The Agave tequilana is indigenous to Mexico. They said no way, no chance. Each plant is so heavy to work with.". SKU: UPC: 1234517061 Availability: The quantities available online are less than the total that we have available. Today, it is cultivated worldwide as an ornamental plant. Description: The Agave tequilana (Blue Agave) is a medium-sized species that forms a spreading succulents rosette with rather thin, rigid blue green leaves, it suckers from the base and can grow up to 2–4 metres in diameter. Agave tequilana 'Sunrise' (Sunrise Tequila Agave) -A medium to large agave to 5 to 6 feet tall with open rosettes of narrow light gray colored leaves that have pale yellow bands along the small toothed … Reproduction of Agave species in Australia … In fact, feeding encourages flowering, which you don’t want to happen too soon because most agave plants die after flowering. I don't mind hard work, but this was on a whole other level," Becker says. Different varieties average 1 to 20 feet tall and 1 to 10 feet wide. And, Pinché is very delicious. The pair harvested around three tonnes of pia from this Queensland Blue Agave plant, before transporting it to Pokolbin, in the Hunter Valley, where they cooked the plant to extract the honey-water. Free delivery and returns on eBay Plus items for Plus members. Then, one weekend we did the whole batch, transforming it into liquid form by pressing it and then fermenting it," Becker says. Several hectares of the exotic Agave were planted in Ayr, Queensland, in 2009 by Don Chambers from AusAgave. The pair harvested around three tonnes of pia from this Queensland Blue Agave plant, before transporting it to Pokolbin, in the Hunter Valley, where they cooked the plant to extract the honey-water. Blue agave … Fire bans prevented the pair from cooking the pia in a fire pit below the ground, like they do in Mexico to make mezcal. So, what do you call the very first spirit … Highly delicious. In Mexico, tequila is actually made from the sap of the agave tequilana … "We read about all the hazards, but clearly underestimated the extent of the protective equipment we'd need [to safely harvest the plants]," Becker says. I don't mind hard work, but this was on a whole other level," Becker says. Unlike in Mexico, the spiky succulents are not being grown in Australia to produce tequila, but rather for a green energy initiative. Botanical Name: Agave angustifolia. Hard yakka: Becker and McShaddock with their first crop of harvested blue agave. Most plants only bloom once in their lifetime. Are you familiar with the alcoholic beverage tequila? Then, give the plant a week or so to adjust before you water it again. Agave … When grown in an environment they like, they need very little supplemental care from you. Agave … Agave is a canna plant, a succulent, which requires very little water, can withstand high temperatures and poor growing conditions, and flourishes in dry and arid conditions. Plan to repot your agave plant every couple of years with new soil. Use a well-draining potting mix made for succulents. "The French said the same thing about wine for centuries... You at least have to try." It was not planted to be made into a distillate. Moreover, most agaves prefer a climate with low humidity. The hotter the climate is, the more shade they can handle. "He was keen to share his knowledge, and also learn about the process of how to make it. This is the first time ever that an Australian grown agave distillate has been produced in Australia. . To get to it, you need to shear off all the leaves using the coa and then lift it out of the ground. You'd be sweating and wiping your face and just end up spreading it all over yourself . It can cause a painful burning sensation and may develop into blisters and dermatitis. Unfortunately, you probably won’t notice this until it’s too late to save the plant. "I called the company responsible for growing the crop and asked if I could buy some agave to try and make a tequila-like spirit out of it. You'd be sweating and wiping your face and just end up spreading it all over yourself . Once the sugars were fermented dry, the next step was distillation. Becker kept contacting Chambers every six months, to see if he'd changed his mind. "We teamed up with Shane Casey from Brix Distillers in Surry Hills to do the distillation," Becker says. It has become naturalized in many regions, including the West Indies, parts of South America, the southern Mediterranean Basin, and parts of … If they succeeded, they would be the first to harvest Australian grown Blue Agave to make a distillate from it. Reproduction of agave species in Australia is believed to be restricted to vegetative … The trial planting was designed to test the quality and viability of Blue Agave to be used on a commercial basis as a biofuel, a natural sugar alternative, and a source of manufacturing fibre. The plant favors altitudes of more than 1,500 meters (5,000 ft) and grows in rich and sandy soils. "It was brutal. For most agave species, once the flowers produce berry seed pods, the plant dies. All tequila starts with Blue Weber Agave, also known as agave tequilana. Several hectares of the exotic Agave were planted in Ayr, Queensland, in 2009 by Don Chambers from AusAgave. When agave matures after several years or even several decades, a tall flower stalk often grows out of the plant’s center. However, when you are first establishing a plant, water it every four or five days for the first month. It was like getting shards of fibreglass in your skin. Agaves are grown for their dramatic foliage, not their flowers. Drink with reverence. Jimadors (Mexican farmers who harvest agave plants primarily to produce tequila) cut the leaves off the plant, leaving what they call … generally are succulents with large leaves that end in spiny tips. Agave angustifolia is widely used in the production of mezcal and pulque, though at least 10 other Agave species are also known to be used for this. "We did a few trial runs with a few small batches, to get a feel for what we were doing. Definition: Mexican slang or curse word, used as an amplifier word to lay emphasis on a good or bad situation; for example, 'pinche carbon', meaning 'f---ing arsehole'. The majority of agave plants can't tolerate frost and only can grow as far north as USDA growing zones 8 or 9. Shop today! "I was saying name your price, we want to do it, but they wouldn't budge. The surface of the leaves using the coa and then lift it of! 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