Hey Hey Agave – Détails, épisodes et analyse

Maguey Minis

Maguey Minis + Episode Three 

How do agaves reproduce?

In our third installment of Maguey Minis we talk reproduction! Lorena Teran Ibarra explains both sexual and asexual reproductive mechanisms. We dive deep into the ways in which challenging environmental circumstances can initiate this plant’s inherent intelligence, driving it to reproduce. 

In this episode, you will learn about the anatomy of the quiote and its inflorescence. How pollination occurs or doesn’t, and all the ways genetic clones are produced. Please please please check out the images we curated and formatted for this episode, it really helps to have a visual reference for everything we cover:)

Each Maguey Mini episode has its own web page at TUYO.NYC and includes supportive educational materials such as diagrams, images and charts. We also created a vocabulary page with a list of terms and topics used throughout this series. Please take a look and tell us what you think!

¡Hey Hey! Agave is dedicated to all things agave. Join us for conversations with industry experts, enthusiasts, producers and educators as we discuss the fascinating world of agave spirits.

¡Hey Hey! Agave is a podcast from TUYO NYC

Music: @milagroverdebk

Editing: Brittany Prater

Production: Sabrina Lessard and Gabriel Velazquez Zazueta

Maguey Minis

Maguey Minis + Episode Two 

How do agaves grow?

In our second installment of Maguey Minis, Lorena Teran Ibarra explains the anatomy of the agave plant. We begin with the difference between monocots and eudicots and describe the latter’s particular spiral growth patterns.

We discuss the leaves or pencas of the plants and touch on some of the different morphological variations they can present. 

Did you know magueys breath at night?! We explain CAM photosynthesis and the impressive way these plants store their carbon dioxide for later use.

Each Maguey Mini episode has its own web page at TUYO.NYC and includes supportive educational materials such as diagrams, images and charts. We also created a vocabulary page with a list of terms and topics used throughout this series. Please take a look and tell us what you think!

¡Hey Hey! Agave is dedicated to all things agave. Join us for conversations with industry experts, enthusiasts, producers and educators as we discuss the fascinating world of agave spirits.

¡Hey Hey! Agave is a podcast from TUYO NYC

Music: @milagroverdebk

Editing: Brittany Prater

Production: Sabrina Lessard and Gabriel Velazquez Zazueta

20 + Niki Nakazawa & Leonardo Comercio

Neta Spirits / PM Spirits

We have two guests with us for this installment of the pod. Niki Nakazawa co-founder of the Agave Spirits Brand NETA and Leonardo Comercio of PM Spirits, an importer and distributor of small-production distillates made by artisan distillers from around the world.

Niki has lived in Mexico for the past 12 ½ years and has been involved in several culinary and spirits driven projects. In this conversation, we learn how Niki fell in love with agave spirits early on in her life and how her friendship with Max Rosenstock led them to bring Neta to the US market. 

We discuss how Max and Niki have built and developed their relationship with the cooperative of producers they work with called Grupo Productor Logoche from Logoche, in Lachigüizo which is a town outside of Miahautlan, Oaxaca. The group is composed of immediate and extended family who are mezcaleros and agave growers.

Leo tells how he was introduced to the brand and how PM came to import Neta, which is bottled as an agave spirit. We discuss PM Spirits' commitment to sourcing artisanal handcrafted spirits from around the world and their philosophy on how they build their portfolios. 

Finally, we touched on the different expressions Neta offers and specific production practices that make these spirits very special indeed.

Check out the !Hey Hey! Agave page on our website to see pictures from our guests.

¡Hey Hey! Agave is dedicated to all things agave. Join us for conversations with industry experts, enthusiasts, producers and educators as we discuss the fascinating world of agave spirits.

¡Hey Hey! Agave is a podcast from TUYO NYC

Music: @milagroverdebk

Editing: Brittany Prater

Production: Sabrina Lessard and Gabriel Velazquez Zazueta

19 + Scott Rosenbaum

/ Spirits Portfolio: Taste, place and the market

Quarantine remote podcasting continues with our guest Scott Rosenbaum, Vice President of T. Edward Wine and Spirits. In addition to developing an exceptional spirits portfolio, he also teaches at the IWC and at NYU. If you’ve been listening for a while you might remember that T. Edward’s agave portfolio includes Lagrimas de Dolores and Cinco Sentidos. We have hosted podcasts with both brand owners: German Gutierrez Gamboa of Lagrimas and Jason Paul Cox of Cinco Sentidos.

The conversation we had with Scott provides context to how the role of importer and distributor functions between the brand and the market and ultimately how they cultivate that relationship.

It also offers aspiring spirits specialists an opportunity to learn about how Scott got started in his career and the paths he took, including weathering the 2008 financial crisis. 

We made our first attempt to discuss terroir in agave spirits, a subject we hope to explore more in future episodes. The concept of terroir is fantastically complicated and imperfect when compared with wine, however, it does allow for a structure with which to talk about the different elements that make each spirit special and unique to the place the plants were grown and where the spirit was made.

Check out T. Edward's live morning show on IG! They feature producers from around the world. You get an up-close tour of their vineyards, distilleries and best of all you get to hear directly from them:)

Stay Positive and Sip Mezcal!

¡Hey Hey! Agave is dedicated to all things agave. Join us for conversations with industry experts, enthusiasts, producers and educators as we discuss the fascinating world of agave spirits.

¡Hey Hey! Agave is a podcast from TUYO NYC

Music: Milagro Verde

Editing: Brittany Prater

Production: Sabrina Lessard and Gabriel Velazquez Zazueta

18 + Ferron Salniker

/ Mezcal Community Update

Welcome to our very first remote recording! Joining us is Ferron Salniker, a freelance journalist and events manager for Mezcalistas. We thought it would be good to check in with Ferron and see how the industry is adapting to this new #stayhome quarantine world. We discuss the current state of the pandemic in LA and NY including the repercussions we are seeing in the industry so far. Ferron shares information about Mezcalistas' new virtual programming called Conversations in Agave. We also took the opportunity to discuss her recent article for Life and Thyme about the Vieyra family who produces mezcal under their brand, Don Mateo, in Michoacan. 

We are using this episode's webpage as a resource database with links to different organizations that can help people in need - everyone from service and hospitality workers as well as our undocumented friends. Please feel free to email us with other resources you think would be helpful. We will update it regularly.

Stay Safe and Healthy Everyone!

Check out the !Hey Hey! Agave page on our website to see pictures from our guests.

 ¡Hey Hey! Agave is dedicated to all things agave. Join us for conversations with industry experts, enthusiasts, producers and educators as we discuss the fascinating world of agave spirits.

¡Hey Hey! Agave is a podcast from TUYO NYC

Music: Milagro Verde

Sound Editor: Brittany Prater

Production: Sabrina Lessard and Gabriel Velazquez Zazueta

17 + Elisandro Gonzalez Molina 

/ Tosba Mezcal + PART TWO

In PART TWO, we discuss the traditional use of mezcal within Zapotec communities vs. the roll of mezcal in the international market. Elisandro explains some of the experiences he and Edgar have had within their community and how they are implementing initiatives to help support and sustain the community and the environment. Part of this collaboration is called GOZONA which is a native word used to describe how community members come together to help one another.

We taste Tosba’s latest Cenizo Agave expression (so exciting!) and Elisandro introduces us to their latest project DAKABEND, a Rum Agricole that hit the market last year. 

ASK ELISANDRO ANYTHING! 

Ask a question to Elisandro by emailing us or sending a DM.  We will record a question and answer pod with him:) This is a great opportunity to follow up on the things we discussed and ask questions about topics we didn’t cover! Everything is on the table, so dig in!

Check out the !Hey Hey! Agave page on our website to see pictures from our guests.

¡Hey Hey! Agave is dedicated to all things agave. Join us for conversations with industry experts, enthusiasts, producers and educators as we discuss the fascinating world of agave spirits.

¡Hey Hey! Agave is a podcast from TUYO NYC

Music: Milagro Verde

Production: Sabrina Lessard and Gabriel Velazquez Zazueta

Editor: Brittany Prater

17 + Elisandro Gonzalez Molina 

/ Tosba Mezcal + PART ONE

This is PART ONE of a two-part series. We speak with Elisandro Gonzalez Molina, who along with his cousin Edgar Gonzalez Ramirez, are the producer-owners of Tosba Mezcal.

PART ONE focusses on Elisandro and Edgar’s early life. He explains his experience growing up in the Sierra Norte region of Oaxaca in a town called San Cristobal Lachirioag which is a Zapotec community.

We discuss how he and Edgar decided to plant agaves before building their palenque, while they were both living and working in California. Elisandro takes us through the early days when they were first learning how to make mezcal, including how they built their palenque using an old roof from the local Mercado. Elisandro gives us his perspective on the reality of mezcaleros today and he shares the difficulties he and Edgar faced when certifying their destilados de agave.

We end the conversation with Elisandro explaining Edgar's production style and we review the expressions they currently offer in the US market.

Check out the !Hey Hey! Agave page on our website to see pictures from our guests.

¡Hey Hey! Agave is dedicated to all things agave. Join us for conversations with industry experts, enthusiasts, producers and educators as we discuss the fascinating world of agave spirits.

¡Hey Hey! Agave is a podcast from TUYO NYC

Music: Milagro Verde

Production: Sabrina Lessard and Gabriel Velazquez Zazueta

Editor: Brittany Prater

16 + Jason Paul Cox

/ Cinco Sentidos

In this episode, we talk with Jason Paul Cox. Jason is the owner of Cinco Sentidos, a small batch agave spirits brand specializing in artisanal and ancestral single expression mezcals. Cinco Sentidos tends to be a sought-after brand due to the limited number of expressions that make it to a few lucky US States. 

Jason explains the brands' origin and development alongside El Destilado his farm-to-table restaurant with partner Joseph Gilbert in Oaxaca City. We discuss some of the expressions that are available in the US, including the Papalome produced by Amando Alvarez in Santa Maria Ixcatlan. 

We talk about a 20-day agave roast, raw-hide fermentation and what makes Delfino Tobón Mejia’s lenteja still unique. Look out for the new La Coleccion Mixteca, a series of agave spirits from the Mixteca region which includes areas in Oaxaca, Puebla, and Guerrero (so far this collection includes expressions from Puebla and Oaxaca).

Jason also introduced us to his newest project, an agricole-style rum, or aguardiente de caña. Cañada is produced by the Krassel family in the region of Oaxaca known as the cloud forest.Read more about Jason and Cinco Sentidos here:

T Edward Wine and Spirits / Cinco Sentidos

K&L Spirits Journal / What's in a name?

Check out the !Hey Hey! Agave page on our website to see pictures from our guests.

¡Hey Hey! Agave is dedicated to all things agave. Join us for conversations with industry experts, enthusiasts, producers and educators as we discuss the fascinating world of agave spirits.

¡Hey Hey! Agave is a podcast from TUYO NYC

Music: Milagro Verde

Production: Sabrina Lessard and Gabriel Velazquez Zazueta

15 + Dalton Kreiss & Hanna Woodside

/ Maguey Melate

In this episode, we talk with the founders and owners of Maguey Melate, a subscription-based agave spirits club. Dalton and Hanna explain how and why they decided to create a bi-monthly subscription model. We discuss what it’s like to build a business from scratch and how the creation of the signature box developed over time. 

They also spoke in detail about their motivation behind highlighting the Mezcalero in such a prominent way, how they utilize video and social media to educate their customers and why they believe transparency matters. If you want to learn why these guys choose to bottle as Agave Spirits instead of Mezcal this is a must-listen. 

Dalton and Hanna live in Oaxaca and we talked about what it has been like integrating into the community, the importance of building trust with their producers and how they had help from amazing friends and colleagues.

Check out the !Hey Hey! Agave page on our website to see pictures from our guests.

¡Hey Hey! Agave is dedicated to all things agave. Join us for conversations with industry experts, enthusiasts, producers and educators as we discuss the fascinating world of agave spirits.

¡Hey Hey! Agave is a podcast from TUYO NYC

Music: Milagro Verde

Production: Sabrina Lessard and Gabriel Velazquez Zazueta

14 + Field Notes / Michoacán 

We are excited to announce that this episode is the first in an ongoing series we are calling Field Notes. These are conversations we have with friends and colleagues who have recently returned from trips to Mexico researching Mezcal and agave distillate production.

Today's edition features Michoacán. Our guest is Tess Rose Lampert who traveled to Michoacán with Ferron Salniker. Tess and Ferron were researching producers and planning the itinerary for some upcoming tours that Mezcalistas will be offering to both the TRADE and Consumers.

We talk Cupreata Agaves, production styles and particular traditions that surround the spirit. Tess also explained what it's like to travel to vinatas using the Ruta de Mezcal, a series of signage used to help travelers connect with local producers.

¡Hey Hey! Agave is dedicated to all things agave. Join us for conversations with industry experts, enthusiasts, producers and educators as we discuss the fascinating world of agave spirits.

¡Hey Hey! Agave is a podcast from TUYO NYC

Music: Milagro Verde

Production: Sabrina Lessard and Gabriel Velazquez Zazueta

Editor: Brittany Prater