Agave Spirit
Ixcateco is a central activity of our town. Here’s how we make it:
The Maguey
Papalomé (agave potatorum) is traditionally the only maguey used by the Xuani to make agave spirit, although there are many other maguey species around our lands — such as rabo de leon, cimarrón, maguey blanco, and pulquero. We use the other magueyes for construction, textiles, and pulque.
Maestr@s
Every maestro or maestra palenquero is also a peasant farmer who has had a unique experience and learning process. Their individual influences result in unique recipes that lead to equally unique flavors. Every agave spirit has an author, and every author has their own voice.
The Palenque
Palenque, in this community, is the common name for a family-run, small-scale agave spirit distillery. A bit larger than back in the day, many palenques are still small, with several clay pots, one or two cow-hide fermentation tanks, and a mid-scale oven. Ours holds about two tons.