Why Stills Matter More Than You Think in Tequila Production

[00:00:00] What if I told you that one distillery could use the same exact agave, cook it the same way, ferment it the same way, and still produce two completely different tequilas? That's right. We're going to talk about that today. Most tequila fans focus on ovens. They focus on tahones or roller mills. But what do you think? One of the biggest differences comes after all of that. Today we're going to talk about stills. I think one of the most overlooked pieces of equipment in production and why they have a bigger impact on flavor than what you may think. Now, before we talk about this, I want to have one of my favorite still strength tequilas. The Cambio seller series. This is the number nine. This is for purists. And this is 100 proof or 50% ABV. And you know, everything from Cambio is just freaking amazing. So if we're going to talk about stills, let's talk about it while drinking a still strength tequila. And that smells good. Okay, let's start with the one we all love to talk about. Let's start with the traditional copper pot still. This is the still most people picture in tequila production. The pot still works in batches. Fermented agaves loaded in the still, distilled, emptied, cleaned in the, the process starts all over again. Copper isn't just because it looks cool. During fermentation, sulfur compounds are created that produce some unpleasant aroma. Copper reacts with these compounds and helps remove them from the spirit pot. Stills also tend to retain more heavier oils and flavored compounds from the agave. That's why tequilas distilled in copper pot stills are often described as richer, fuller bodied and more complex. But there's something else that matters, and that is the size of the still. A 500 liter still behaves differently than a 10,000 liter still. Smaller stills, alcohol vapor has more contact with the copper surface. It often means more refinement and more opportunity for the distiller to make precise cuts. Larger stills are usually built for efficiency and consistency. Think of it this way. A small still is like a chef cooking one steak at a time. And a giant still is like a commercial kitchen. Both of them can still be great, just designed for different goals. So copper is important. So why don't all distilleries use 100% copper? The answer is durability. Copper is expensive, it's heavy and requires a lot of maintenance. That's why many distilleries use stainless steel pot stills with copper internals. From the outside, they look like stainless steel tanks, but inside, you'll often find copper plates, copper helmets, copper coils and copper condensers. This setup gives the distillery the durability of stainless steel while getting the benefits of copper contact. The result is often a bright, clean agave forward tequila. Some distilleries go a step further and almost use entirely stainless steel stills. Doesn't automatically make the tequila bad. It just simply creates a different style, often allowing more fermentation character to be remained in that final spirit. And let's dive to the opposite end of the spectrum. That's the column still continuous column stills, unlike pot stills, never stop running. Fermented liquid continuously enters the system while the alcohol continuously exits. As the spirit moves through multiple trays inside the column, it becomes increasingly refined. Column stills are incredibly efficient and typically produce a lighter, cleaner, more neutral spirit. That's why they're commonly used in extremely large scale scale production. So let's go back to that original question. Can one distillery use the same agaves, the same cooking method and the same fermentation process and create two different tequilas? Absolutely. Because once fermentation is complete, that still takes over the copper pot. Maybe rich, oily tequila. The stainless steel may create a brighter spirit. The hybrid can still strike a balance between the two. And the column can create maybe a lighter, cleaner profile, maybe not the agave that we're looking for. The agave starts the story, the fermentation develops the story, but the still often decides how the story ends up. And that's why this still, in my opinion, maybe one of the most important, most overlooked pieces of equipment in tequila production. Let's try this tequila production, this cambio still strength. Man, that smells good. And what a great tasting tequila. And if you haven't learned about this one, go watch my interview with Chef John. He's been on the show a couple times. I've also reviewed most of these tequilas and talked about their production method and why they taste so good. If you like learning about tequila, you like reviews on tequila, hit that like and subscribe button for me. Drop in the comments what you think your favorite, favorite still production of tequila is. If you're looking to get great information about tequila, go to the Tequila Report.com with over 62,000 followers and interviews and reviews and information from insiders, it may be one of the best places for you to get tequila content. And here's the coolest thing, it is free. So you can go to the tequila report.com and sign up today. Cheers. Have a great night. Drink some good tequila.