Effect of fermentation temperature and must processing on process productivity and product quality in mescal fermentation

We examined the quality and production yield of mescal obtained by fermentation of traditional (including bagasse) and filtered musts at three temperatures (18, 25 and 32 °C). Fermentation temperature did not affect the concentration of methanol, higher alcohols, or dry extracts, and in all cases the product met the standards of the Mexican Official Norm for these compounds. On the other hand, the acidity of the product fell within specifications only for fermentations performed at 18 °C (either must) or 32 °C (filtered must only). Processing at the higher temperature also resulted in increased productivity, demonstrating that fermentation of filtered musts at 32 °C is a useful means of improving both the quality and throughput of mescal production.