ltoduct|ot o| toqu||a |tom agavo 22S

Chaptcr 1S
Prnductinn nf tcquiIa frnm agavc: histnricaI infIucnccs
and cnntcmpnrary prnccsscs
M. Cedeo Cruz und J. Alvurez-Jutobs
1oqu||a Hottaduta. S.. do C.\. lxHda Sat /oso do| lo|ug|o. mat|tt. /a||sco.
Mx|co
lntrnductinn: Agavc bcvcragc aIcnhnI
prnducts
1equilu is tlussitully ussotiuled vilh Mexito,
purlitulurly vilh Julisto, u slule lotuled in lhe vesl
o lhe tounlry. 1his beveruge is obluined by
dislillulion o ermenled juite rom only lhe uguve
plunl (gavo toqu||ata \eber vur. zu| ) i 100%
uguve lequilu is required. lermenlulion is turried
oul by inotululed slruins o Sacc|atomycos
cotov|s|ao or in some tuses by u sponluneous
protess. Lp lo 49% (v}v) sugurs muy tome
rom u sourte olher lhun uguve, usuully sugur
tune or torn syrup, i 100% uguve lequilu is nol
required. 1his lequilu tould nol be lubeled us
100% uguve lequilu.
Dierenl kinds o lequilu ure produted in 50
regislered tompunies in Julisto. 1he lequilu
produtls mude by lhese tompunies dier muinly
in proporlions o uguve used, produtlion
protesses, mitroorgunisms used in lhe
ermenlulion, dislillulion equipmenl used und lhe
mulurulion und uging limes. 1he produtl knovn
us silver or vhile lequilu musl be dislilled lo u
tontenlrulion nol exteeding 55% ultohol in
volume (v}v) und nol less lhun 38% (v}v) rom u
ermenled vorl tonluining nol less lhun 51%
sugurs rom lhe uguve plunl. Cold lequilu is lhe
vhile produtl lo vhith turumel tolor (generully)
hus been udded. Resled lequilu (Reposudo) und
uged lequilu (Aejo) ure vhile lequilu mulured
in vood tonluiners, preerubly ouk tusks, or ul
leusl 2 und 12 monlhs, respetlively, uttording
lo presenl regululions. ln prutlite, lhe uging
period is normully longer und depends on lhe
thurutlerislits euth tompuny vunls lo give lo
lhe inul produtl. 1he produtls knovn us 100%
uguve, vhith ure betoming more populur, tould
be vhile, resled or uged und ure dislilled rom
ermenled vorl vilh only uguve us u sourte o
sugurs. 1he lubels o lhese produtls musl inditule
lhul lhey vere obluined using only uguve und
under Mexitun governmenl supervision.
1equilu is dierenliuled rom lhe beveruge
knovn us meztul by lhe lype o uguve used in
ils eluborulion. Meztul is mude rom gavo
potatotum. vhith grovs in lhe slule o Cuxutu.
Mosl meztul produters use u rudimenlury
ermenlulion und dislillulion protess (Sunthez,
1991). 1here is no lethnitul reuson or, or uny
improvemenl in lhe orgunoleplit thurutlerislits
rom, lhe vorm inside lhe bollles o some meztul
brunds. 1he vorm is primurily u tommertiul ploy.
\orms ure grovn in uguve plunls und inlroduted
munuully in lhe bollling line.
226 M. Codoto Ctuz atd /. |vatoz/acols
Pulque is unolher beveruge obluined by
ermenlulion o lhe juite obluined rom severul
speties o uguve, . attov|tots und . sa|m|ata
umong olhers, by u tomplex suttession o yeusl
und butleriu lhul produte elhunol, u diversily o
themitul tompounds, und some polymers lhul
give u slitky tonsislenty lo lhe inul produtl
(Rzedovski, 1978, Sunthez Murroquin und
Hope, 1953). Pulque is somelimes mixed vilh
ruils or vegelubles, bul hus poor slubilily us il is
neilher dislilled nor pusleurized.
Aguve plunls slill serve us ood in some slules
o Mexito, und olher ermenled regionul
beveruges ure produted (e.g., Solol in lhe slule
o Chihuuhuu und Butunoru in lhe slule o
Sonoru), bul only lequilu und more retenlly
meztul huve reuthed inlernulionul retognilion.
Anolher dierente belveen lequilu und meztul
und ull olher regionul drinks is lhul bolh ure
subjetl lo un oitiul slundurd lhul or lequilu is
NCM006-SCll-1993 (Setoi, 1993), und
produtlion is supervised by lhe Mexitun
governmenl.
Origin and histnry nf tcquiIa
1he vord lequilu is believed lo originule rom
lhe lribe o t|cu||as vho long ugo inhubiled lhe
hillside o u voltuno beuring lhe sume nume
lotuled neur lhe tily o 1equilu. Anolher possible
origin is lhe Nuhuull vord toqu|t|. vhith meuns
vot| or omp|oymott, und lhe vord t|at. vhith
meuns p|aco. 1hereore lequilu vould meun
p|aco |t v||c| |alot ot vot| |s doto.
1he mosl untienl inormulion reveuling lhe
exislente o uguve und ils dierenl uses is rom
lhe eru beore lhe Spuniurds in severul todites
preserved lo lhe presenl lime (u todex, rom
lhe Lulin codox meuning bourd or vriling lublel,
is u munustripl volume, espetiully o u tlussit
vork or striplure). 1he mosl imporlunl is lhe
1ota|mat|ta|uat| todex, vhith noles lhul terluin
lribes hud leurned lo took uguve plunls und used
lhem us ood und lo tompensule or lhe lutk o
vuler in deserl lunds. Also, lhese lribes
distovered lhul tooked uguve vhen souked in
vuler vould ermenl, produting u very
uppretiuled beveruge. ln utl, lhis primilive und
rudimenlury melhod vus used or tenluries lo
produte beveruges rom uguve, tonsidered u
sutred plunl possessing divine properlies. ln
olher todites, suth us |uta||. laud. lotg|a und
l|otott|to. lhere ure muny reerentes lo uses
o lhe uguve plunl or soup munuutlure, u
sourte o iber, oolveur, meditine und seving
needles us vell us lhreud, puper und rope. ln
utl, lndiuns tould dislinguish lhe dierenl speties
o uguve by tolor, size, slem, leu vidlh und lhe
dierenl uses given euth plunl (Muriu, 1990).
1he greul religious imporlunte o uguve vus
uppurenl in lhose todites, us only vurriors und
priesls used ermenled drinks in riluul tere-
monies.
ln prehispunit Mexito lhe generul nume or
ull speties o uguve (or meztul us il is ulso knovn)
vus Mot|. vhith is u represenlulion o lhe
goddess Maya|uo|. 1he ultoholit drink produted
vus tulled lztac oct|| (vhile vine). 1he irsl
Spuniurds lo urrive in Mexito reerred lo lhe
plunl us muguey, u nume used or un idenlitul
plunl lhey hud seen in lhe Curibbeun lslunds,
vhere lhey irsl entounlered nev vorld plunls
und unimul lie (Bollor, 1971). ll vus nol unlil
urrivul o lhe Spuniurds, vho broughl knovledge
o dislillulion lethniques, lhul lequilu look ils
presenl orm (Contulves, 1956).
1here ure only lvo muin regions or lequilu
produtlion in Mexito. 1he oldesl, lhe 1equilu-
Amulilun region lhul tomprises lhe Amulilun
villuge, developed ul lhe end o lhe sevenleenlh
tenlury. 1he setond region, lhe Julisto High-
lunds, uppeured in lhe lusl detude o lhe 19lh
tenlury (Lunu, 1991). 1he irsl lequilu produtlion
protess vilh u tommertiul purpose vus
eslublished in lhe tily o 1equilu uround lhe end
o lhe 18lh tenlury. 1he muin tonsumers vere
in lhe mining zones lotuled in lhe slule o Julisto.
1he Spuniurds lried lo suppress tonsump-lion
o lequilu in order lo redute tompelilion or
brundy und olher vines imporled rom Spuin
vilh u detree signed by Curlos lll orbidding ils
sule und produtlion under lhe prelexl lhul ils
tonsumplion vus lhe tuuse o severul illnesses.
ltoduct|ot o| toqu||a |tom agavo 227
1he resulls vere negulive. 1he governor o lhe
region luler issued u detree imposing u lux on
lequilu in order lo enrith lhe royul toers, lhus
permilling ils sule in ull o Nev Spuin. By lhe end
o lhe 19lh tenlury, expunsion o lhe lequilu
induslry, helped by lhe ruilvuy, vus evidenl.
Hovever il vus nol unlil lhe irsl tusks vere
exporled lo lhe LS lhul lequilu vus knovn
beyond Mexitos borders.
1hc Agavc pIant
Attording lo Crunudos (1985), lhe genus gavo.
vhith meuns noble in Creek, vus deined by
Linneuus in 1753 vhen he destribed lhe plunl
. amot|cata us lhe irsl uguve speties knovn
lo stiente. Aguve plunls, vhith ure olen
tonused vilh tutli, belong lo lhe umily
Aguvuteue und ure suttulenl plunls vilh spirully-
urrunged leuves orming u roselle. Some huve
deinile lrunks, bul more olen lhey ure neurly
slemless. 1he leuves ure bluish green in tolor,
over 1 m long in mulure plunls, und end in u
shurpened brovn lhorn. As Butkmun (1944)
poinled oul, lhe videspreud dislribulion o some
300 speties, tombined vilh lhe utl lhul lhe
plunls require upproximulely 8-12 yeurs lo mulure
und hybridize very eusily, muke lhe luxonomit
und phylogenelit sludy o lhe genus gavo
exlremely tomplituled und very diitull. 1he
umily Aguvuteue intludes 20 generu und neurly
300 speties. C lhese, uround 200 ure ound in
Mexito.
Severul uguve speties ure imporlunl rom un
etonomit poinl o viev. liber derived rom .
|ouctoydos. grovn in lhe slule o Yutulun, is
knovn vorldvide or ils use in produting ropes
und turpel. More retenlly, lhe pulp remuining
uler removul o lhe iber hus ound use in unimul
eed. . sa|m|ata und . attov|tots ure vulued
or pulque produtlion und . potatotum or
meztul produtlion. linully, . toqu||ata \eber
vur. zu|. numed uround 1900 by lhe Cermun
bolunisl \eber (Diguel, 1902), is used lo
produte lequilu.
CuItivatinn and harvcst
1he blue uguve, us il is knovn, is lhe only speties
oul o hundreds o Aguvuteue vilh lhe
uppropriule thurutlerislits or lequilu produtlion.
1hese intlude u high inulin tontenlrulion, lov
iber tonlenl und lhe themitul tompounds
presenl in lhe plunl lhul tonlribule lo lhe inul
lusle und luvor o lequilu lo give lhe beveruge
ils purlitulur thurutler. Some huve ullempled lo
produte lequilu in olher slules vilh olher uguve
speties, bul vilhoul suttess. 1he blue uguve is
tullivuled in lhe slule o Julisto in lhe lvo regions
vilh lhe righl tlimule und soil tomposilion or
ils grovlh, numely lhe Highlunds und lhe 1equilu-
Amulilun region. 1he lemperulure tondilions or
good uguve yields ure u minimum o 3
0
C, un
oplimum o 26
0
C und muximum o 47C. Soil
should be erlile bul nol very deep, 30 lo 40 tm.
Cood druinuge is required lo uvoid eetls o
looding, vhith ure very hurmul or
developmenl o lhe uguve. 1he plunls musl be
plunled ul 800 lo 1700 m ubove seu level vhere
lhe unnuul ruinull is uboul 800 lo 900 mm. 1he
torretl plunling lime is immediulely beore lhe
ruiny seuson, rom June lo Seplember, so lhul
lhe plunls do nol suer rom vuler slress during
lhe irsl yeur o grovlh.
Propugulion is uttomplished by lhe
vegelulive roule in uguve. Sexuul reprodutlion
viu seeds is nol usuul. Asexuul bulbils develop in
lhe inlorestente ul lhe buse o lhe lovers,
produting smull plunls lhul uler some lime
deluth lhemselves rom lhe lorul peduntle und
ull lo lhe soil vhere lhey rool. Anolher mode
o usexuul propugulion is by sutkers, vhith ure
u thurutlerislit lype o lulerul bud or brunth
developing ul lhe buse o lhe muin slem. Plunls
developing neur euth molher plunl ure
sepuruled ul lhe uge o 3-4 yeurs. 1hese buby
plunls ure tulled irsl-tluss seed betuuse lhey
ure beller und heullhier (Sunthez, 1991). ln
prutlite, people use lhe vord seed lo reer lo
suth young plunls, bul rom u bolunitul poinl o
viev lhese ure rhizome shools or sutkers
(Vulenzuelu, 1992). Plunl tell tullure is used
228 M. Codoto Ctuz atd /. |vatoz/acols
experimenlully by some uguve produters, bul is
nol being used tommertiully due lo unuvuilubilily
o lruined lethnitiuns und luborulory utililies lo
smull uguve produters. Some developmenls ure
being turried oul lo improve uguve plunls, or lo
obluin plunls resislunl lo pesls, und lhese nev
plunls vill be reudy in lhe nexl lvo yeurs (ClA1L,
1993).
Lund or uguve tullivulion musl be tleured
und deep-ploughed, somelimes lvite. Aguve is
plunled upproximulely 2-4 m upurl in slruighl lines
tulled ruls. Soving is done by hund in holes 15
tm in deplh. Plunl densily is uround 2000-4000
plunls per hetlure, depending on lhe plunlulion
syslem used, und yields tun be belveen 30,000
und 200,000 kg}hu, ussuming lhul lhe veighl o
u hurvesled plunl vuries rom 15 lo 50 kg. 1his
vuriulion is tuused by dierentes in soil
tondilions, quulily o plunls sovn, ruinull, pesls
und erlilizulion. Somelimes uguve is sovn
inlertululed vilh nilrogen-ixing trops suth us
peunuls, beuns, thitkpeus or soybeuns. Aler lhe
uguve hus been in lhe soil or u yeur, visuul
inspetlion is turried oul lo replute sitk or deud
plunls vilh nev ones. 1his operulion is tulled re-
seeding. 1he pertenluge o deud plunls depends
on soil und plunl thurutlerislits, bul is generully
rom 8 lo 15% (Perez, 1990).
Aguves regulurly hosl borer insetls lhul live
in lhe slems, leuves und ruils during lhe lurvul
sluge. 1hese intlude bullerlies o lhe umily
Megulhymidue und molhs o lhe umily Prod-
oxidue. Also, lhe ungi D|p|od|a t|ooltomao und
Co||otott|c|um agavao muy tuuse serious
dumuge lo uguve leuves (Huller, 1975, Agri-
tullurul Reseurth Servite, 1972).
Lhrler (1967) distovered lhul unlike slomulu
in mosl plunls, uguve slomulu tlose during lhe
duy und open by nighl. 1his prevenls loss o
vuler lhrough lrunspirulion during hol duylighl
hours, ullhough il resulls in u holler leu surute
lhun mosl plunls tould lolerule. 1he lhitk tulitle
overlying lhe epidermis, vhith is quile evidenl
in lequilu uguve, uppurenlly prevenls dumuge lo
lhe leu rom high lemperulure. 1his vuxy tulitle
produtes lurbidily in lequilu betuuse il dissolves
in lhe dislillulion slep und produtes u huze in
lhe inul produtl vhen il is diluled or tooled.
Cne vuy lo uvoid lhis is lo lreul lequilu vilh
utlivuled thurtoul und lo iller il lhrough pure
tellulose iller puds. 1his, unorlunulely, resulls
in lhe loss o some uromus.
Aguve erlilizulion is bused on soil
tomposilion, plunl uge, und lhe lype o themitul
tompound used. 1he normul protedure is lo use
ureu us u nilrogen sourte in umounls o 30-70 g
per plunl udded diretlly inlo lhe soil. ln some
ureus, phosphorus und polussium erlilizulion is
ulso required. As some uguve regions ure ulso
involved in tullle, svine, und thitken breeding,
munure is somelimes employed or erlilizulion
(CLA, 1992).
1he uveruge mulurily lime or uguve is 10
yeurs. Lvery yeur olloving plunling, ields ure
tullivuled lo loosen lhe soil und veed und pesl
tonlrol is turried oul. Luth plunl mulures
individuully. Hurvesl begins ul eighl yeurs. 1he
leuves ure tul rom lhe buse und lel in lhe ield
lo retytle nulrienls. 1he hurvesled plunls ree
o leuves look like lurge pineupples und veigh
rom 20 lo 90 kg. 1hey ure lrunsporled lo lhe
dislillery. Cnly lhe beller plunls, meuning lhose
o good size und high inulin tonlenl (meusured
us reduting sugurs) ure hurvesled, bul on lhe
12lh yeur, ull plunls remuining (lhe veukesl
plunls) ure tul. 1hese ure tulled drug und ure
generully disturded. Aguve tomposilion vuries
seusonully, bul un uveruge vould be (vel busis)
27% (v}v) reduting sugurs, u juite tonlenl o
0.572 ml}g und u pH o 5.2.
1cquiIa prnductinn
1equilus dier greully depending on uguve quulily
und origin (Highlunds or 1equilu-Amulilun
regions). 1he produtlion protess ulso slrongly
inluentes quulily o lhe inul produtl. Some
dislilleries slill employ rudimenlury produtlion
melhods, jusl us lhey did severul detudes ugo
(Plu und 1upiu, 1990). Mosl tompunies, hovever,
employ lethnologitul udvuntes lhul improve
protess eitienty und tonsislenty, und some
huve implemenled u lSC-9000 slundurd. \hul-
ltoduct|ot o| toqu||a |tom agavo 229
ever protesses ure used, lequilu munuutlure
tomprises our muin sleps: tooking, milling,
ermenlulion und dislillulion.
Prnccssing harvcsting agavc
Aguve is lrunsporled rom lhe ields lo lhe
utlories us soon us possible lo uvoid veighl
losses, betuuse loduy mosl dislilleries puy by
veighl und nol by inulin tonlenl. 1he heuds ure
unlouded rom lhe lrutk in lhe reteiving ureu o
lhe utlory und musl be proletled rom lhe sun
und ruin in order lo uvoid vilhering und ungul
grovlh. Allhough lhe uguve hus ulreudy been
inspetled during grovlh und ul hurvesl, il is
exumined uguin lo rejetl visuully unuttepluble
plunls or lhose dumuged by pesls. Al lhis poinl,
u represenlulive sumple o uguve is luken or
luborulory unulysis. Modiied ACAC (1990)
protedures ure used lo delermine reduting
sugur tonlenl (uler utid hydrolysis o inulin)
ulong vilh pH, moislure, dry veighl, juite und
ush tonlenl.
Aguve heuds usuully veigh belveen 20 und
60 kg, ullhough some tun reuth 100 kg. 1hey
ure tul lo sizes lhul utililule uniorm tooking
und hundling. Dierenl uguve tulling syslems
exisl, bul lhe use o uxes und u spetiulized lool
tulled tou ure lhe mosl populur. 1he heuds ure
tul in hulves or quurlers, depending on lhe
veighl, und lhe pietes ure urrunged munuully in
un oven or uulotluve. Bund suvs tun ulso be
used lo tul lhe uguve heuds. Bund suvs ure usler
und less lubor-inlensive lhun lhe munuul
protedure, bul lhe bells breuk requenlly betuuse
o lhe resinous tonsislenty o uguve. Some
utlories leur untooked uguve irsl vilh u knie
und plute lhe resulling pietes mixed vilh vuler
inlo uulotluves lo be tooked.
Othcr raw matcriaIs fnr tcquiIa prnductinn
\hen produting 100% uguve lequilu, lhe only
sourte o turbohydrule is lhe inulin hydrolyzed
rom uguve in lhe tooking slep. lor olher kinds
o lequilu lhe luv permils lhe use o olher sugurs
in umounls o up lo 49% by veighl in vorl
ormululion. 1here ure no legul spetiitulions
regurding lhe lype o udjuntl sugur sourtes lo
be used in lequilu munuutlure, und lheorelitully
uny kind o ermenluble sugur tun be used or
lhe ormululion o vorl. ln prutlite und rom un
etonomitul poinl o viev, only tune sugur,
l||otc|||o, tune molusses und utid- or enzyme-
hydrolyzed torn syrup ure employed. Cune
sugur is reteived in 50 kg bugs und slored in u
dry, tool plute or subsequenl ulilizulion.
l||otc|||o tonsisls o brovn tones o tryslullized
tomplele tune juite, somelimes individuully
vrupped in torn or tune leuves und putked in
sutks. Cune molusses is ulso used bul il is diitull
lo hundle und lhere is risk o spoiluge over u
long sloruge period. Atid- or enzyme-
hydrolyzed torn syrup muy be used lo ormulule
lhe vorl. All sugurs used in vorl ormululion ure
roulinely unulyzed by meusuring solids tonlenl
und reduting und ermenluble sugur tonlenl.
1hc cnnking stcp: hydrnIysis nf inuIin
Cooking lhe uguve serves lhree purposes. lirsl,
lhe lov pH (4.5) logelher vilh lhe high
lemperulure hydrolyze inulin und olher tomp-
onenls o lhe plunl. 1he torretl tomposilion o
lhese tompounds is slill unknovn. ln uddilion,
tooked uguve hus u sol tonsislenty lhul
utililules lhe milling operulion.
ln lhe pre-Hispunit eru, uguve tooking vus
turried oul in holes illed vilh slones heuled
using vood or uel. 1he slones reluined lhe heul
or lhe lime needed lo took lhe uguve.
Novuduys some dislillers huve repluted lhe
slued slone holes vilh britk ovens und heuling
is tondutled by sleum injetlion uler lhe tul,
ruv uguve hus been inlroduted inlo lhe oven.
Cven tooking is slov, und sleum injetlion lusls
uround 36-48 hrs lo obluin lemperulures o 100
0
C. Aler lhul period, lhe sleum is shul o und
lhe uguve is lel in lhe oven or u urlher lvo
duys lo tomplele lhe tooking protess. During
lhis slep, u sveel liquid tulled tooking honey
230 M. Codoto Ctuz atd /. |vatoz/acols
is tolletled und used luler us u sourte o ree
sugurs, muinly rutlose. Also during lhis slep
some o lhe sugurs ure turumelized, und some
o lhe tompounds lhul tonlribule signiitunlly
lo lhe uromu und luvor in vorl ormululion ure
due lo ils high tonlenl o ermenluble sugurs
(>10% v}v). linully, lhe oven door is opened lo
ullov lhe tooked uguve lo tool. 1he uguve is
lhen reudy or milling.
ln mosl dislilleries britk ovens huve been
repluted by sleel uulotluves. Aulotluves huve
superior eitienty und ullov good pressure und
lemperulure tonlrol, enubling u homogeneous
und etonomit tooking. ln u lypitul uulotluve
tooking operulion, sleum is injetled or 1 hr so
lhul lhe tondensed sleum vushes lhe uguve. 1his
tondensed liquid is tulled biller honey und is
disturded betuuse il tonluins vuxes rom lhe
uguve tulitle und hus u lov sugur tonlenl (<1 %
v}v). Sleum is injetled or un uddilionul 6 hrs lo
obluin u pressure o 1.2 kg}tm
2
und u lemp-
erulure o 121 C. Al lhe end o lhul lime lhe
uguve remuins in lhe uulotluve or unolher 6 hrs
vilhoul uddilionul sleum, tooking slovly in lhe
remuining heul. 1his slep produtes u syrup vilh
u high sugur tontenlrulion (>10% by veighl)
lhul is luler used lo ormulule lhe iniliul vorl. 1o
tultulule lhe yield und eitienty o lhis slep, lhe
umounl o tooking honey und ils reduting sugur
tonlenl us vell us lhe tooked uguve ure
meusured.
1he muin dierente belveen uulotluved und
oven-buked uguve is lhul tureul tonlrol o
tooking lime, lemperulure und sleum pressure
musl be muinluined in uulotluves lo prevenl
overtooking or burning lhe uguve. Cvertooking
gives u smoky lusle lo lhe lequilu, intreuses lhe
tontenlrulion o ururul in lhe inul produtl und
redutes elhunol yield due lo lhe turumelizulion
o some o lhe ermenluble uguve sugurs. 1his is
vhy some utlories vilh bolh tooking syslems
reserve lhe ovens or lheir beller-quulily
produtls. Allhough il is eusier lo obluin vell-
tooked uguve in un oven lhun in un uulotluve,
lhere is no dierente in lerms o luvor und
ermenlubilily belveen uguve tooked in
uulotluves or in ovens i bolh ure torretlly
tonlrolled.
fxtractinn nf agavc |uicc: miIIing
Milling hus gone lhrough lhree hisloritul sluges.
ln untienl duys tooked uguve vus trushed vilh
vood or sleel mullels lo exlrutl lhe juite. Luler,
u rudimenlury mill tonsisling o u lurge tirtulur
slone 1.3 m in diumeler und 50 tm lhitk vus
used. Driven by unimuls, lhe slone lurned in u
tirtulur pil tonluining tooked uguve und
exlrutled lhe juite. 1he resulling juite vus
tolletled by hund in vood busins und turried lo
ermenlulion lunks. By lhe 1950s modern
syslems vere implemenled in vhith tooked
uguve vus pussed lhrough u tuller lo be
shredded (extepl in utlories lhul did lhis
operulion beore tooking), und vilh u tomb-
inulion o milling und vuler exlrutlion, sugurs
vere exlrutled. 1he mills used or uguve ure
similur lo lhose used in lhe sugurtune induslry
bul ure smuller in size (normully 50 tm vide).
1his syslem is slill employed in mosl dislilleries.
Juite obluined in milling is mixed vilh lhe
syrup obluined in lhe tooking slep und vilh u
solulion o sugurs, normully rom sugurtune (i
lhe lequilu lo be produted is nol 100% uguve),
und inully pumped inlo u ermenler. Allhough
lhe umounl o sugur employed us un udjuntl is
regululed by luv und musl be less lhun 49% by
veighl ul lhe beginning o lhe ermenlulion, euth
utlory hus ils ovn ormululion.
1he milling slep generules u by-produtl tulled
bugusse, vhith represenls uboul 40% o lhe lolul
veighl o lhe milled uguve on u vel veighl busis.
Bugusse tomposilion (dry veighl busis) is 43%
tellulose, 19% hemitellulose, 15% lignin, 3%
lolul nilrogen, 1% petlin, 10% residuul sugurs
und 9% olher tompounds. 1he bugusse, mixed
vilh tluy, is used lo muke britks, bul il is ulso lhe
subjetl o reseurth lo ind ullernulive uses.
Lxumples ure use o bugusse us un unimul eed
or us u subslrule on vhith lo grov edible ungi.
Allempls ure ulso undervuy lo retover ils
tomponenls (tellulose, hemitellulose und
petlin) using high-eitienty lhermothemitul
reutlors (Alonso ot a|., 1993), lo obluin ururuls,
muke purlitle bourd, or enzymes (telluluse und
petlinuse). Muny o lhese projetls ure ul lhe
ltoduct|ot o| toqu||a |tom agavo 231
luborulory sluge, und lhere is nol enough
inormulion lo evuluule eusibilily.
ln milling, us in ull sleps o lhe lequilu protess,
u sugur bulunte is tompuled lo delermine lhe
yield. l lhe yield detreuses, lhe exlrutlion
pressure in lhe mill und lhe vuler}uguve rulio
ure intreused lo improve eitienty.
fcrmcntatinn
Wnrt fnrmuIatinn
1o produte 100% uguve lequilu, only uguve muy
be used und lhe iniliul sugur tontenlrulion runges
rom 4 lo 10% v}v, depending on lhe umounl
o vuler udded in milling. \hen olher sugurs
ure employed, lhey ure previously dissolved und
mixed vilh uguve juite lo obluin un iniliul sugur
tontenlrulion o 8-16%, depending on sugur
lolerunte o lhe yeusl slruin. \orl ormululion
in mosl o lhe dislilleries is bused solely on
previous experiente. A ev dislilleries buse vorl
ormululion on tomposilion o ruv muleriuls und
nulrilionul requiremenls or yeusl grovlh und
ermenlulion. ln lhese dislilleries response
surute melhodology is lhe preerred melhod
lo oplimize nulrienl tontenlrulions, using erm-
enlulion eitienties und lhe lusle o lhe resulling
lequilu us responses (Monlgomery, 1984). 1o
tomplemenl nulrilionul deitienties o uguve
juite und sugurs employed in lhe grovlh und
ermenlulion sleps, ureu, ummonium sulule,
ummonium phosphule or mugnesium sulule
tould be udded. Betuuse lhe pH o lhe uguve
juite is uround 4.5, lhere is no need or
udjuslmenl und lhe sume vorl tomposilion is
used or bolh inotulum grovlh und ermenlulion.
Ycasts
Some tompunies do nol inotulule u spetiit
slruin o S. cotov|s|ao und insleud ullov nulurul
ermenlulion lo proteed. Clhers inotulule lhe
vorl vilh resh putkuges o bukers yeusl or u
tommertiul dried yeusl lo obluin iniliul
popululions o 20-50 x 10
6
tells}ml. 1he dried
yeusls vere originully prepured or vine, beer,
vhisky or breud produtlion, und somelimes lhe
quulily o lhe lequilu obluined using lhese yeusls
is nol sulisutlory, vilh lurge vuriulions in luvor
und uromu. 1o uthieve high yields und muinluin
u tonslunl quulily in lheir lequilu, some
tompunies huve been using yeusl slruins isoluled
rom u nulurul ermenlulion o tooked uguve
juite. Nulrienls ure udded, ulong vilh spetiul
tondilions suth us u high sugur tontenlrulion
or lemperulure. 1hese isoluled und seletled
yeusl slruins huve been deposiled in nulionul
mitrobiul tullure tolletlions, lhe mosl imporlunl
being lhe Biolethnology und Bioengineering
Depurlmenl Cullure Colletlion o ClNVLS1AV-
lPN, lotuled ln Mexito Cily.
lnncuIum grnwth
\hen un inotulum is used, il is grovn in lhe
luborulory rom u pure tullure o u slruin o S.
cotov|s|ao muinluined on ugur slunls in lyophilized
orm or rozen in liquid nilrogen. All luborulory
propugulion is turried oul under useplit
tondilions using u tullure medium vilh lhe sume
ingredienls used in lhe normul protess bul
enrithed lo promole tellulur grovlh. 1he
inotulum is stuled-up vilh tonlinuous uerulion
lo produte enough volume lo inotulule
ermenlulion lunks ul 10% o lhe inul volume.
Popululions o 200-300 x 10
6
tells}ml ure norm-
ully uthieved. Slritl tleunliness is muinluined in
lhis slep us butleriul tonluminulion is highly
undesiruble. \hen tonluminulion is deletled,
unlibiolits or ummonium biluoride ure used us
unlimitrobiul ugenls. Cnte un inotulum is grovn,
il is muinluined by mixing 10% o lhe volume o
un utlive tullure vilh resh uguve juite und
nulrienls. Allhough inotululion vilh tommertiul
yeusl greully improves yield und lurnover lime,
some tompunies preer u more tomplex (in
lerms o lhe mitrobiul diversily) ermenlulion.
\hile yields mighl be lover und lurnover lime
higher, lhe runge o mitroorgunism produtes
more tompounds tonlribuling lo u more
232 M. Codoto Ctuz atd /. |vatoz/acols
luvored lequilu. ll is ulso imporlunl lo retognize
lhul u thunge in lusle und luvor tould negulively
uetl lhe murkel or u purlitulur brund o lequilu.
fcrmcntatinn nf agavc wnrt
Cnte u vorl is ormululed vilh lhe required
nulrienls und lemperulure is uround 30
o
C, il muy
be inotululed vilh 5 lo 10% (volume) o u
previously grovn S. cotov|s|ao tullure vilh u
popululion o 100-200 million tells}ml.
Clhervise, mitroorgunisms presenl in lhe vorl
turry oul lhe ermenlulion. l un inotulum is nol
udded, lhe ermenlulion tould lusl us long us
seven duys. \ilh un inotulum lhe ermenlulion
lime runges rom 20 hrs in lhe usler protess lo
lhree duys in lhe slover one.
Produtlion o elhyl ultohol by yeusl is
ussotiuled vilh ormulion o muny ermenlulion
tompounds lhul tonlribule lo lhe inul luvor o
lhe lequilu. 1hese ure orgunoleplit tompounds
or lheir pretursors produted eilher in
subsequenl mulurulion o lhe vorl beore il goes
lo lhe dislillulion slep, in lhe dislillulion protess,
or in lhe burrels i lequilu is uged. 1he utlors
inluenting ormulion o lhe orgunoleplit
tompounds in ultoholit beveruges huve been
revieved by muny uulhors (Lngun, 1981, Berry,
1984, MtDonuld ot a|., 1984, Rumsuy und Berry,
1984, Ceiger und Piendl, 1976). Lxperiente in
lhe lequilu induslry is lhul lhe umounl o
orgunoleplit tompounds produted is lover in
usl ermenlulions lhun in slov ermenlulions. As
u tonsequente, lhe luvor und generul quulily o
lequilu obluined rom vorls ermenled slovly is
besl. 1he rule o ermenlulion depends muinly
on lhe yeusl slruin used, medium tomposilion
und operuling tondilions. 1he vorl sugur tonlenl
detreuses rom un iniliul vulue o 4-11% lo 0.4%
(v}v) reduting sugurs i un eitienl yeusl slruin
is employed. Clhervise, lhe residuul sugur
tonlenl tould be higher, intreusing lhe prod-
utlion tosls.
lermenlulion vessels vury tonsiderubly in
volume, depending on lhe dislillery. 1heir
tuputily runges rom 12,000 lilers or smull lunks
lo 150,000 lilers or lhe lurgesl ones, und lhey
ure tonslrutled o sluinless sleel in order lo resisl
lhe utidily o lhe vorl. Llhunol produtlion tun
be deletled ulmosl rom lhe onsel, und u pH
drop rom 4.5 lo 3.9 is thurutlerislit o lhe
ermenlulion. 1he ultohol tonlenl ul lhe end o
ermenlulion lies belveen 4 und 9% v}v,
depending on lhe iniliul sugur tontenlrulion.
Altohol losses muy be signiitunl betuuse muny
ermenlulion lunks ure open, ulloving
evuporulion o ultohol vilh turbon dioxide.
Some o lhe lurgesl dislilleries huve u tooling
syslem lhul keeps ermenlulion lemperulure
vilhin u loleruble runge or yeusl, bul smull
produters do nol huve lhese syslems. 1he
ermenlulion lemperulure tun exteed 40
o
C,
tuusing lhe ermenlulion lo slop vilh un
uttompunying loss o elhunol und luvors lhul
tonsequenlly detreuses yields und uetls lhe
quulily o lhe lequilu. lermenlulions turried oul
vilh pure uguve juite lend lo oum, somelimes
requiring lhe uddilion o silitones. ln vorls vilh
udded sugurs, ouming is usuully nol u problem.
Non-useplit tondilions ure employed in
ermenlulion, und in tonsequente butleriul
utlivily muy intreuse. 1he size o lhe butleriul
loru depends on u number o utlors intluding
lhe exlenl lo vhith butleriu grov during yeusl
propugulion (i used), lhe ubundunte o butleriu
on lhe ruv muleriuls und hygiene slundurds in
lhe dislillery. 1here is no doubl lhul lhe utlivily
o lhese butleriu tonlribules lo lhe orgunoleplit
thurutlerislits o lhe inul produtl. Cttusionully,
lhe size o lhe butleriul popululion in ermenling
vorl muy betome loo lurge (>20 x 10
6
tells}
ml), in vhith tuse lhe butleriu use lhe sugurs,
detreusing elhunol yields und somelimes
extreling undesiruble tompounds. 1he sume
tompounds used in lhe propugulion slep muy
be used here lo detreuse tommon butleriul
tonluminunls ound in lequilu vorls. Lutlobutillus,
Slreplotottus, Leutonoslot, und Pediotottus
ure lhe mosl tommon tonluminunls, bul Atelo-
butler muy be ound in ermenled vorls lhul ure
lel inutlive or u long lime prior lo dislillulion.
ln tonlrusl lo olher dislilled beveruges, lhe
orgunoleplit thurutlerislits o lequilu tome rom
ltoduct|ot o| toqu||a |tom agavo 233
lhe ruv muleriul (tooked uguve) us vell us rom
lhe ermenlulion protess. ln mosl o lhe
protesses used in lhe lequilu induslry,
ermenlulion is sponluneous vilh lhe purliti-
pulion o mitroorgunisms rom lhe environmenl,
moslly yeusls und u ev butleriu. 1his petuliurily
brings uboul u vide vuriely o tomposilions und
orgunoleplit properlies. Hovever, lhe spetiul
thurutlerislits o lhe vorl muke il u seletlive
medium or lhe grovlh o terluin kind o yeusls
suth us Sacc|atomycos und lo u lesser exlenl,
utelit und lutlit butleriu. ln experimenls isoluling
mitrobiul loru rom musls o vurious origins,
dierenl mitroorgunisms vere isoluled. ln mosl
tuses, lhis dierente in loru is responsible or
lhe vide vuriely o orgunoleplit thurutlerislits
o lequilu brunds (Pinul, 1999). \here u single
puriied slruin is used, lhe inul luvor und uromu
ure more neulrul sinte lhe bouquel treuled by
lhe tonlribulion o severul sluins is rither lhun
lhul obluined rom only one lype o yeusl.
Moreover, vhen yeusl produted or bukery
upplitulions is used, lhe inul produtl is ulso more
neulrul. ll is ulso retognized lhul vhen non-100%
uguve lequilu is mude, u poorer bouquel is
obluined betuuse sinte u more deined medium
yields u more deined produtl.
OrgannIcptic cnmpnunds gcncratcd during
fcrmcntatinn
Iuscl oil
As in muny olher ultoholit ermenlulion prot-
esses, higher ultohols ure lhe mosl ubundunl
tompounds produted ulong vilh elhunol. \e
huve ound (in detreusing order o ubundunte)
isoumyl ultohol, isobulunol, utlive isoumyl
ultohol und phenylelhunol. ll hus been
eslublished lhul produtlion o isoumyl und
isobulyl ultohols begins uler lhe sugur level is
lovered subslunliully und tonlinues or severul
hours uler lhe ultoholit ermenlulion ends. ln
tonlrusl, elhunol produtlion begins in lhe irsl
hours o lhe ermenlulion und ends vilh
logurilhmit yeusl grovlh (Pinul ot a|., 1997).
1he mosl imporlunl utlor inluenting lhe
umounl o isoumyl ultohol und isobulunol is lhe
yeusl slruin. ll vus ound lhul u nulive slruin
isoluled rom lequilu musl produtes u higher
umounl o suth tompounds vhen tompured
vilh u slruin usuully employed in bukeries. 1hese
resulls ugree vilh lhose reporled or Stolth
vhisky (Rumsuy und Berry, 1984) und beer
(Curtiu ot a|., 1994).
1he turbon:nilrogen rulio ulso hus u signiitunl
inluente on higher ultohol produtlion. ln
lequilu musls, vhith tonluin muinly rutlose
(95%) us u turbon sourte und un inorgunit
nilrogen sourte (ummonium sulule), il vus
ound or bolh nulive und bukery yeusl slruins
lhul lov turbon:nilrogen rulios resull in lov
umounls o isoumyl ultohol: 19 mg}L in bukery
slruins und 30 mg}L or nulive slruins vs 27 und
64 mg}L, respetlively, or high turbon:nilrogen
rulios. A similur relulionship exisls or isobulyl
ultohol produtlion (ligures 1 und 2).
1emperulure is u lhird utlor uetling isobulyl
und isoumyl ultohol produtlion vilh higher
lemperulures (e.g. 38 vs 32C) yielding higher
tontenlrulions o lhose ultohols. Cn slulislitul
unulysis il vus ound lhul in uddilion lo lhe diretl
eetls o yeusl slruin, turbon:nilrogen rulio und
lemperulure, lhe inlerutlion o lhese lhree
utlors ulso hud un imputl on higher ultohol
tontenlrulion in lequilu (Pinul ot a|., 1997). 1hese
resulls ure tonsislenl vilh lhe utl lhul vilh high
turbon:nilrogen rulios lhere is u lendenty lo use
umino utids us u nilrogen sourte, vhith implies
lhe produtlion o usel oil us u by-produtl (by
lhe Lrlith pulhvuy). Cn lhe olher hund, vuriubles
suth us lhe lype o nilrogen sourte (ureu or
ummonium sulule) or lhe umounl o inotulum
used or ermenlulion hud lillle or no eetl on
lhe produtlion o higher ultohols. Purelo
diugrums involving ull lhe vuriubles lesled ure
depitled in ligures 3 und 4.
Mcthanol
Anolher thurutlerislit tompound presenl in
lequilu is melhunol. ll is lhe generul ideu lhul
234 M. Codoto Ctuz atd /. |vatoz/acols
figurc 2. Higher ultohol produtlion in lequilu vorl by u nulive yeusl slruin.
figurc 1. Higher ultohol produtlion in lequilu vorl by u bukers yeusl slruin.
ltoduct|ot o| toqu||a |tom agavo 23S
figurc 4. Purelo diugrums or isobulyl ultohol produtlion in lequilu.
figurc 3. Purelo diugrums or isoumyl ultohol produtlion in lequilu.
melhunol is generuled lhrough hydrolysis o
melhyluled petlins presenl in lhe uguve plunl.
Neverlheless, il is ulso believed lhul some yeusl
slruins, nulurul or inotululed, huve petlin melhyl
esleruses. Some uulhors destribe vurious
umounls o melhunol in musls vilh lhe sume
tomposilion bul ermenled vilh dierenl slruins
(1ellez, 1999).
Aldchydcs
Along vilh lhe produtlion o elhyl utelule, lhe
oxidulion o elhunol ulso generules utelul-
dehyde, un inlermediule in lhe produtlion o
utelit utid. ll is vell knovn in tommertiul prut-
lite lhul un oxidulion protess insleud o
ermenlulion begins uler lhe sugur tonten-
236 M. Codoto Ctuz atd /. |vatoz/acols
lrulion detlines, lhus provoking lhe intreuse in
lhe uteluldehyde level. Hovever, lhere is no
ormul reporl o suth phenomenu in lequilu, us
il is destribed in beer (Hummond, 1991).
Organic acids
Smull orgunit utids (up lo six turbons) und lurger
moletules (ully utids) ure produted during
ermenlulion. 1he smuller moletules tun be
produtls o inlermediule melubolism o lhe
normul mitrobiul loru, und lheir produtlion
depends on lhe presente o oxygen. 1he lurger
ully utids ure synlhesized or membrune
slrutlures during tell grovlh und tun ulso uppeur
ul lhe end o lhe ermenlulion vhen lysis lukes
plute. 1he presente o otlunoit und detunoit
utids in lhe inul produtl hus been destribed
purlitulurly or lequilu.
Istcrs
Lslers ure very imporlunl tompounds in lheir
purlitulur tonlribulion lo luvor und uromu, sinte
lhey huve lhe lovesl orgunoleplit lhreshold
vulues (Rumsuy und Berry, 1984). ln purlitulur,
elhyl utelule is lhe mosl ubundunl und imporlunl
tompound o lhis umily. Llhyl utelule hus been
reporled lo be lhe setond mosl ubundunl
tompound in lequilu uler isoumyl ultohol. 1he
quunlily o lhis tompound presenl in lhe inul
produtl tun vury videly, sinte il is synlhesized
rom utelit utid (in orm o utelyl-CoA) und
elhunol. Atelit utid tun ulso be produted by
lhe oxidulion o elhunol vhen lhe ermenlulion
hus teused und un oxidulive protess slurls on
lhe surute o lhe ermenlulion lunk by
Sacc|atomycos und muny olher yeusls suth us
ltottatomycos. 1hereore, long ermenlulion
periods (u turrenl prutlite in lhe lequilu induslry)
yield high elhunol oxidulion. ln uddilion, in open
ermenlulion lunks vilh vorls ul lov pH
tonluining ultohol, elhunol is ulso lrunsormed
lo utelit utid (ilsel u pretursor o elhyl utelule)
by butleriu o lhe generu Atelobutler. Besides
elhyl utelule, lhe presente o severul olher eslers
hus been destribed intluding elhyl und isoumyl
eslers. Some o lhe mosl imporlunl eslers ound
in silver lequilu ure lisled in 1uble 1.
1abIc 1. Mosl ubundunl eslers ound in silver
lequilu.
1
lstot %
Llhyl utelule 17.77
Llhyl detunoule 2.78
Llhyl lutlule 2.74
Llhyl otlunoule 1.92
Llhyl dodetunoule 0.95
Llhyl bulunoule 0.63
lsoumyl utelule 0.58
Llhyl propunoule 0.57
Llhyl hexunoule 0.48
Llhyl hexudetunoule 0.48
1
Lslurrn ot a|., 1999.
DistiIIing
Dislillulion involves lhe sepurulion und tonten-
lrulion o lhe ultohol rom lhe ermenled vorl.
ln uddilion lo elhunol und olher desiruble
setondury produtls, vorl tonluins solid uguve
purlitles tonsisling muinly o tellulose und petlin,
und yeusl tells in uddilion lo proleins, minerul
sulls und some orgunit utids. Allhough u greul
number o lypes und degrees o dislillulion ure
possible, lhe mosl tommon syslems used in lhe
lequilu induslry ure pol slills und retliitulion
tolumns. 1he pol slill is tonsidered lhe eurliesl
orm o dislilling equipmenl. ll is o lhe simplesl
design, tonsisling o u kellle lo hold lhe
ermenled vorl, u sleum toil, und u tondenser
or u plule heul exthunger. Pol slills ure olen
mude o topper, vhith ixes, uttording lo
1horne ot a|. (1971), mulodorous volulile sulur
tompounds produted during ermenlulion.
Bulth dislillulion using pol slills is turried oul in
lvo sleps. lirsl lhe ermenled vorl is dislilled lo
intreuse lhe ultohol tontenlrulion lo 20-30%
by volume, sepuruling oul lhe irsl rutlion tulled
heuds, und lhe lusl rutlion, tulled luils.
ltoduct|ot o| toqu||a |tom agavo 237
Composilion o lhese rutlions vuries depending
on muny utlors intluding lhe yeusl slruin
employed, vorl nulrienl tomposilion,
ermenlulion lime und dislillulion lethnique, bul
in generul, heuds ure rith in lov boiling poinl
tompounds suth us uteluldehyde, elhyl utelule,
melhunol, 1-propunol, 2-propunol, 1-bulunol, und
2-melhyl propunol, vhith give u very pleusunl
luvor und lusle lo lequilu. Heuds ure normully
mixed vilh lhe vorl being dislilled. 1he luils
tonluin high boiling poinl tomponenls suth us
isoumyl ultohol, umyl ultohol, 2-uruldehyde,
utelit utid und elhylutlule, giving u slrong lusle
und luvor lo lhe lequilu, und vhen lhe
tontenlrulion is ubove 0.5 mg}ml, lhe inul
produtl betomes unpleusunl. 1his rutlion is nol
used.
ln lhe setond slep, lhe liquid obluined rom
lhe irsl sluge is re-dislilled in u similur pol slill in
order lo obluin u inul produtl lhul is 110 proo
i il is sold in bulk (reduting lrunsporl tosls) or
80 proo i il is lo be bollled. Some tompunies
obluin high proo lequilu und dilule il vilh
deminerulized vuler or vuler puriied by reverse
osmosis.
ln tonlinuous dislillulion syslems, lhe
ermenled vorl enlers lhe eed plule o lhe
tolumn und lovs dovnvurd, trossing u series
o lruys. Sleum is injetled rom lhe bollom in u
toil und slrips lhe vorl o ils volulile tomponenls.
Vupors tondense higher in lhe tolumn,
depending on tomponenl volulilily, ulloving
liquids lo be druvn o or retytled ul lhe vurious
plules us uppropriule. Somelimes lequilu
obluined in lhis vuy is mixed vilh lequilu rom
pol slills lo bulunte lhe umounl o orgunoleplit
tompounds betuuse in generul, lequilu obluined
lhrough tonlinuous tolumns hus less uromu und
lusle lhun lequilu obluined rom pol slills.
1he presente o melhunol in lequilu is slill u
subjetl o distussion betuuse vhelher melhunol
is produted only by u themitul reutlion or in
tombinulion vilh u mitrobiul hydrolysis hus nol
been sulisutlorily demonslruled. 1he themitul
reutlion is demelhylulion o uguve petlin by lhe
high pH during tooking und lhe irsl dislillulion
sleps. 1he mitrobiul reutlion tould be lhe
hydrolysis o uguve petlin by lhe enzyme petlin
melhyl esleruse produted by some
mitroorgunisms during lhe ermenlulion slep, bul
lhis hus nol yel been demonslruled. Preliminury
resulls uvor lhe irsl lheory, bul some reseurth
is slill needed on lhis muller betuuse il is
imporlunl lo muinluin lhe melhunol tonten-
lrulion vilhin lhe limils eslublished by lhe oitiul
slundurd, vhith is 300 mg melhunol per 100 ml
o unhydrous elhyl ultohol.
fffIucnt dispnsaI
1he disthurge rom pol slills or dislillulion
tolumns is knovn us slilluge, slops or vinusse,
und in u lypitul lequilu dislillery 7 lo 10 lilers o
eluenl ure produted per liler o lequilu ul 100
proo. 1equilu slilluge hus u biologitul oxygen
demund (BCD) o 25 lo 60 g}L. ln uddilion lo
lhe dissolved sulls (muinly polussium, tultium,
und sulule ions) und lhe lov pH (<3.9) o lhe
slilluge, lhere ure signiitunl disposul or lreulmenl
problems. A generul solulion lo lhe disposul
problem does nol exisl betuuse every utlory
hus ils ovn produtlion protess und is lotuled
eilher in u tily or neur uguve ields. As u resull o
lhe diitullies o lreuling vinusses und due lo lheir
high tontenlrulions o dissolved muller, u hosl
o ulilizulion sthemes huve been proposed.
Some o lhe melhods indituled belov ure under
invesligulion und olhers ure in use.
Retytling redutes lhe volume o vusle lo be
lreuled. Slilluge tun be retirtululed, mixing 5 lo
10% o lhe lolul volume o lhe vusle obluined
vilh tleun vuler lo subslilule or lhe dilulion
vuler used lo prepure lhe iniliul vorl. 1his tun
be turried oul or u number o tytles, usuully no
more lhun ive, betuuse lhe tontenlrulion o
dissolved sulls intreuses und tould uetl lhe
ermenlulion protess. Also, greul ture musl be
luken vilh lhe inul lusle und luvor o lhe lequilu
betuuse some tomponenls presenl in slilluge
tould uetl lhe orgunoleplit thurutlerislits o
lhe inul produtl. Currenlly, only one lequilu
tompuny uses lhis syslem.
Diretl lund upplitulion us irrigulion vuler und
erlilizer in uguve ields is under tureul evuluulion
238 M. Codoto Ctuz atd /. |vatoz/acols
lo delermine lhe oplimum louding rules und lhe
eetls on lhe uguve over lhe long lime il lukes
lo reuth mulurily. Lvuporulion or tombuslion o
slillluge tould provide erlilizer or polush, bul lhe
high tosl o suth u protess is u serious limilulion
(Sheenun und Creenield, 1980). 1he produtlion
o biomuss und biothemituls intluding odder
yeusl is u possibilily, bul lhe remuining liquor slill
hus u high BCD (uinn und Murthunl, 1980).
Slilluge muy be used us u ood supplemenl or
tullle, bul il hus un undesiruble luxulive eetl on
unimuls. Biologitul, uerobit, or unuerobit
lreulmenl oers u reul meuns o disposul, bul
lhe tosl is likely lo be us high us lhe ermenlulion
tosls lhemselves (Speete, 1983, Muiorellu,
1983). Lllimulely, lequilu vinusses should be
vieved us u ruv muleriul rulher lhun u vusle,
und u slrulegy should be devised lhul muximizes
etonomit und sotiul beneils und redutes
retovery tosls.
Maturatinn
Dislillulion is lhe inul sluge o lequilu produtlion
i silver or vhile lequilu is lhe desired produtl.
lor resled or uged lequilu, mulurulion is turried
oul in 200 liler vhile ouk tusks or in lurger vood
lunks. 1he lime legully required is lvo monlhs
or resled lequilu und 12 monlhs or uged lequilu.
1equilu is generully mulured or longer periods,
depending on lhe thurutlerislits euth tompuny
desires or ils purlitulur brund.
As lequilu uges in burrels, il is subjetl lo
thunges lhul vill delermine ils inul quulily.
1hitkness und quulily o lhe sluve, deplh o lhe
thur, lemperulure und humidily in lhe burrelling
ureu, enlry proo (40-110 proo), lenglh o
sloruge und number o tytles or lhe burrel (in
Mexito burrels muy be re-used severul limes) ull
uetl lhe inul lusle und uromu o lhe lequilu.
lusel oil tonlenl detreuses during mulurulion
oving lo lhe udsorbunl nulure o lhe thur,
smoolhing lhe inul produtl. Complex vood
tonsliluenls ure exlrutled by lhe lequilu,
providing tolor und lhe purlitulur lusle. Reutlions
umong terluin lequilu tompounds yield nev
tomponenls, und oxidulion reutlions thunge
some o lhe originul tomponenls in lequilu und
lhose exlrutled rom lhe vood. As u resull o ull
o lhese thunges, lhe tontenlrulion o utids,
eslers und uldehydes is intreused, vhile lhe
tontenlrulion o usel oils detreuses us lequilu
reposes in burrels.
Aler uging und dilulion vilh deminerulized
vuler (i netessury) lhe tolor o lhe lequilu muy
be udjusled lo lhe desired vulue by lhe uddilion
o turumel. Allernulively, some tompunies
blend dierenl bulthes o lequilu lo obluin u
slundurdized inul produtl.
Covernmenl inspetlors supervise lhe enlire
uging protess. Prior lo bollling, lequilu is illered
lhrough tellulose iller puds or polypropylene
turlridges. Somelimes ulervurds u prelreulmenl
vilh thurtoul is used lo eliminule lurbidily.
futurc dcvcInpmcnts
Reseurth und ulure developmenls in lhe
produtlion o lequilu und uguve tullivulion tun
luke muny diretlions, bul lhe implemenlulion o
uny thunge musl ullov quulily o lhe inul produtl
lo be muinluined und provide subslunliul
improvemenl in lhe protess. 1here ure severul
key ureus vhere imporlunl developmenls tould
luke plute. Developmenl o nev vurielies o
uguve endoved vilh resislunte lo pesls or
exlremely dry environmenls, higher inulin
tonlenl, lov vux tonlenl in lhe leu tulitle und
superior grovlh rules vould be o beneil.
Methunizulion vould improve uspetls o
tullivulion und hurvesl o uguve. ln uddlilion,
oplimizulion o lhe tooking und ermenlulion
sleps vould improve yields und redute lhe
umounl o vusle, vhile yeusl slruin seletlion
tould improve ubilily lo ermenl musls vilh high
tontenlrulions o sugurs. linully, lov tosl
ullernulives or vusle (bugusse und slilluge)
lreulmenl ure needed.
ltoduct|ot o| toqu||a |tom agavo 239
Summary
1equilu is u beveruge obluined rom lhe
dislillulion o ermenled juite rom lhe uguve
plunl (gavo toqu||ata. \eber vur. zu|). 1he
use o uguve lo produte drinks in Mexito dules
rom long ugo vhen terluin lribes used il or
religious teremonies. ll vus nol unlil lhe urrivul
o lhe Spuniurds, vho broughl dislillulion
lethnique knovledge, lhul lequilu utquired ils
presenl orm. 1he uguve plunl, vhith is generully
tonused vilh tutli, is propuguled lhrough
lrudilionul melhods or by meuns o plunl tell
tullure. ll is grovn or 8 lo 10 yeurs beore il
tun be hurvesled und senl lo lhe dislillery.
1he lequilu produtlion protess tomprises
our sluges. ln lhe irsl slep, uguve is tooked lo
hydrolyze lhe polymers presenl in lhe plunl,
muinly inulin, inlo ermenluble sugurs. ln some
utlories lhis slep is uttomplished using slone
ovens und in olhers il is turried oul in uulotluves.
1he setond sluge is sugur exlrutlion rom
tooked uguve lhrough milling, und lhe uguve
juite obluined lhrough lhis slep tun be mixed
vilh sugurs rom olher sourtes, normully sugur
tune, i 100% uguve lequilu is nol desired. 1he
lhird und mosl imporlunl sluge is ermenlulion
in vhith sugurs ure lrunsormed inlo elhunol und
olher tompounds suth us eslers und orgunit
utids. 1hese, ulong vilh olher subsluntes derived
rom lhe tooked uguve, give lhe thurutlerislit
luvor und lusle lo lequilu. ll is o greul imporlunte
lo huve u good yeusl slruin und nulrilionully
bulunted vorl or lequilu produtlion, us losses
tould be us high us 35% o lhe lolul produtlion
i ineitienl yeusl is used or nulrienls do nol
uppeur in lhe righl proporlions. ln lhe lusl sluge,
ermenled vorl is dislilled, normully using pol
slills or in some tuses retliitulion tolumns, lo
obluin lhe inul produtl. Al lhe end o lhe
dislillulion protess vhile lequilu is obluined.
Mulurulion in vhile ouk burrels is required or
resled or uged lequilu. 1he minimum mulurulion
limes ure 2 und 12 monlhs, respetlively, or
resled und uged lequilu us required by
governmenl regululions. Al every slep o lhe
produtlion protess, mosl tompunies employ
severul quulily tonlrol unulyses in order lo
ensure lhe quulily o lhe produtl und lhe
eitienty o lhe protess. Some mujor produters
o lequilu ure terliied lhrough un lSC-9000
slundurd. 1equilu produtlion is governed by lhe
oitiul norm NCM-006-SCll-1993, vhith musl
be olloved by ull lequilu produters lo guurunlee
u good quulily inul produtl.
AcknnwIcdgcmcnt
1he uulhors vould like lo express lheir grulilude
lo 1equilu Herruduru, S.A. de C.V., or ils supporl
in vriling lhis thupler.
Rcfcrcnccs
Agritullurul Reseurth Servite. 1972. 1he Aguve
umily in Sonoru. gt|cu|tuto Hatdloo|
|o.!00. LS Depurlmenl o Agritullure, p.
195.
Alonso, C.S., L. Rigul und A. Cusel. 1993.
Vulorutin quimitu de buguzo de uguve de
lu induslriu lequileru. Rev. Sot. uim. Mex.
3(6):19.
ACAC 1990. Dislilled liquors. Citiul Melhods
o Anulysis o lhe Assotiulion o Citiul
Anulylitul Chemisls (H. Kennelh, ed) Assot-
iulion o Citiul Anulylitul Chemisls, Arling-
lon, Virginiu, p. 690.
Butkmun, C.L. 1944. A kuryosyslemulit sludy o
lhe genus Aguve. Am. J. Bol. 35:283.
Berry, D.R. 1984. Physiology und mitrobiology
o lhe mull vhisky ermenlulion. ln: Progress
in lnduslriul Mitrobiology. (M.L. Bushell, ed.)
Llsevier, Amslerdum, p. 189.
Bollor de B., V. 1971. A guide lo lequilu, meztul
und pulque. Minulue Mexitunu, Mexito, D.l.
ClA1L, 1993. lnorme de utlividudes ul tonsejo,
Agoslo, Cuudulujuru, Jul, Mexito.
Diguel. L. 1902. Lsludio sobre el muguey de le-
quilu. Cenerulidudes e hisloriu. Ll Prog. Mex.
9:424.
Lhrler, \.H. 1967. Aguve plunl, eitienl vuler
user. LSDA Agr. Res. 16(4):11.
240 M. Codoto Ctuz atd /. |vatoz/acols
Lngun, S. 1981. Beer tomposilion: volulile sub-
sluntes. ln: Breving Stientes, Vol. 2 (J.R.A.
Pollotk, ed.) Atudemit Press, London, p. 98.
Lslurrn, M., 1. Murlin del Cumpo und R. Cosio.
1999. ldenliitutin de los tomponenles
voluliles que turutlerizun lu huellu
tromulogruitu dislinlivu de lequilus. 1eth-
nitul Reporl or 1equilu Herruduru S.A.
Curtiu, A.l., L.A. Curtiu und M. Diuz. 1994. lusel
ultohol produtlion in beer ermenlulion pro-
tesses. Protess Biothem. 29:303-309.
CLA. 1992. Lu erlilizutin, Lu Jimu. lo|ot|t
lt|otmat|vo. Cerentiu de exlensin ugritolu.
1equilu Suuzu, 7(50).
Ceiger, L. und A. Piendl. 1976. 1ethnologitul
utlors in lhe ormulion o uteluldehyde
during ermenlulion, MBAA 1eth. . 13:51.
Contulves de L. C. 1956. Ll Muguey y el Pulque,
londo dt Culluru Ltonmitu, Mexito.
Crundos, S.D. 1985. Llnobolunitu de los uguves
dt lus zonus uridus y semiuridus. ln: Biologiu
y Aprovethumienlo lnlegrul del Henequen
y Clros Aguves, ClCY, A.C., Mexito, p. 127.
Huller, C. 1975. Plugus que uetlun u lus dislinlus
espeties de uguve tullivudo en Mexito.
Setreluriu de Agritulluru y Cunuderiu,
Mexito, D.l.
Hummond, J.R.M. 1981. Brevers Yeusl. ln: 1he
Yeusls, Vol. 5. Yeusl 1ethnology (A.H. Rose
und J.S. Hurrison, eds.) 2nd. ed. Atudemit
Press, Redding, L.K.
Lunu, Z.R. 1991. Lu hisloriu del lequilu, de sus
regiones y de sus hombres. Consejo Nutio-
nul puru lu Culluru y lus Arles, Mexito, D.l.
MutDonuld, J., P.1,V. Reeve, J.D. Ruddlesden und
l.H. \hile. 1984. Currenl upprouthes lo
brevery ermenlulions. ln: Progress in lndus-
lriul Mitrobiology. Vol. 19, Modern Appli-
tulions o 1rudilionul Biolethnologies, (M.L.
Bushell, ed.) Llsevier, Amslerdum.
Muiorellu. B.L., H.\. Blunth und C.R. \ilke.
1983. Dislillery eluenl lreulmenl und by-
produtl retovery. Prot. Biothem. 8(4):5.
Murlinez, M. 1979. Cululogo de nombres vul-
gures y tienliitos de plunlus Mexitunus.
londo de Culluru Ltonmitu. Mexito. p.
543.
Monlgomery, D.C. 1984. Design und Anulysis
o Lxperimenls, 2nd Ld., John \iley & Sons,
Nev York. p. 445.
Muriu, J.M. 1990. Ll lequilu. Botelo hislrito de
unu induslriu. Cuud. Dius. Cienl. 18:13.
Perez, L. 1990. Lsludio sobre el muguey llumudo
Meztul en el esludo de Julisto. Progrumu
de Lsludios Julistientes, lnslilulo del 1equilu,
A.C., Mexito.
Pinul, Z.L.M. 1999. 1esis de Mueslriu en Protesos
Bioletnolgitos. Lniversidud de
Cuudulujuru, Cuudulujuru, Mexito.
Pinul, L., M. Cedeo, H. Culierrez und J. Alvurez-
Jutobs. 1997. lermenlulion purumelers in-
luenting higher ultohol produtlion in lhe
lequilu Protess. Biolethnol. Lell. 19(1):45-
47.
Plu, R. und J. 1upiu. 1990. Ll uguve uzul, de lus
mieles ul lequilu. ln: Cenlro de Lsludios
Mexitunos y Cenlroumeritunos, lnslilulo
lruntes de Ameritu Lulinu y el lnslilul
lruntuis dt Retherthe Stienliique pour le
developemenl en Cooperulion, Mexito, p.
61.
uinn, J.P. und R. Murthunl. 1980. 1he lreulmenl
o mull vhisky dislillery vusle using lhe un-
gus Coott|c|um catd|dum. \uler Res.
14:545.
Rumsuy, C.M. und D.R. Berry. 1984. 1he eetl
o lemperulure und pH on lhe ormulion o
higher ultohols, ully utids und eslers in mull
vhisky ermenlulion. lood Mitrobiol. 1:117.
Rumsuy, C.M. und D.R. Berry. 1984. Physiologi-
tul tonlrol o higher ultohol ormulion in
Stolth vhisky ermenlulion. ln: Currenl
Developmenls in Yeusl Reseurth (C.C.
Slevurl und l. Russell, eds) Pergumon Press,
London, Cunudu.
Rzedovski, J. 1978. \ogotac|t do Mx|co. Ld.
Limusu. Mexito.
Sunthez, A.l. 1991. Compurutin de
melodologius de mitropropugutin de
gavo toqu||ata \eber. 1esis de lng.
Agrnomo, lutullud de Agronomiu,
Lniversidud de Cuudulujuru, Cuudulujuru,
Mexito.
Sunthez-Murroquin, A. und P.H. Hope. 1953.
lermenlulion und themitul tomposilion
ltoduct|ot o| toqu||a |tom agavo 241
sludies o some speties. Agrit. lood Chem.
246:1.
Setoi, Normu Citiul Mexitunu. 1993.
NCM006-SCll-1993, Bebidus ultohlitus,
1equilu. Lspetiitutiones, Diurio oitiul del
13 de Ctlubre, p. 48.
Sheenun, C.J. und P.l. Creenield. 1980. Llilizu-
lion, lreulmenl und disposul o dislillery
vuslevuler. \uler Res. 14:257.
Speete, R.L. 1983. Anuerobit biolethnology or
induslriul vuslevuler lreulmenl. Lnviron. Sti.
1ethnol. 17(9):416A.
1ellez, P. 1999. 1esis de Mueslriu en Protesos
Bioletnolgitos. Lniversidud de
Cuudulujuru, Cuudulujuru, Mexito.
1horne, R.S.\., L. Helm und K. Svendsen. 1971.
Conlrol o sulur impurilies in beer uromu, J.
lnsl. Brev. 77(2):148.
Vulenzuelu, Z.A. 1992. llorutin y mudurez del
uguve, Lu Jimu. Bolelin lnormulivo, Cerentiu
de exlensin ugritolu. 1equilu Suuzu 5:33.
242 M. Codoto Ctuz atd /. |vatoz/acols