Tequila Production

A myriad of choices can be made during the production of tequila that affect the final spirit. Patrón prioritizes traditional methods of production that preserve quality at its facilities.

Sugar Conversion

Complex sugars in agave piñas require a conversion process before fermentation to break those sugars down to a simpler form. The 'sweetness' of agave is locked up in long-chain carbohydrates that must be treated with water and heat in order to receive a sugary liquid that can be acted upon by yeast to produce alcohol. The most straightforward way of doing this (but not the only one) is by cooking. There are three main ways to cook agave, generally from slowest to fastest:

  • Pit ovens
  • Brick ovens
  • Autoclaves
Complex sugars in agave must be broken down before fermentation.

Patrón’s traditional brick ovens and long cooking times of seventy nine hours yield cooked agave that’s both complex and consistent in flavor. The agave must then be pressed in order to release the sugary liquid inside, making these sugars available for fermentation. There are four main ways to process roasted agave, generally from slowest to fastest:

  • Crushing by hand
  • Crushing using tahonas
  • Milling using roller mills
  • Diffusers

Patrón leads the charge as the largest global producer of tahona-crushed tequila, with ten tahonas working at all times. Dating back at least four hundred years, this method uses a volcanic stone wheel to crush the roasted agaves slowly and thoroughly. Patrón distills both tahona and roller mill tequilas separately and differently, resulting in two distinct liquids that, when combined, become Patrón Silver.

Tahonas gently and repeatedly press agaves to extract juices without ripping up the fibers.

Fermentation and Distillation

Fermentation is the process that makes alcohol available for distillation through the action of microorganisms called yeasts, which convert sugar to ethanol, carbon dioxide, and heat, affected by pH, temperature, and competing microorganisms. Yeasts occur in the wild but are also propagated commercially, and can impart particular, desirable flavors to a spirit. Only a few distilleries ferment with some of the bagasse / bagazo (the fibrous residue and dry pulp left after crushing / processing agave piñas), which helps produce a specific, richer set of flavors.

At Patrón, tahona-crushed juices are fermented with the bagasse to develop richer flavors.

In the distillation process, heat is applied to the still containing the fermented juices; alcohol evaporates thanks to its higher volatility and is collected as it condenses in a separate vessel. Tequila must legally go through two distillation cycles and a skilled tequila producer is responsible for cutting the off-liquids from the beginning and end of a distillation run (called the ‘heads’ and ‘tails’) to receive tequila ordinario from the first cycle and tequila blanco after the final cycle.

As the demand for ultra-premium tequila continues to grow (and as the 100% de agave category leader), Patrón has always worked to preserve traditional tequila production methods: hand-trimming and cutting agave before baking it in small clay brick ovens; tahona milling to crush the agave piñas; fermentation in pine wood tanks; and distillation in small copper pot stills designed by Francisco Alcaraz over larger stainless steel column stills.

Patrón exclusively uses small copper pot stills to distill all its tequila.

Bottling and Labeling

Once distilled into a blanco and if compliant with all the CRT’s guidelines, tequila can immediately be bottled. However, tequila can also be matured for a period of time to produce reposado, añejo, and extra añejo tequilas.

100% de agave can only be bottled in the region of the DO, while ‘mixto’ tequila can be exported in bulk and bottled in other countries. The necessary components on a label of tequila are:

  • “Tequila”
  • “Hecho en Mexico”
  • Distillery’s NOM Number
  • Category of Tequila
  • Class of Tequila
  • Percentage of ABV
  • CRT Official Countersignature
  • Brand or Trademark Name
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