The Tequila Making Process
02. Preparing the Agave
05
Preparing the Agave: Breaking Down the Agave Piñas
Prior to cooking, the agave piñas are broken down to evenly sized halves or quarters. This is done for a number of reasons:
- Stackable pieces maximize space in small ovens.
- Evenly cut pieces ensure more consistent cooking.
- Splitting the piñas manually allows for the cogollo (ko-Goy-yo), the cluster of shorter leaves buried in the head of a non-flowering agave, to be carefully removed. This is done because the woody cogollo can impart a bitter flavor to the roasted agave.
![](https://d1rk9qlv4dolo3.cloudfront.net/general/_450x450_crop_center-center_60_line/NEW-06-_-Cutting-the-Cogollo_72-copy.jpg 450w)
At Patrón: the cogollo is removed from every agave.
Chapter 5: The Tequila Making Process
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