How Is Agave Nectar Made?
Agave is probably best known as the plant from which tequila is made, but it also provides a nectar that has long been considered a natural sweetener. There are more than 100 varieties of Agave plants, but the blue agave is considered to be the best species for making agave nectar. Does this Spark an idea?
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Mexican Agave
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While it is theoretically possible to make agave nectar outside of Mexico, the process requires access to live plants. The majority of the world's blue agave production is limited to Mexico. Mexican laws pertaining to agave nectar limits production to several states, with most of the nectar originating in Jalisco. But no matter where the plant originates, the process of making the nectar is the same.
Extracting Nectar
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When an agave plant is seven to 10 years old, the plant's leaves are removed. The remaining ball, or base, of the plant is removed from the soil and taken to a manufacturing facility. The ball is heated to a temperature of not more than 118 degrees Fahrenheit; higher than 118 and the nectar may turn into tequila. The ball is chopped up and filtered to extract the remaining juices. The juices are then run through a centrifuge to remove impurities.
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Other Methods
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The majority of agave nectar continues to be created using the heating method. There has been some limited commercial experimentation that uses enzymes to break down the ball of the plant, but it has not proved popular with manufacturers, primarily because the enzymes change the flavor profile of the nectar.
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References
- Photo Credit agave image by Jan Ebling from Fotolia.com
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Comments
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rawrebel
Sep 11, 2010
Couple of points to add... first, the photo is not of a Blue Agave (Tequilana). Second, most production presses the juice out of the piña (you call it the "ball") before the heating process. And third, only agave nectar labeled "raw" uses heat below 118 degrees. Otherwise, higher heat is used. Note that adding more heat does not turn the juice into tequila - that is done through fermentation, which agave nectar is not allowed to ferment.
