Abstract: A process for the production of sotol by the fermentation of Dasylirion wheeleri, Dasylirion leophyllum or Dasylirion texanum using a novel methodology and apparatus is disclosed. The sotol is prepared by the process of cutting away spiky and thorn covered leaves from hearts of the harvested sotol plants; splitting and roughly shredding the hearts of the sotol plants; steaming the split and shredded hearts of the sotol plants under pressure; squeezing the steamed sotol hearts using a press to obtain an aqueous extract; and fermenting the aqueous extract to obtain sotol. The manufacturing process of the present invention provides a steady, manageable and predictable heat source, thereby allowing consistent replication of process conditions from batch to batch.