A Fermented Pineapple Drink for Gut Health: Tepache
Refresh your body and boost your gut health with Tepache, a naturally fermented Mexican drink made from pineapple peels, sugar, and spices. This easy, probiotic-rich recipe is lightly fizzy, sweet-tart, and a great way to reduce food waste while supporting digestion—perfect for a healthy, homemade refreshment straight from your kitchen!
Equipment
- A large glass jar or non-reactive container (like ceramic or stainless steel).
- Cheesecloth or a clean kitchen towel to cover the container.
- A rubber band or string to secure the cloth.
- A wooden spoon
- Flip-top glass bottles for secondary fermentation if you want extra fizz.optional
Ingredients
- 1 ripe pineapple peels, and core only (save the pineapple flesh for another use)
- ½ to ¾ cup unrefined cane sugar brown sugar, or piloncillo (adjust to taste)
- 8 cups filtered water
- 1 small cinnamon stick optional
- 2-3 whole cloves optional
Instructions
- Prepare the pineapple: Peel and chop up the core after thoroughly washing it. You’ll use the rinds and core, so save the juicy flesh for another recipe or snack.
- Gather ingredients: Place the pineapple rinds and core into your clean jar. Add your sugar and toss in the cinnamon stick. Experiment with optional spices, such as whole cloves, star anise, slices of fresh ginger, or citrus peel at this stage if desired.
- Add water: Pour enough water into the jar to cover the pineapple completely. Leave about an inch of space at the top to allow gases to escape as they ferment. Place a fermentation weight on the pineapple to hold the solids beneath the liquid.
- Stir and cover: Use a wooden spoon to dissolve the sugar as much as possible. Cover the jar with cheese cloth or a thin kitchen towel and secure it tightly with a string or rubber band. This helps air circulate while keeping out the dust and fruit flies of your fermented Mexican drink.
- Let it ferment: Let the jar sit in a warm spot but out of direct sunlight (ideally 70-75°F). After about 24-48 hours, you’ll notice tiny bubbles forming—this means fermentation is working!
- Taste-test the progress: Taste your tepache around the second or third day. If it’s tangy with a hint of sweetness, it’s ready. Would you prefer it on the fizzy side? Let it go another day or two. Please don’t wait too long, though, or it may become overly sour.
- Strain and bottle: Once the tepache has reached the flavor and fizz you like, Remove the pineapple rinds and spices using a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth in a strainer. Transfer the liquid into a half-gallon jar and store it in the fridge. If you’re going for a fizzy finish, use flip-top bottles and allow the strained tepache a second fermentation for another day at room temperature before refrigerating.
- Discard Pineapple Scraps: Toss the pineapple rinds and spices in the compost bin.
Notes
Special Tools (affiliate links): Glass Swing Top Bottles | Glass Fermentation Bottles with Airlocks | Glass Fermentation Jar with Spigot |
