Tepache (Mexican Fermented Pineapple Drink)

I grabbed the recipe from this website: and made some modifications since I only had 1 pineapple and didn't want to use ginger as that is how my grandma made it.

Ingredients

  • 10 cups (2.3 L) filtered water
  • 1 pound (455 g) panela or piloncillo, roughly chopped (see note) 
  • Skins and cores of 1-ripe pineapple
  • 2 cinnamon sticks (14 g)
  • 7-8 whole cloves
  • Large Ferment Ceramic Jar or a Glass Jar
  • Fermentation weights or a clean kitchen towel and rubber band

Directions

  1. In a 4-quart saucepan, bring water to a simmer over high heat. Remove from heat, add panela or piloncillo, and stir until sugar is completely dissolved. Let cool to room temperature.                                                                                                                     
  2. Add pineapple skins and cores, cinnamon sticks, and cloves to a clean 1-gallon (4L) glass jar or other nonreactive vessel. Slowly pour in the cooled sugar water, making sure the ingredients are fully submerged.                                                                              
  3. Cover the jar with cheesecloth or a clean kitchen towel and secure with a rubber band (this keeps debris, fruit flies, and other undesirables out while still allowing air flow). Store away from direct sunlight at warm room temperature, between 70 and 78°F (21 to 25°C). Let stand, until a thin layer of frothy white bubbles forms on top and you can hear a faint fizzing sound. You can check the tepache 72 hours at a minimum, depending on environmental conditions and other variables; if bubbles are not present by day 5, move the tepache to a warmer spot. Once frothy bubbles have formed, taste the tepache; it should have a sweet, earthy, and funky flavor. If you desire a funkier flavor, you can continue to ferment 1 to 2 days longer.                
          
  4. To Carbonate the Tepache (optional): Thoroughly wash and sterilize 6 16-ounce (1-pint) flip-top glass bottles. Using a funnel, fill each bottle with tepache, making sure to leave at least 3 inches of headspace. Seal bottles and store in cupboards at a warm room temperature, between 70 and 78°F (21 to 25°C) until you see small bubbles rising fairly rapidly to the top, even when capped; if in doubt, you can open one bottle to check the carbonation, resealing if there isn't enough fizz. I stored my bottled tepache in room temperature for 1 day to carbonate it.                                                                                     
  5. BE CAREFUL WHEN OPENING FIRST BOTTLE. I would recommend opening it over the sink as sometimes the bottles can explode.                                                                      
  6. Refrigerate bottled tepache and serve chilled over ice with a lime wedge.


Enjoy! 

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