DIY Pineapple Probiotic

If you have ever visited the riviera Maya, you may have seen little orange carts being pushed around by bicycle or motorcycle topped with blue and orange umbrellas, with their matching driver occasionally honking a bike horn connected to the whole rig and dishing out a sweet fermented pineapple beverage into small bags tied at the top and stuck with a straw in the center. This delicious bebida is called Tepache, and although the street version is refreshing on a hot Caribbean day, it, like most things, doesn’t stand a chance against the homemade version. 

Tepache typically contains trace amounts of alcohol, usually less than 1%. It has been traditionally prepared by different indigenous peoples throughout Mexico in the states of Michoacán, Oaxaca, Querétaro, Guerrero, Puebla, Chihuahua, Sinaloa, Sonora, San Luis Potosí, Veracruz, Yucatán, Campeche, Quintana Roo, Tabasco, Chiapas, Morelos, Baja California and Jalisco. Throughout history, different indigenous groups prepared tepache with a stronger concentration of alcohol to be used in spiritual ceremonies. Today it is still prepared across the country as a refreshing beverage that offers health benefits for digestion and gut health, using easily accessible fruits and a simple fermentation process.

We have been making tepache at home here in the jungle for about four years now. We like it so much, we even named our cat Tepache! Since changing my diet to accommodate my autoimmunity, it has become a staple beverage for me several times a week as it is full of probiotic power that can help balance the gut and by-proxy reduce inflammation in the body. It is also incredibly delicious and unbeatably reviving with ice on a hot jungle day. 

Tepache is an incredibly simple probiotic beverage you can easily make at home with the washed peels of pineapple, purified water, and sugar or honey. Tepache is a great probiotic recipe to try if you have found yourself a bit intimidated or bewildered at the kombucha process. Tepache is less involved, there is no SCOBY to cultivate and separate every few weeks from its dying mother layer, no second fermentation stage and less sensitivity to conditions like light and temperature. Like most ferments, think sauerkraut or sour dough bread, Tepache preparation is more of an on going process than a one and done recipe, but it is among the most simple. As you get into the habit of feeding sugar to your tepache base, you should be able to enjoy a glass or it most every day, or at least every 2-3 days.

All you need to get started is a pineapple (or the saved skins of a pineapple you already ate- washed thoroughly), a few liters of purified water, and some type of sugar to kick-start the fermentation process. I always use honey in my tepaches and will do so in this recipe today. 

For this recipe you will need: a knife, cutting board, water, pineapple, honey, and an empty vessel.

Kitchen tools needed with be a knife and cutting board, and an almost-airtight vessel of some kind. It is important to let the Tepache have a slight amount of airflow during fermentation or your beautiful vessel may very well explode from the pressure- hello probiotic power!

To begin, we will wash the pineapple and then peel it completely, cutting off all the skin. This is the magic ingredient of the drink as the pineapple skin contains a specific (healthy) bacteria that causes the whole fermentation process to happen. For this reason, not just any fruit will yield Tepache when given water and sugar. Once you have all the rinds off and washed well, go ahead and put it all inside of your clean empty vessel. 

The main ingredient in Tepache is the rind of the pineapple. You may add the fruit itself for flavor and sweetness or it can be your snack during Tepache preparation.

Next, we will pour honey all over the pineapple skins. In classic jungle fashion, I tend to eyeball this measurement but when you’re starting out I recommend to add about 1/4 cup of honey for 2 liters of water. The honey and pineapple skin are a true match made in heaven as the sugar of the honey will create a chemical reaction with the special bacteria of the pineapple skin that will cause the fermentation process to begin. The only thing missing now is a base for all the magic to happen. That said, go ahead and add your purified water, filling the vessel to be nearly full. Leave an inch or so of space at the top for the bubbles and rise inevitable to the probiotic process. 

The honey you add at this step will not determine the overall sweetness of the drink at the time of consumption. This honey is needed to start the fermentation process with the pineapple rind.

Once your vessel is full of the water, pineapple skins, and honey, find a safe place to leave it sitting for a few days and voila, your work is done. For now. Leave it be for at least three days. When you are ready to taste your creation, grab a glass and add a bit of honey to the bottom, adjust to your liking. The honey we fed to the pineapple all went to growing the ferment so the tepache doesn’t necessarily come out sweet. Usually a spoonful of honey or your preferred sweetener is enough to balance the acidity of the pineapple. 

When pouring your tepache into the glass, be sure to always strain it! This will make for the smoothest possible beverage and ensure that the base of the bacteria colony stays with the tepache for future ferments. 

Pour your tepache through a strainer, filling the glass. Stir up to blend the honey (here is where I like to throw in a spoonful of turmeric)* and ice to your liking.

To care for your tepache and keep it going to be enjoyed on a regular basis, always replace with water the amount of the beverage you poured out, and add a little honey each time you add water. It is very important to make the sure all the pineapple skin pieces are always completely covered with water, to avoid letting them mold. It is equally important to always feed honey or sugar to your tepache every time you empty it to drink some so that the fermentation process is not interrupted.  

After a few days - a week of fermentation, the Tepache will begin to take on a cloudy golden color.

Strain from your vessel into a glass and add honey or sugar to sweeten to your taste.

I recommend waiting at least 3 days before trying your Tepache. At this point in the process, you will need a strainer to strain the beverage into a glass or pitcher for drinking. Add ice and sweeten to taste with honey, sugar, or your preferred sweetener. As in all my jungle recipes, you always have the option to add a little turmeric.

Now all that’s left to do is enjoy your DIY Pineapple Probiotic and share this recipe with anyone you know who may need some extra easy fermentation in their life. If you keep your Tepache base healthy and fed with plenty of water and sugar, it will always return the favor and keep providing you with probiotic nutrients that can work wonders for your gut-biome and digestion. You now have a base ready to continue drinking from for months to come. Leave a comment below if you have any questions, and be sure to let me know how your Tepache turns out!

With much love from the selva, 

~ lex of the jungle

Our cat, Tepache, doing his best to appear as innocent as possible.