Mezcal: The History, Craft & Cocktails of the World's Ultimate Artisanal Spirit

by Emma Janzen

Overview

In Mezcal, three—time James Beard Award–winning author Emma Janzen explores what sets this cousin of tequila apart from the rest of the pack.

*Nominated for the 2018 James Beard Foundation Book Award in the Beverage category*

Produced in Mexico for centuries but little known elsewhere until recent years, mezcal has captured the imagination of spirits enthusiasts with its astonishing complexities. And while big liquor is beginning to jump aboard the bandwagon, most mezcal is still artisanal in nature, produced using small—batch techniques handed down for generations, often with agave plants harvested in the wild.

Join author Emma Janzen as she presents an engaging primer on all things mezcal that includes:
 

• Mezcal’s long and captivating history in Mexican culture
• The craft of distilling mezcal, from growing and harvesting the agave to roasting and grinding it, all the way to distilling and aging
• A thorough guide to many of the most common agaves used in production and how they shape the resulting spirit
• A selection of nearly 50 cocktails that accentuate mezcal’s distinguishing qualities, contributed by top mezcal bars across the United States and Mexico

With lush photography, an elegant design featuring a foil—debossed cover, and authoritative yet enthralling text, Mezcal is the definitive guide to exploring and unraveling the mysteries of this extraordinary handcrafted spirit.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780760352618
Publisher:	Harvard Common Press
Publication date:	07/14/2017
Pages:	240
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.10(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Emma Janzen is an award—winning spirits and cocktail journalist, author, editor, and photographer reporting on global drinking cultures for outlets including The New York Times, Bon Appetit, PUNCH, Food Republic, Serious Eats, and more. She has served as digital editor at Imbibe and drinkways editor for Good Beer Hunting. Her first book, Mezcal: The History, Craft & Cocktails of the World’s Ultimate Artisanal Spirit, was nominated for a James Beard Award in 2018. She has since won three James Beard Foundation Book Awards in the Beverage with Recipes category: in 2022, as co—author of The Way of the Cocktail: Japanese Traditions, Techniques, and Recipes; in 2023, as co—author of The Bartender’s Manifesto: How to Think, Drink, and Create Cocktails Like a Pro; and in 2025, as co—author of The Bartender’s Pantry: A Beverage Handbook for the Universal Bar. She prefers her mezcal neat, her cocktails made with gin, and her stouts served year—round.

Table of Contents

An Introduction 8

Part 1 Meeting Mayahuel 13

A Brief Modern History 26

The Rising Tide 31

Across the Border 36

At the Palenque 42

The Future 48

Part 2 The Nuts & Bolts 55

The Species 62

The Alchemy 76

Growing and Harvesting 77

The Roast 80

The Grind 85

Fermentation 90

Distillation 97

Aging 104

Pechuga 107

Part 3 In the Glass 113

Finding the Right Mezcal 114

Line Up a Flight 115

By Variety 115

By Terroir 115

By Region 118

Hand of the Maker 118

Glassware 121

Jícara 121

Veladora 121

Copita 121

Wine Glass 122

Worm Salts and Orange Slices 122

Great Worm Salts to Seek Out 123

At the Table 126

Part 4 Mezcal Cocktails 133

At Home 143

The Recipes 145

Fresh 147

Boozy 181

Fizzy 207

Festive 223

Glossary 228

Acknowledgments 230

Where to Drink 231

Where to Buy 234

Bibliography 235

Index 237

Editorial Reviews

Long overdue, the mezcal boom has erupted in bars across America. You’re going to want to learn all about this glorious spirit, and Emma Janzen’s Mezcal: The History, Craft & Cocktails of the World’s Ultimate Artisanal Spirit tells you what you need to know. - Rick Bayless

From the Publisher