Pineapple Tepache (With Variations)

By
Robin Grose
Robin Grose
Food writer who lived in Mexico City for 20 years, learning key flavors and techniques to create Mexican food recipes.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 02/8/24
Tested by
Carrie Parente
Carrie Parente
Tested by Carrie Parente
Carrie is a freelance food stylist and culinary producer who loves having a table full of guests.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Fermentation Time: 48 hrs
Total: 48 hrs 10 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Yield: 4 1/2 cups

Tepache de piña, a slightly fermented drink made from fresh pineapple peel and core, is one of the most refreshing beverages you might encounter.

Amber-colored pineapple tepache in glasses and in a bottle

The Spruce Eats / Teena Agnel

In addition to its delicious flavor, tepache takes advantage of parts of the fruit that we usually just throw away or compost. It also requires an ingredient you may or may not have come into contact with before: piloncillo, a raw form of pure cane sugar that's boiled down into a cone-shaped mold and commonly used in Mexican cooking.

If you live near a Mexican grocer or your supermarket has a well-stocked section of foods from around the world, you may be able to find this ingredient. If not, brown sugar will do; it's not exactly the same, but it's a close second.

Tepache has a faster fermentation than, say, making kombucha, but the process isn't completely different. The tepache needs to sit for a couple of days at room temperature, so if you are making this delicious drink for a special occasion, plan ahead of time.

Tips for Making Tepache

  • Save your pineapple peels and double or even triple this recipe to make a larger batch.
  • If the ambient temperature in your kitchen is warmer, the tepache will ferment faster than it will at a cooler room temperature. To determine when the tepache is ready, just taste it! It should have a pleasant, sweet, lightly fermented flavor but you can ferment it longer if you like a more pronounced, boozy flavor.
  • If you're having issues with fruit flies being attracted to the tepache, secure the kitchen towel with a piece of kitchen twine to the top of the pot.
What You'll Need To Make This Pineapple Tepache Recipe
A Good Pot
A Nice Sharp Knife
A Clean Kitchen Towel

“A little sweet, a little funky, a little fizzy and a lot refreshing. Works with either piloncillo or brown sugar. Can’t wait to change it up next time by adding ginger and a clove. Perfect drink for summer as is or make it into an adult beverage by adding tequila or rum.” —Carrie Parente

Pineapple Tepache Tester Image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 4 1/2 cups water

  • 1/2 cup piloncillo, or brown sugar

  • 1 ripe fresh pineapple

  • 1 cinnamon stick

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for pineapple tepache recipe gathered

    The Spruce Eats / Teena Agnel

  2. 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.

    Water and dissolved brown sugar in a pot

    The Spruce Eats / Teena Agnel

  3. Cut off the crown from the pineapple and discard. Wash the outside of the pineapple with water.

    Pineapple with the crown cut off on a cutting board

    The Spruce Eats / Teena Agnel

  4. 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.

    Peeled pineapple with removed peel on a cutting board

    The Spruce Eats / Teena Agnel

  5. Place the pieces of peel into the pot. Add the stick of cinnamon.

    Pineapple peel and cinnamon stick in a pot

    The Spruce Eats / Teena Agnel

  6. Cut the fruit of the pineapple into slices or chunks, reserving the fibrous core. Store the fruit for another use.

    Diced pineapple and core on a cutting board

    The Spruce Eats / Teena Agnel

  7. Add the core, whole or in chunks, to the pot and stir.

    Pineapple core added to the pot with the peels

    The Spruce Eats / Teena Agnel

  8. 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.

    Pot covered with a dish towel

    The Spruce Eats / Teena Agnel

  9. 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.

    Frothy white foam forming on top of the fermenting pineapple mixture

    The Spruce Eats / Teena Agnel

  10. Once your tepache has reached the desired level of fermentation, strain out, and discard all the solids.

    Pineapple being strained through a wire mesh sieve into a bowl

    The Spruce Eats / Teena Agnel

  11. Transfer the liquid to a pitcher and refrigerate.

    Amber-colored tepache in a glass bottle

    The Spruce Eats / Teena Agnel

  12. Before serving, take a test drink. Add more water or sugar to taste; it's not uncommon to dilute with more water.

    Bottle filled with tepache, measuring cup with water, and a bowl of sugar

    The Spruce Eats / Teena Agnel

  13. Serve over ice, if desired. Enjoy.

    Tepache in a glass bottle and in tall glasses with ice

    The Spruce Eats / Teena Agnel

How to Store Pineapple Tepache

Once it's fermented, tepache should be stored in the refrigerator. It will keep for up to a week, very slowly continuing the fermentation process. It will gradually start to smell more like vinegar the longer it keeps.

Recipe Variations

  • Add a bit of fresh-squeezed lime juice to the final product (either to the pitcher or in individual glasses) to give it an extra-refreshing punch.
  • Add a few whole cloves in addition to the cinnamon to the mixture in the pot for an additional bit of spice.
  • Add chopped fruit (pineapple, apples, etc.) to the pitcher of tepache before drinking—similar to what is done with sangria—for added fun and flavor. Serve with a straw and a spoon.

Why Is My Tepache Not Fermenting?

When things go wrong with fermenting a beverage, very often it's related to temperature. It's possible the ambient temperature of the room in which it was fermenting was too low. You may find it useful to look at information about kombucha brewing if you need to do some troubleshooting; the processes are similar.

Is Tepache the Same as Kombucha?

Although they are both fermented, fruity beverages, tepache and kombucha are not the same. Kombucha is a fermented tea whose process is aided by a scoby (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast). Tepache just requires sugar, water, and the pineapple core and skins. Kombucha undergoes a secondary fermentation process whereby other flavors and fruits are added; tepache typically does not.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
122 Calories
0g Fat
31g Carbs
0g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 122
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 18mg 1%
Total Carbohydrate 31g 11%
Dietary Fiber 1g 5%
Total Sugars 28g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 28mg 140%
Calcium 39mg 3%
Iron 0mg 2%
Potassium 145mg 3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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