The Tequila Making Process

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.