Growers are not looking for the heart to reach a certain size, specifically; instead, they’re looking for a sugar content of at least 24%. The longer the piña matures, though, the riper and more flavorful its sugars become, and yet there’s a short window before the agave becomes overripe, so they have to choose just the right time to harvest.
Agave for tequila is usually harvested after 8 to 10 years. Reportedly, some larger distillers are now harvesting immature agave plants, which results in tequilas that lack the flavor and character that arise from mature plants.
Agave cultivation traditionally is highly labor intensive because the plants must be tended and harvested by hand.
Once the piñas have been cooked and softened, they’re mashed to separate the juices from the pulp. Traditionally, they were crushed with large wooden mallets, and then, later, large stone grinding wheels. Some distilleries still use the grinding wheels, but most now use mechanical crushers.
Notes
Green mangoes are different from merely underripe mangoes: They’re picked from the tree while still crisp and fully sour. They are often sold at markets that specialize in Central American ingredients, though depending on where you live and shop, they may be hard to find. If you can’t locate true green mangoes, try to find the most underripe mangoes you can. Also note: Green mangoes are typically a smaller, palm-sized variety, not the huge one-pound Tommy Atkins mangoes that predominate at most American markets. If you do use a Tommy Atkins, just one or two fruits should suffice.
