidad Anáhuac Oaxaca from 2015 to 2020. While a student, he belonged to the "IMEF Universitario" (Instituto Mexicano de Ejecutivos de Finanzas) in the position of director of social responsibility. He has broad experience in the mezcal industry, from agave purchasing to product production and sales. Alan began working in 2017 as an administrative assistant for a well-known white-label mezcal producer, then in 2019 he worked as a sales agent for another brand of mezcal. He has been with Cuentacuentos since 2020.

Carlos Mendez, Director de Operaciónes&nbsp;

Carlos Méndez Blas grew up in Santiago Matatlán, Oaxaca, the "World Capital of Mezcal". He is one of the fourth generation of a family of master mezcaleros. At the age of eight he started helping his father to produce mezcal on the family palenque.

In 2011, following the untimely death of his father, he took direction of the family mezcal business, later launching his mezcal packaging plant, offering production and packaging services to his clients, as well as establishing agave plantations in many different regions of Oaxaca.

In 2018, he built his second distillery and in 2019, he built one more distillery. He has recently ventured into the rum industry, working again with small producers and selling under the TSO'OK brand.

He is currently the director of the company Productores del Buen Agave SA de CV and of MFM Productores SAPI de CV mezcal company, focused on the production of maguey (agave), mezcal production, packaging, and export.

Steven Adelkoff, Esquire, Director, Consultant, and Legal Counsel

For over three decades, Steven Adelkoff has worked in all aspects of the structured finance, alternative investment, off shore private wealth, securities and capital markets industries. He has led teams negotiating domestic and international transactions involving real estate, commodities, power generation, renewable energy, commodity exploration, structured finance, investment management platforms, and investment funds representing a range of strategies. His diverse skill set allows Mr. Adelkoff to meld legal, regulatory, compliance, tax and accounting aspects of transactions to achieve world-class results.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

After spending the first 20 years of his career (first as an associate and then equity partner) for the global law firm K&amp;L Gates, Mr. Adelkoff helped run diverse businesses from Shariah compliant hedge funds to an international developer of power projects. Today, he acts as the Chief Compliance and Legal Officer for Fairwinds International Bank, LLC (located in Puerto Rico), manages all investment activities for a family office and is an active private equity investor.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Mr. Adelkoff earned his Juris Doctorate from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law (where he graduated Magna Cum Laude), his Master of Business Administration degree from Cornell University – The Johnson School of Management, and his Bachelor of Arts degree from Rutgers University. A Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst, Mr. Adelkoff also holds the Series 7, Series 63 and Series 24 broker dealer licenses. He is also a certified anti-money laundering specialist. His favorite activity is teaching graduate students at Rutgers University and Point Park University, where his academic interests lie in international business ethics, behavioral economics, social entrepreneurship, and decision analysis.

Sandra is the CEO and Founder of CASA LEGACIA, both a Tequila and mezcal brand, and a consultancy providing end to end service for people creating new Tequila and mezcal Brands. A Mexican businesswoman who is passionate about authentic Mexican spirits, food, beverages and culture, she is a Maestra Tequilera (Master of Tequila).

Sandra has more than 20 years’ experience in business operations across a number of countries. She founded and ran two businesses from the Netherlands: Mexican Cooking and Taco Gallery. These companies brought authentic Mexican cuisine and beverage events to the Dutch, French, Belgium, UK and Irish markets. Events included tequila tasting, food pairing, cooking workshops and vibrant Mexican parties.

Blanca Esther Salvador Martinez, Mexico Counsel

Dra. Blanca Esther Salvador Martinéz was born in Oaxaca, August 25th, 1968. Her studies include law at the Universidad Autónoma "Benito Juárez" de Oaxaca, and Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (PDH Law). She studied English at San Francisco State University, International Law at the Academy of International Court of Justice. La Haya, Holanda.

Professionally, she is expert in international commerce law, specifically with respect to TLCAN (NAFTA), anti dumping and subsidies, and she has worked under the Ministry of Economy. Other areas of specialty include exportations and domestic commerce (Oaxaca State Government); foreign investment, mezcal exportation, international contracts, intellectual property; and academic development and research.

Dra. Salvador is the founder of Institute of Institute of International Research and Studies, Civil Association (https://iinvei.org/) which studies human rights, women's rights, gender equity, and publishes on research and cultural activities.

She has been a Professor of university of international commerce, law and marketing at UNAM, Anáhuac University, ITAM, and other universities in México.

Dra. Salvador is the author of several articles and books, including, "El ABC del Negocio de Mezcal" (The ABCs of the Mezcal Business).

In 1981-1982, working with Hubert Germain-Robin, scion to Jules Robin Cognac, Ansley Coale co-founded Alambic, Inc, the first craft distillery since Prohibition stopped all alcohol production- This company is famous for producing Germain-Robin Brandy, served at the White House as a favorite of President Ronald Reagan. In this business, Mr. Coale raised the necessary startup money, managed construction, managed the business operations, and all distribution, sales, marketing, and publicity until 1995, when they added a second salesperson.&nbsp;

In 2002, working with Jorg Rupf of St. George Spirits, Ansley helped create the vodka brand Hangar One, and, a year later, founded the marketing company Craft Distillers. At Craft, Mr. Coale developed an innovative model of marketing that stressed the details of production and the people making the product, using the story of production to replace the traditional “push” method of sales, focusing on the trade itself as the route to the consumer.

In 2004, working with Destileria Los Danzantes of Oaxaca, Ansley brought mezcal to the USA at a time when the category was scarcely known. In 2009, he created the brand Mezcalero, the first mezcal to focus on single-batch production and on wild agaves, and in 2010 took on Mezcal Alipus, which now has twice placed No. 2 on lists of brands preferred by bartenders.&nbsp;

In 2010, Mr. Coale used the proceeds from his sale of Hangar One in 2010 to establish the niche brands Low Gap Whiskey, Henry Russell Gin, and Vodka DSP CA-162.&nbsp;

Mr. Coale earned his Bachelor of Arts in Classics and History at the College of Wooster in 1966, his Master of Arts in Ancient Greek and Roman History at the University of Michigan in 1968, and his PhD in the same field of study 1971, also at the University of Michigan. From 1971-1975, Mr. Coale lectured in Classics as an Assistant Professor at UC Berkeley. Mr. Coale has vast experience and good industry relationships in Oaxaca, having walked five times from Oaxaca to Juquila. He is working now on a project to stabilize a rapidly gentrifying neighborhood in Toledo, OH.

Christopher Stevens has decades of experience in alcohol sales, having worked his way up the ranks from his early days at the Rainbow Lodge in Houston, TX where he managed day-to-day operations for one of Houston’s elite restaurants from 2003- 2006. From there, he went to Hawaii to work for Young’s Market, at the time the fourth largest liquor distributor in the US. At Young’s in Hawaii, Mr. Stevens managed a team of five sales representatives to grow the fine wines category, tripling sales by his two year anniversary.

In 2008, Mr. Stevens began work at Craft Distillers as a Regional Sales Manager. At Craft he moved from a six-state territory to a twelve-state territory, and is now the Director of Sales for all of the US. At Craft, Chris has developed working relationships with nearly all of the main US distributors including Republic National Distribution Company, Breakthru Beverage, Southern Glazer's Wine and Spirits, Johnson Brothers, Major Brands, Tenzing, Favorite Brands, Standard Beverage, Quench, Vin Sauvage, A. Bommarito, and Pinnacle.

Mr. Stevens is responsible for beverage programming (brand positioning, pricing, placement, and logistics) of approximately 75 SKUs through their distribution chain of 40 national distributors. Mr. Stevens’ relationships, developed over decades, are the key to his success in this industry.&nbsp;

Be a Part of Our Story, and Invest in Cuentacuentos on StartEngine

We are on a journey to create social and environmental value for producers and customers alike. This journey consists of building the world's most transparent, sustainable, and ethical mezcal brand

As we grow our company and preserve that sense of community that has defined us since the beginning, we would love for you to join us.&nbsp;

If you feel as though you connect to our mission, we strongly encourage you to visit our StartEngine <a href="https://www.startengine.com/cuentacuentos">raise page</a> and join us as an early investor.

Meet the Visionaries Planting Seeds of Entrepreneurial Opportunity in Rural Latin America

Cuentacuentos has always valued authenticity, and we're proud to be a part of the communities that we serve. ...

Cuentacuentos has always valued authenticity, and we're proud to be a part of the communities that we serve.&nbsp;

We don't depend on celebrities or flashy marketing schemes to drive our sales - we rely on the strength and consistency of our quality, the authenticity of our stories, and the good will of our clients and partners in order to continue making a positive impact in rural Latin American communities.&nbsp;

Our families have all prospered under our label, and Cuentacuentos sells at the top of the market, ensuring outstanding quality without cutting corners.

In pursuit of our mission, we recently brought on a new distributor - Origin Beverage Company. Origin works with a collection of independent brewers and distillers, and has extensive experience in promoting the best of these brands to New England retailers and restaurateurs. There is a great deal of individuality in the kinds of beverages people enjoy, so Origin's philosophy is to seek out products that reflect unique areas and climates from around the world. They search for handcrafted spirits, craft beers, high-quality mixers and cocktail ingredients that reflect passion and personality.

Origin aims to introduce the best of these brands to New England retailers and restaurateurs, providing a variety that expands beyond their regional borders - Cuentacuentos is now added to that list.

This partnership is just another step toward ensuring that our mezcal and its producers reach their highest potential - we look forward to keeping you updated as we move forward.

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