Tepache Recipes

TEPACHE

Steps:

• Chop pineapple into small segments, including the rind. You can remove the woody core from the segments if you wish. Add to a large container, e.g. a Mason jar with only a flat lid. The container needs to be able to expel the gas that will build up during fermentation, but also needs to be somewhat airtight to prevent the formation of vinegar.
• Crush ginger slightly with the side of a knife to open it up. Add ginger, brown sugar, habanero peppers, cinnamon, and water to the container. Stir to combine, cover, and let stand for 2 days in a warm place until mixture slightly fizzy and warm to the touch.
• Strain mixture through a fine-meshed sieve into fermentation-grade bottles. Cover and store in your refrigerator. Enjoy for up to 1 week. Tepache may continue to carbonate in the bottles while stored and explode if left too long.

PINEAPPLE TEPACHE (WITH VARIATIONS)

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Combine the water and piloncillo or brown sugar in a pot or 2-quart mason jar. Stir to dissolve the sugar. If you are using piloncillo, it will take longer to dissolve; stir the water occasionally with a wooden spoon and break the piloncillo up as it softens.
• Cut off the crown from the pineapple and discard. Wash the outside of the pineapple with water.
• Peel your pineapple on a cutting board. Cut a slice off the top of the fruit, another slice off the bottom, and then slice the peel off in strips-or use your favorite method, as long as you end up with a peeled pineapple.
• Place the pieces of peel into the pot. Add the stick of cinnamon.
• Cut the fruit of the pineapple into slices or chunks, reserving the fibrous core. Store the fruit for another use.
• Add the core, whole or in chunks, to the pot and stir.
• Cover the pot with a dish towel, and set it on the kitchen counter at room temperature-it should be easily accessible but also out of the way. The towel will keep out any foreign matter while allowing air to reach the mixture, to ensure a successful fermentation.
• After 24 to 36 hours, check your tepache. If you see a bit of frothy white foam on the surface of the water, it's fermenting. You can drink it as is, or let it continue to brew another day or so. If you do not see any white froth, cover the pot again and check it after another 24 hours; the time necessary for fermentation will vary according to the room temperature, ripeness of the pineapple, and other factors.
• Once your tepache has reached the desired level of fermentation, strain out, and discard all the solids.
• Transfer the liquid to a pitcher and refrigerate.
• Before serving, take a test drink. Add more water or sugar to taste; it's not uncommon to dilute with more water.
• Serve over ice, if desired. Enjoy.

TEPACHE RECIPE (PINEAPPLE BEER)

Steps:

• Rinse the pineapple roughly. Cut off the stem and the head and dispose of in compost.
• Cut the pineapple skin into large sections. Set aside. Separate the flesh from the core, and save the pineapple flesh for another recipe.
• Put the pineapple skin and core in the jar. Add sugar and spices, then cover with water up to about 5 cm (2 inches) from the rim.
• Using a wooden spoon, stir well until the sugar is dissolved.
• Close the jar with the lid.
• Let it ferment for 2 to 5 days. Shake the jar daily or stir with a wooden spoon.
• When bubbles appear and you like the taste, strain the tepache to remove the pineapple and spices.
• Bottle the tepache in pressure-resistant bottles. Let sit at room temperature for a day or two, or until the fizz is to your liking. Be careful, tepache is known to be explosive!
• Refrigerate for a few hours before drinking it chilled, on ice, with a splash of rum or in your favourite piña colada recipe!

PINEAPPLE TEPACHE

Steps:

• Wash and remove the pineapple crown. Carefully remove the rind and set aside. Cut one 1/2-inch slice of pineapple and set it aside for this recipe. Reserve remaining pineapple for a different use.
• Place the pineapple rind in a large pot with water, brown sugar, apple slices, and cinnamon over medium-high heat; bring to a boil. Boil for about 15 minutes. Turn off heat and allow mixture to cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
• Add pineapple slice, cover, and allow to sit at room temperature until tepache has fermented to the desired degree, about 36 hours.
• Strain tepache though a sieve in order to remove solids and store drink covered in the refrigerator.

TEPACHE

Steps:

• In a small pot, toast the whole spices over high heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Add the water, sugar, and salt and bring to a boil. Once the sugar is mostly dissolved, remove from the heat and let cool to lukewarm.
• Place the pineapple rinds in a large vessel such as a pitcher, a deep clay pot, or a jug. Pour the spiced sugar syrup over the rinds and add more water until the rinds are completely covered. Cover the vessel opening with cheesecloth-you can tie it in place with twine-and allow to ferment at room temperature until there is foam on the surface and the texture of the liquid is slightly viscous, 2-4 days. Stir once a day.
• Strain (discard the solids). Add the chia seeds if using, stirring occasionally for 15 minutes to avoid clumping, and then refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 1 week. You can adjust the sweetness up or down by adding more water or more sugar.
• Serve over plenty of ice.