Meet Ben Zerbe | Founder

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ben Zerbe and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ben, how do you think about risk?
I would consider myself a risk taker. Although I’m still fairly young at 35 (I would like to think), as I get older, my risk tolerance has already started to subside. Similar to Ron Copper’s story with Del Maguey, I found myself completely enamored with the rich history and incredibly labor-intensive process mezcal production brings. It is truly inspiring and fascinating to witness and eventually become more involved with the families that have been producing mezcal for generations. There are many nuances to mezcal that I believe people are now starting to understand more and more.

Before we even launched the Paquera brand, a few people kept telling me, “the beverage/spirits industry is brutal if you don’t know what you’re doing..It takes a lot of money and patience”. Two of which, I didn’t have a lot of when we started. We have great partners that have been in this industry for many years but I didn’t really understand the gravity of that sediment, let alone the risk to success.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I have been fortunate to be surrounded by inspiring and ambious friends and colleagues. Not all of them started their own businesses but nearly all of them strived to break the proverbial glass ceiling when it came to their career. Whether it be scaling the corporate latter or gaining financial freedom by creating something on their own. This is what propelled me to make the leap and trust myself to jump in the deep end.

The feeling I had when I sipped mezcal for the first time was “wholly sh**t, this is amazing”. Granted, it was a Barril from Del Maguey, produced by an eighty-year old master Palenquero Florencio “Don Lencho” Laureano Carlos Sarmiento. I was working at a private practice in Prosthetics and Orthotics for Kaiser Permanente at the time and I became enamored with learning about all facets of mezcal.

It took about 1.5 years before I officially launched Paquera. There is delicate balance between growing a successful business in a competitive industry while respecting and protecting the artisanal craft of mezcal. It was important for us to work with CO-OP’s that catered to the specific needs and voices of local family producers of Oaxaca versus finding ways to increase margins.

It has been said by many “mezcal is a labor of love”. What your sipping is truly a connection to those families that have been producing mezcal for generations. As your palate becomes more developed, you begin to understand and taste the quality and labor that goes into each batch. This is why I love mezcal among many other reasons.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
If you get a chance to visit Oaxaca which I highly recommend, you have to go to Los Pacos. Hugo and his family make the best mole in Oaxaca (some say in Mexico). It’s been a family-run business for over 30 years. They bring incredible warmth and hospitality. Mole is paired based on the type of mezcal expression you select. It’s a phenomenal experience! You can also find Paquera on the mezcal cart which is a plus.

The church of Santo Domingo de Guzmán is a must-see. I would also recommend traveling to Matatlán which is considered to be the “World Capital Of Mezcal” production.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
There are a lot of people on our team that deserve recognition for starting this venture. A person that essentially is a co-founder of Paquera Mezcal, who’s so humble he wouldn’t take the credit as such, is an inspiring individual, Jose Ramirez. Born in Mexico, he wears many hats when it comes to his career, from city manager to running a successful import company, he is the glue and provides a wealth of knowledge when it comes to mezcal and the beverage industry. He was instrumental in working with CRM to best voice the feedback and needs of mezcal producers. CRM is the Mexican government body that regulates the certification of mezcal.

None of this would be possible if we didn’t work with incredible producers like Juan Hernández, Luis Juárez and his family. We are incredibly grateful to have them be a part of a dynamic cooperative that voices the specific needs of smaller local producers. We believe they produce some of the best mezcal in the world and we are forever grateful to be brought in like family.

I also would like to give a Shoutout to my family. They have been incredibly supportive through thick and thin. To our partners, thank you so much for your support and belief in our mission. A special thanks to Ken, JD, Pablo, Tim, Jackie, Brian, Brianna, and Kevin.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paqueramezcal/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/paqueramezcal/

Image Credits
Photographer: Anna Bruce