four zones · complete palenque.
A CRM-registered palenque has four operational fronts categorically different from a tequila distillery: smoke-roasting palenque pit-oven (3-5 day agave cooking with wood smoke), traditional fermentation without active control (ambient T, 4-8 days), oak barrels or rest area, and palenque IAQ (smoke + CO + PM2.5/PM10 from the smoking process). AstreaIoT covers all four respecting palenque tradition.
pit-oven palenque · traditional smoke-roasting
T probe per palenque pit-oven (earthen excavation, covered with stones + agave + charcoal) · continuous 3-5 day curve log · WhatsApp alert to master mezcalero if out of range (traditional: 70-85°C peak, 50-60°C hold). Compatible with traditional mesquite/oak wood.
traditional 4-8 day tinaja fermentation
T probe per fermentation tinaja (traditional wood, cement, or pielera) · continuous log · alert for stall or over-fast fermentation. Respects native yeasts (no active temperature control). Compatible with pielera tinajas (animal-hide) in more traditional operations.
barrel cellar / rest + chain-of-custody
T+RH probe per barrel room (reposado/añejo mezcal) or glass rest areas (joven mezcal) · cellar manager dashboard. Door sensors + timestamp + immutable log on process transitions (palenque → mill → fermentation → distillation → packaging) for CRM audit trail.
palenque IAQ · smoke + CO + PM (life-safety)
IAQ sensor in palenque work area (T + RH + CO + basic CO₂ via air quality sensor) · immediate alert if CO exceeds 50 ppm. For palenques with intensive multi-batch operation, advanced 9-in-1 air quality sensor (HCHO + PM10 + PM2.5) available via direct-import 4-8 weeks — caveat baked-in. Master mezcalero + helpers protection.
Out of scope: agave jima process (field) and cutting. Also not milling with tahona vs mill — that's the palenquero's tradition. Platform designed to complement, not replace, traditional knowledge.
what we protect · what we prevent.
- +Palenque pit-oven with documented curve · well-smoked agave · preserved tradition + backed CRM audit
- +Monitored 4-8 day fermentation · defended traditional profile · cross-batch consistency
- +Validated barrel cellar + rest · defended añejo profile · backed CRM-Añejo audit
- +Palenque IAQ with smoke + CO surveillance · protected master mezcalero + helpers · STPS NOM-015 compliant
- +Auditable CRM chain-of-custody · NOM-070-SCFI compliant · "palenque mezcal" brand narrative defensible with data
- ✕Pit-oven with overnight overcooking · caramelized agave · solvent flavor · entire batch lost
- ✕Cold winter fermentation stall · 8 days pass without activity · stuck batch · palenque capacity off
- ✕Barrel cellar out of range · elevated angel's share · quantifiable rest loss
- ✕CO accumulated in palenque from stopped wind · master mezcalero exposed · STPS accident + investigation
- ✕CRM audit without chain-of-custody · loss of registration · catastrophic brand value + compromised Denomination
eight use cases · four critical areas.
for the master mezcalero + palenque lead.
Master Mezcalero (palenquero) + Palenque Lead + Production Director (in formal operations). Two cases · pit-oven with overnight overcooking from wind, winter fermentation stall with low T. Tradition + yield.
for the master mezcalero + cellar manager.
Master Mezcalero + Cellar Manager + Rest Lead. Two cases · wood/pielera tinaja with fermentation off, añejo mezcal rest with extreme low RH. Profile + cellar.
for the CRM compliance officer + palenque owner.
CRM Compliance Officer + Palenque Owner + Commercial Director. Two cases · CRM audit without chain-of-custody, commercialization through bottlers (Del Maguey-style) without traceability. Compliance + brand value.
for the master mezcalero + STPS lead.
Master Mezcalero + STPS Lead (in formal palenques) + Palenque family. Two cases · CO accumulated in palenque closed by stopped wind, chronic exposure to pit-oven smoke. Life + health.
three compliances · one platform covers all three.
For palenque collectives (Del Maguey, Vago, Real Minero as aggregators of small palenques), cross-palenque dashboard with compliance ranking + consolidated brand narrative.
from sensor to report · every five minutes · without human intervention
Five steps. They run in parallel across all your sites, all the time. When something crosses a threshold, the flow completes in under five minutes — alert delivered, response logged, inspector-ready evidence captured.
measure
Sensors measure temperature, humidity, current, door-open, leak and other magnitudes every five minutes — no operator required.
detect
The system compares each reading against the threshold configured per recipe · per site · per equipment. Threshold crossing triggers the flow.
alert
The alert routes to the right person via WhatsApp, email or push · per role and schedule configured.
respond
The operator acts from the dashboard or mobile app. The corrective action goes into an immutable log with timestamp + signature.
audit
Everything becomes part of the audit package · time series, critical events, corrective actions, NOM report ready in two clicks.
Five steps · no manual operators · no paperwork · no gaps.
five phases · per palenque.
site survey + palenque plan
2-3 daysTechnical visit + inventory of pit-ovens, fermentation tinajas, alembics, rest area, electrical infrastructure (if exists) · plan respecting palenque tradition + CRM chain-of-custody.
physical installation
2-4 daysPit-oven T probes (smoke + temperature resistant) + tinaja T probes + cellar/rest T+RH probes + palenque IAQ sensor + door sensors · gateway with electrical or solar backup for rural palenques without grid.
configuration + CRM integration
2-4 weeks (includes CRM templates + adaptation to palenquero tradition)Pit-oven curves per style (traditional vs modern) + fermentation ranges + cellar thresholds + palenque IAQ · CRM-audit + COFEPRIS report templates · respect for each master mezcalero's tradition.
team training
1-2 daysMaster Mezcalero + Palenque Lead + CRM Compliance + Cellar Manager + Palenque family (in traditional operations) · training adapted to palenque technology level.
30 days of support + first CRM audit
30 daysAstreaIoT specialist available · first monthly report with pit-oven + fermentation + chain-of-custody · first CRM audit backed.
For palenque collectives (Del Maguey aggregator-style), per-palenque deployment with standardized BOM + cross-palenque dashboard + consolidated brand narrative.
common questions · before the quote.
does the platform respect palenque tradition?
Yes · explicit design to complement, not replace, traditional knowledge. Discreet sensors (probes in pit-oven, tinajas, without visual invasion). The master mezcalero still makes decisions; the platform documents + alerts when something falls outside that palenque's historical range.
how does the IAQ sensor work with pit-oven smoke?
Basic IAQ sensor (T + RH + CO + CO₂) in work area (not in the pit-oven itself). For palenques with intensive multi-batch operation, advanced 9-in-1 air quality sensor (HCHO + O₃ + PM10 + PM2.5) available via direct-import with 4-8 week lead time — surfaced upfront per [[../decisions/website-navigation-and-status-philosophy]] honest disclosure policy.
what about palenques without electrical grid?
Gateway with solar backup + lithium batteries (24-48h autonomy without sun) + LoRaWAN. Works in rural palenques of Sierra de Oaxaca / Guerrero. We confirm LoRa coverage in site survey · plan B via 4G cellular if LoRa insufficient.
are CRM audits specifically backed?
Yes · pre-configured templates for CRM audit + automatable report with pit-oven + fermentation + cellar + chain-of-custody. CRM Inspector receives ready packet. Compatible with CRM-Joven, CRM-Reposado, CRM-Añejo, CRM-Madurado en Vidrio, CRM-Ancestral (no distillation), CRM-Artesanal.
how is pricing for a traditional palenque vs industrial operation?
Scalable model: traditional palenque with one pit-oven + 2-4 tinajas = accessible cost (90-day Hybrid Pilot). Industrial mezcal operation (Real Minero, Mezcalero, Del Maguey aggregator) = enterprise scale with cross-palenque dashboard. Approximately between several thousand and tens of thousands of pesos monthly.
is the "traditional palenque mezcal" brand narrative defensible?
Yes · per-bottle QR-code links to palenque + batch-specific snapshot. Premium client sees pit-oven curve, fermentation days, rest conditions, palenque GPS location. Scalable premium brand + clear differentiation vs industrial mezcal.
does it integrate with bottlers (Del Maguey, Mezcalero, Vago)?
Yes · REST API + webhook · bottlers receive per-batch snapshots for batch-specific labeling + consolidated CRM report · scalable cross-palenque brand narrative.