The Spanish plural of tequila’s traditional agave hearts, called piña, is piñas.
A mature blue Weber agave plant has long leaves surrounding a dense central heart. Once a jimador removes the leaves, the remaining heart resembles a large pineapple, which explains the Spanish word piña. These piñas are the part harvested for cooking and sugar extraction.
After harvest, producers cook the piñas to convert stored carbohydrates into fermentable sugars. The cooked material may then be crushed or milled, and its juice or extracted sugars are fermented before distillation. Piña size varies with the plant’s age, growing conditions, and agricultural practices.
Piña is sometimes mistaken for the name of the whole agave plant. It specifically refers to the harvested heart after the leaves have been removed. The plural form is piñas, while agave and maguey refer to the plant itself or, depending on context, related agave plants.