Production Process of Pisco
Grapes are taken from vineyards to "lagares" (wine press house), a kind of small pond, before being crushed or treaded to obtain juice or squash. This task is performed the day of arrival because if it is done the next day it could get acidified.
Then, the must is placed in large earthen jars or clay pitchers (also called "pisqueras"), which are taken to another place of the boulder or solar.
The pitchers are pitched in the inside and, depending on the degree of glucose and on the action of sun's rays, fermentation (the transformation of must into alcohol) takes place in a quick or slow way. In general, this process lasts 14 days, but it could take longer -after the fourth or fifth day, we can verify that it has changed into "cachina".
Fermentation takes place outdoors taking advantage of sun rays. The best period to carry it out is February to April, when the sun "hits" strongly. On the contrary, modern products carry out the fermentation of must in wine cellars, protecting from sun rays with huge concrete tanks of different content. They are washed after each operation.
Once the operation is finished, distillation takes place. The content of the pitchers are poured in proper containers such as small stills or distilleries.
Distillation consists in evaporating a substance and condensing it back to liquid by very low temperatures. The fermented must is put in a "paila" (large pan) or container that is placed in an oven or boiler to make it boil. Alcoholic steams pass through a cooling coil, and then it condenses into drops and starts dripping already transformed in Pisco.
By modern techniques, huge boilers are used. As we know, combustion is generated with petroleum or gas. The current traditional methods existing in artisan cellars still use "huarango" firewood that provides more heat. When working with firewood, it is said that even though the combustion time is longer, there is no sudden change of temperature, therefore the flavor of Pisco will be more palatable. The same occurs with meals prepared with firewood, which is more palatable.
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