Pineapple Tepache is a Drink I Love!

Pineapple Tepache is a drink I really enjoy making. It’s full of beneficial probiotics and tastes so delightful.

It’s made by using the pineapple skin, which of-course is usually just thrown away or composted.

Follow these simple instructions.

Easy Recipe to make Pineapple Tepache

First Fermentation

3 Simple Ingredients:

• 2 litres of 8 cups of filtered or purified water
• 1 cup of raw sugar or light brown sugar- (I use a little less than that)
• 1 pineapple – I use the Topless Gold as I find it is nearly always sweet

Prepare the syrup:

• Bring 1 cup water to the boil
• Add the sugar to a wide-mouth jar
• Pour the boiling water over the sugar ad stir well until dissolved
• Fill the jar with water until about 3/4’s full and allow to fully cool

Prepare the pineapple:

• Wash the outside of the pineapple really well
• Cut off the pineapple skin remembering to leave a little of the flesh still attached. This is the part you will use to make the drink.
• Use the flesh of the pineapple for whatever you would normally do.
  • It’s good to try and eat the centre piece, or the stem of the pineapple, as it contains high levels of bromelain (enzymes) (as does the flesh). Bromelain is good for tenderizing meat. Also great for indigestion, inflammation or swelling.

Finishing off:

• Add the pineapple skins to the syrup and stir to combine
• I stack the skins so that they do not rise up to the top (It’s important to not allow the skins to rise above the waterline at any point during this First Fermentation)
• Top up with the rest of the water and stir again
• Cover the jar with a piece of muslin (cheesecloth) and secure it with an elastic band

Leaving for First Fermentation:

• Place the jar so that it’s out of direct sunlight in a warm spot
• Leave to ferment for between 1 – 7 days. This is depending upon the temperature as it ferments quickly during hot weather, but in cold weather it could take up to 7 days.
• Each day give it a shake or stir and check the taste
• If the pineapple skins have risen up above the waterline, push them back down again as they will go moldy otherwise

Bottling:

• Skim off any foam or scum from the top of the tepache
• Remove and discard the pineapple skins
• Either use a 2 litre glass bottle or 2 x 1 litre glass bottles
• Pour the liquid through a strainer into a jug
• Then pour the liquid from the jug into the bottles

Second Fermentation

• Tightly seal the bottles
• Leave on the bench to build up more carbonation (between 1 – 3 days depending on temperature)
• Make sure you burp the bottles every couple of days to release some of the pressure. It can explode otherwise! You do this by opening the lids slightly and then tightly closing again

Enjoy:

• Pour yourself a glass and enjoy!
• Store the remainder in the fridge which will slow down the fermentation process

The good thing about this recipe is that you an use all kinds of fruits to make a similar cultured drink. Pineapple Tepache is a drink I make often, but occasionally I like to have a change. I’ve used lemons (yum) and apples (not as yum but still pretty good). I love the pineapple though!

Learn more about Good Probiotic Foods