tahona

Tahona refers to a large circular stone wheel used in traditional milling processes. Historically, tahonas were employed in sugar cane mills to crush fresh cane and extract juice, which was then boiled to produce sugar, molasses, or syrup. The wheel is set in a trough and rotated by animals or early machinery; as it turns, it grinds the cane against a fixed bed, pressing out the juice.

In tequila production, a tahona designates a traditional method for extracting agave juice. A tahona wheel, often made of volcanic stone and several meters in diameter, is used to slowly crush roasted agave piñas to release aguamiel. The juice is subsequently fermented and distilled. Some producers use a tahona in conjunction with modern roller mills, while others rely on the tahona alone for artisanal Tequila. The method is valued for its gentle extraction and the potential influence on flavor and texture, though it is slower and more labor-intensive than mechanical crushing.

Etymology: The term tahona comes from Spanish, referring to the large millstone or wheel used in traditional mills.

See also related terms such as molino, millstone, sugar cane milling, agave processing, and tequila production.