818 TEQUILA + S.A.C.R.E.D
At 818 we emphasize the earth’s importance in everything we do - that’s why we partnered with s.a.c.r.e.d. (Saving Agave for Culture, Recreation, Education, and Development) for our 818 Community Program in Mexico. We are taking agave waste and other byproducts from tequila production and using them to create usable building materials like bricks that we donate to community initiatives across Mexico. We are excited to continue working closely with s.a.c.r.e.d. on a variety of projects that touch all elements of the local economy, environment, and community.
HOW WE MAKE OUR 818 BRICKS
818’S COMMUNITY PROGRAM IN MEXICO, DEVELOPED AND REALIZED IN TANDEM WITH S.A.C.R.E.D.,
IS ONE OF MANY WAYS WE FIGHT FOR OUR PLANET.
1
THE MIX
Our bricks are crafted from agave waste and clay-rich adobe soil, combined with sand and fibers for a sturdy base.
2
THE DANCE
The mixture is “danced” together to break apart the clay and combine all the ingredients.
3
THE BRICKS
The mud is then hand-pressed into molds, creating bricks that are individually unique. The bricks then are laid out to dry in the sun.
4
THE STRUCTURE
Our bricks are used in a variety of infrastructure projects around Mexico to create meaningful community centers, libraries, and more.
DISCOVER OUR CURRENT PROJECTS
COME BACK TO SEE UPDATES AS WE CONTINUE TO GROW OUR PROGRESS.
PROJECT #1
THE LIBRARY
Location: Zapotitlán de Vadillo, Jalisco
Broke Ground: Jan 2022
Completed: Ongoing
This middle school library in Zapotitlán de Vadillo is the first project that began our journey with s.a.c.r.e.d.. It will provide a forum for a rapidly-growing school population, and give them access to scores of books to enrich their education. The library will also serve as supplemental classroom space that focuses on regenerative agriculture, ensuring that this knowledge will be preserved and passed onto future generations.
PROJECT #2
BUILDING A MEZCAL TASTING ROOM
Location: Southern Jalisco
Broke Ground: Sept 2022
Completed: Oct 2023
Arturo Campos is a fifth-generation mezcalero and the last in his community, San Juan Espanatica. His mezcal distillery, nicknamed The Tachica, was in danger of being washed away by the increasing rains as a result of climate change. 818 funded a project to reinforce the foundation of The Tachica and install a new tasting area. The mezcal produced at this distillery carries symbolic and religious meaning for the surrounding community, and the new support will help strengthen the land and preserve the cultural heritage of Arturo’s incredible legacy.
PROJECT #3
REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE AND BIODIVERSITY
Location: Zapotitlán de Vadillo, Jalisco
Broke Ground: Jan 2022
Completed: Ongoing
Beyond the waste-reduction benefits of our 818 bricks, we are committed to building an agave spirits industry that rebuilds even as it produces. We are helping to deconvert the 3.32 hectares of monoculture Blue Weber Agave fields adjacent to the Mayahuel Library into a living example of biodiverse, regenerative agriculture, which can set an example for how sustainable agriculture should be practiced. The new plots will allow students from the library to explore techniques to grow nutritious, clean, and flavorful plants, flowers, fruits, and vegetables, as well as serve as a safe haven for biodiversity, where endemic flora and fauna can thrive.
PROJECT #4
COMMUNITY PLAZA
Location: Río de Parras
Broke Ground: May 2022
Completed: February 2023
At 818, we recognize that physical meeting spaces are essential to any strong community. We’re building a town center that will merge many aspects of local culture —sports, family celebrations, and other recreation. Young people will be able to practice basketball—the preferred sport in the region—while the town will be able to celebrate their local festivities in the same space.
PROJECT #5
SIKANDA OFFICES
Location: Oaxaca
Broke Ground: Early 2023
Estimated Completion: Ongoing
818 is also supporting the construction of independent offices for SiKanda—a registered charity in Oaxaca, Mexico—that designs and implements poverty reduction programs and advocates for the promotion of human rights. They also support the informal recycler communities in Oaxaca, helping strengthen the schools in the community and teaching residents how to develop organic gardens.
PROJECT #6
WATER SECURITY PROJECT
Location: Atempa, Guerrero
Broke Ground: January 2024
Estimated Completion: May 2024
Atempa is a small, wild agave farming and mezcal making community, where rains are threatening the health of the local agriculture. Stories have been passed down among community members of subterranean water and lush caves that connect to underground lakes. When it was confirmed by geologists that these underground water reserves do exist, 818 provided funding for an elaborate well-dig. Now, the community has access to ample water, and are working on installing solar-powered pumps, a greenhouse and nursery, as well as a seed bank—all in service of securing their cultural heritage and quality of life.
why adobe bricks?
OUR BRICKS ARE CRAFTED FROM AGAVE BYPRODUCTS COMBINED WITH CLAY-RICH SOIL AND SAND. THE AGAVE FIBERS (BAGAZO) AND LIQUID BYPRODUCT OF TEQUILA PRODUCTION (VINAZA) MAKE FOR A MATERIAL THAT IS STURDY, WATERPROOF, AND FLEXIBLE.
Come Again Soon