🍍 Tepache - Pineapple "Beer" Recipe

Summary

This video guides you through making tepache, a sweet, tangy, low-alcohol pineapple beverage. It uses pineapple peels, which are typically discarded, turning them into a tasty drink that can be ready in just a few days. The process involves selecting a ripe pineapple, preparing the peels, and fermenting them with sugar (optionally maple syrup) and water. The speaker also shares tips for regrowing pineapple tops and customizing the flavor with spices like cinnamon or cloves. After fermentation, the drink is strained, chilled, and ready to enjoy, with a refreshing twist on sustainability.

Takeaways

• 😀 Tepache is a low-alcohol pineapple-flavored beverage, made from pineapple peels, and is not the same as beer.
• 🍍 Pineapple peels are typically discarded or composted, but tepache offers a sustainable way to reuse them.
• 🍺 Unlike ginger beer, tepache is sweet and tangy, with a low alcohol content of about 3.2% when fully fermented.
• 🥥 The ideal pineapple for tepache is ripe, with a strong pineapple smell and a good balance of yellow color (avoid too green or overripe).
• 💧 To regrow pineapples, you can take the leafy top, cut off the base, and place it in water, leaving the yellow part submerged.
• 🍯 While brown sugar is commonly used for tepache, maple syrup can also be substituted, as shown in the video, with good results.
• 🧂 Cloves and cinnamon sticks are traditional flavorings for tepache, but they are optional. The creator opted out due to personal reasons.
• 🥄 Mix the sugar, pineapple peels, and water in a mason jar, cover with a cheesecloth, and leave at room temperature for fermentation.
• ⏳ Tepache ferments for 12 to 24 hours. After fermentation, you may see bubbles and foam, which are signs that the process is working.
• ❄️ After straining the solids, store the finished tepache in the fridge. It can be served chilled and optionally garnished with a pineapple wedge or cinnamon stick.

Q & A

What is tepache?

Tepache is a lightly fermented pineapple beverage with low alcohol content, typically made using pineapple peels, sugar, and water. It has a sweet, tangy flavor and is similar to a pineapple soda rather than beer.

How does tepache differ from ginger beer?

Unlike ginger beer, tepache is not spicy but rather sweet and fruity. It also ferments faster—taking about two days instead of several—and generally reaches a higher alcohol content of up to around 3.2%.

What part of the pineapple is used to make tepache?

Tepache is made using the pineapple peels or rinds, which are often discarded. This makes it a sustainable way to use pineapple scraps before composting them.

How do you choose the right pineapple for making tepache?

Select a pineapple that is ripe but not overripe. It should be yellow and aromatic, but not too orange or with red spots, which indicate overripeness. A pineapple that is too green and scentless is not ripe enough.

What should be done before using the pineapple peels for tepache?

The pineapple should be washed thoroughly to remove dirt or residues. If you plan to regrow the pineapple, remove the leafy top carefully before using the rest for tepache.

What ingredients are required to make tepache?

You need pineapple peels, sugar (brown, white, or maple syrup), and water. Optional flavorings include cloves and cinnamon sticks.

How long does tepache take to ferment?

The initial fermentation lasts about 12 to 24 hours depending on room temperature. Allowing it to ferment another 12 to 24 hours makes it less sweet and slightly more alcoholic.

How can you tell when the fermentation process is going well?

You should see bubbles forming after a few hours and possibly a layer of white foam after 24 hours. The foam indicates healthy fermentation and can be scooped off before straining.

What should be done after fermentation is complete?

After fermenting, strain out the pineapple solids, compost them, and refrigerate the liquid. The chilled tepache can then be served and enjoyed.

How can tepache be served or garnished?

Tepache can be served cold, garnished with a pineapple wedge or a cinnamon stick. However, the narrator humorously notes a preference for drinks without fruit pieces hitting their face.

What type of alcohol is produced in tepache, and what should be avoided?

Tepache produces small amounts of ethanol, the safe kind of alcohol for drinking. The narrator warns never to drink methanol or isopropyl alcohol, as they are toxic and potentially deadly.

What sustainable or zero-waste practices are mentioned in the video?

The video promotes reusing pineapple peels for fermentation instead of discarding them, and also demonstrates how to regrow pineapples from their leafy tops, aligning with zero-waste principles.