What is tepache?
Tepache is a fermented beverage made from the peel and rind of pineapples, sweetened with piloncillo or brown sugar, seasoned with powdered cinnamon, and served cold. It is popularly sold by street vendors in Mexico and can be found in Mexican American restaurants and juice bars in the Southwestern United States.
The fermentation process is a simple and quick one, making it easy to produce the effervescent drink at home. The microorganisms found in tepache include various bacteria, such as Lactobacillus pentosus, L. paracasei, L. plantarum, and L. lactis, and yeast from the genus Saccharomyces. Its origins stem from Pre-Columbian Mexico, and it is believed to have been a popular drink among the Nahua people of central Mexico.
While a modern pineapple tepache recipe often uses pineapple rinds as the foodstuff fermented to produce the tart drink, some variations, such as tepache de tibicos, use symbiotic cultures of tibicos (also known as water kefir).
What are the benefits of making tepache?
1. Easy to digest
There are many health benefits from drinking tepache. Tepache is easy to digest because the fermentation process pre-digests the sugars in the fruit while also creating probiotics that help improve overall gut health.
Three yeasts that were identified in tepache were able to survive under conditions that simulate the gastrointestinal tract and adhere to mucin in high percentages. In addition, they all showed excellent antioxidant activity.
2. Rich flavor
Making tepache produces a rich flavor due to the combination of acids, sugars, and volatile flavor compounds produced by the consumption of sugars by bacteria and yeast during fermentation.
The acids, sugars, and volatile compounds add complexity and depth to the tepache, which is further enhanced by the addition of spices like cinnamon, cloves, ginger, star anise, and even hot peppers.
3. Contains probiotics
Making tepache provides probiotics because the fermentation process increases the presence of beneficial bacteria and microorganisms such as lactic acid-producing bacteria and Saccharomyces boulardii. These microorganisms are essential for maintaining the microbial flora of the gut, aiding in digestion, and supporting the immune system.
The vitamin content of tepache is also increased during fermentation, providing additional essential vitamins and minerals such as vitamin C, A, B, and magnesium. The presence of bromelain in tepache also helps to fight parasites, reduce inflammation, and promote weight loss. All of these probiotic benefits make tepache a nutritious and delicious beverage.
5. Helps to maintain healthy digestion
Making tepache helps maintain healthy digestion by providing prebiotics and probiotics, which aid in the digestion of food and help restore the gut microbiome. It also contains beneficial bacteria and acids, as well as vitamins A, B, and C, and minerals like magnesium. The drink also contains bromelain, an enzyme that helps to improve the digestive process.
6. Contains antioxidants
Making tepache helps to protect from oxidative damage because it is rich in beneficial bacteria and probiotics, as well as beneficial acids from the enzymes in pineapple, which is a good source of vitamin C.
The fermentation process also helps to increase the content of B vitamins and beneficial acids, while the presence of bromelain helps to improve digestion. Additionally, the probiotics created by the natural yeasts and bacteria help to boost the immune system and reduce oxidative damage to the body by keeping the good bacteria in the gut healthy.
7. Rich in food-based B vitamins
Tepache contains various vitamins and minerals such as vitamin C, A, B, and magnesium, as well as beneficial enzymes like bromelain.
These ingredients can help with digestion, weight loss, and fighting intestinal parasites. Over-the-counter Vitamin B supplements, on the other hand, provide a concentrated dose of B vitamins, but, vitamin B supplements don’t contain the additional probiotic benefits that you get with tepache.
How to Make Tepache
Step 1: Gather Your Ingredients
Ingredients Needed to Make Tepache:
- 1 fresh pineapple, cut and peeled, with the pineapple skins saved
- 1 cups of succanat or brown sugar
- 1 cinnamon stick or 1 tablespoon of ground cinnamon
- Approximately 8-10 cups of room-temperature water
You’ll need a one-gallon glass jar, a strainer, and some swing-top bottles if you want to make it fizzy.
Some optional ingredients you can use are star anise pods, orange peels, pineapple flesh, whole cloves, or even spicy hot peppers.
Step 2: Combine the ingredients
Cut the top off of the ripe pineapple, then cut it up and separate the pineapple peels from the flesh.
Place the pineapple scraps, sugar, cinnamon stick, and other flavorings (if using) in a clean one-gallon glass jar. We don’t really need the actual pineapple fruit for this recipe, so feel free to have a snack!
Add the room-temperature water until the level of the liquid is one inch from the rim of the jar.
Stir the mixture together until the sugar is fully dissolved.
Step 3: It’s Fermentation Time!
Since this is an aerobic (with oxygen) fermentation, we want to cover the jar to prevent anything from getting inside of it but still allow ample oxygen to pass through.
To do this, cover the jar with a paper towel, coffee filter, or muslin cloth and secure it with a rubber band. I don’t recommend using cheesecloth in fermentations like this because fruit flies can fit between the weave of cheesecloth and contaminate your fermentation.
Set your jar aside on a countertop or table that’s out of direct sunlight. It does not have to be in the dark. When deciding where to place your jar, make sure you have it 5 feet away from other fermentations you may be doing, especially sourdough, as the yeast from sourdough can contaminate your tepache and make it taste like bread.
During the primary fermentation time, the yeast will eat up the sugar and convert it into CO2 and a small amount of alcohol as by-products, creating the fermented beverage.
Step 4: Strain the liquid
Your tepache is ready when you say it is! After 2-3 days, there should be lots of small bubbles. Give it a taste and see if you like the flavor or want it to get a little sourer with more fermentation time. Make sure you bottle it while it’s still bubbly because fruit fermentations transition to alcohol fermentations quickly.
When the tepache is ready, strain it through a strainer into a bowl or jar to remove all of the solid materials. I like to use nylon mesh strainers with a pretty tight weave so that my resulting tepache doesn’t have any leftover bits in it.
Step 5: Secondary Fermentation and Bottling
During the second fermentation, the goal is to bottle the tepache to trap the bubbles and create that carbonated fizz that is so unique to natural sodas like this.
Pour your tepache into swing-top bottles just until the neck of the bottle, leaving at least 1.5 inches of space. The size of the bottle doesn’t matter, so choose whichever size you would drink all of in one day so that you don’t lose the natural carbonation.
Close up the bottles and label them with the name and date. Leave them on the counter for 1-3 days and monitor closely for bubbles. You want to make sure they don’t build up too much carbonation and cause an explosion from the pressure!
If your bottles seem like they have too much pressure in them, you can gently open the swing-top while simultaneously pushing down tightly on the actual lid so that you can control the release of pressure without liquid spraying everywhere.
When you see bubbles in the bottle, you can then move the bottles to the fridge to arrest the fermentation process.
Step 6: Serve and enjoy
Enjoy chilled, on ice, with a splash of rum, or in your favorite piña colada recipe. This is great drunk as is or mixed with something else.
When you open the bottles, again, make sure you are holding down on the top to control the release of pressure so that you don’t have a tepache explosion!
FAQs
How do you make Tepache?
Making tepache is an easy and delicious way to enjoy a traditional Mexican fermented fruit drink. Tepache is made by fermenting pineapple with sugar and spices until it’s a delicious and bubbly beverage.
For a creative twist, you can infuse more flavor into your tepache by adding extra ingredients pre-fermentation. For example, try adding a few orange peels for a citrusy refreshing tepache or star anise for a wintery take on the Mexican classic.
What is the fermentation process for Tepache?
The fermentation process for Tepache is fairly simple and straightforward. To start the fermentation process, add the pineapple peels and core, sugar, and spices to a fermentation jar and top it with cool water. You don’t really need to dissolve the sugar ahead of time – it will dissolve naturally during fermentation.
Next, cover the jar with a cloth and secure it. Let it ferment at room temperature for 3 to 7 days. Hotter temperatures will cause the drink to ferment faster, while colder temperatures will slow the process down.
When the Tepache is ready to drink, it will have a sweet and tart flavor with hints of cinnamon. The drink will also have a very low alcohol content – similar to kombucha.
If you want to increase the alcohol content, you can add extra sugar to the fermentation jar and just let the drink ferment longer. If you want to make an alcohol version, I recommend looking up a recipe for pineapple beer and working from there! But keep in mind, it will turn into pineapple vinegar after a month or more.
What ingredients are needed to make Tepache?
To make tepache, you will need the following ingredients:
- Pineapple Peel
- Sugar (I use succanat or brown sugar)
- Water
- Cinnamon stick
- Cloves, Star Anise, Orange Peels (optional)
- Muslin cloth
- Glass pitcher
- Mesh strainer
How long does it take to make a batch of Tepache?
Making a batch of Tepache takes approximately 7-10 days from start to finish, on average. The total time required depends a lot on the ambient temperature in your house, which can speed up or slow down the fermentation time.
How do you know when the Tepache is ready?
Tepache is ready when the liquid is bubbly and has a pleasantly tangy and sour flavor with a hint of sweetness. If it tastes just like sugary syrup, the fermentation process still needs time.
What are some flavor variations for Tepache?
Tepache can be made in a variety of flavor variations to suit any taste. You can add flavored sugar syrups, such as rose syrup, orange peels, star anise, fresh squeezed lime juice, cinnamon sticks, cloves, chopped fruit, such as pineapple and apples, and other fruits like oranges and pears.
How should Tepache be stored and consumed?
Tepache should be stored in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
To serve, strain the tepache and put it into a pitcher with lots of ice. You can also test the batch for sweetness and add extra sugar if desired.
Tepache can be enjoyed on its own, mixed with other liquids to make cocktails, or used as a good mixer for spirits. To get the best flavor, it’s best to have it as soon as possible after it’s been made, within a week.
Is Pineapple Tepache safe for kids to drink?
The recipe that I am using here is safe for kids to drink. While a small amount of alcohol is a natural byproduct of fermentation, a lot more sugar is required to create a meaningful amount of alcohol.
You can always get the tools to test alcohol levels at home, but rest assured that most fermented drinks don’t produce alcohol in levels of concern unless the recipe is specifically designed for that.
