In general Spanish, a barranco is a ravine or gully. So it makes sense that in Sonora, the word barranco also describes an underground reservoir used to ferment agave fibers. This term is used in bacanora country, and barrancos are more common in the hotter regions of Northern and Northwestern Mexico. After roasting agave in a stone-lined pit, a traditional vinatero might move the crushed agave, or saite, to a pit, this one a shallow underground tank, which may be lined in stone or rocks and cement. (We’ve heard tell of barrancos made of solid stone, but cannot verify). Once filled with agave fibre, the barranco might be covered with cloth and/or sealed. Dry fermentation seems to be the dominant practice, but there’s more to explore there.
Bacanora fermented in barranco may be viewed as a distinct category. “I think of barranco as both an object and process,” says Michael Hurley of Borderland Spirits (importer of Bacanora Batuq and Mazot). He notes that while bacanora de barranco is his favorite iteration of the spirit, there’s a high risk of failure: “I’ve had the best and worst bacanora from the same producer within six months.”
Even in Sonora, barranco fermentation is not common. Distillers who do have barrancos typically also ferment in other containers that are less tricky. NOM-168-SCFI-2004, which establishes the rules for producing certified bacanora, is remarkably vague. Bacanora may be fermented in plastic, stainless steel drums, or other types of tanks.
General notes on fermentation tanks:
Although the bacanora norm doesn’t mandate a specific tank, the mezcal norm is specific but lenient. And of course many producers operate outside official designations. The types of tanks used to ferment mezcal are myriad and vary by region, producer preference, and consumer opinion. That last bit is interesting, because in Jalisco we’ve seen many raicilla producers switch from tinacos (the large plastic water tanks that are ubiquitous in Mexico) to other materials that are more appealing to foreign consumers, with their taste for “authenticity.” In Oaxaca, wooden tinas (tubs) are common, as Anna Bruce covers in this deep dive into Oaxacan fermentation traditions.
Special thanks to Michael Hurley for lending his expertise to this entry and for the photograph.
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