Spirit release: St. George's Agua Azul

Alameda's St. George Spirits debuted the first U.S.-produced agave spirit (which cannot legally be called Tequila) last month. St. George Spirits president and master distiller Jorg Rupf and vice president and distiller Lance Winters, who are co-owners, have broken new ground. Dubbed Agua Azul, their newest spirit is made with the entire blue agave pinas - not just with its juice as is the case with Tequilas.

It took two years of navigating red tape before 40,000 pounds of already steamed pinas were shipped from Jalisco to St. George Spirits in refrigerated trucks. After solving monumental challenges - including chopping up the rope-like pina fibers - Rupf and Winters were able to bottle a total of four barrels. Half is Cristal ($60), which is the silver or blanco bottling; the remainder is equally split between Reposado ($80) and Anejo ($120). All three are clean, complex, smooth and sippable, with less of the overt alcoholic kick found in some imported brands.

Agua Azul is a labor of love, and Rupf and Winters won't commit to when they will be making it again.

Very limited production. Available only from St. George Spirits; (510) 769-1601.

This article appeared on page F - 2 of the San Francisco Chronicle