Tepache

Tepache is a pre-colonial Mexican beverage that is nowadays mostly made from fermented pineapples. The base of the drink is usually made with pineapple chunks (together with the rind), brown or cane sugar (piloncillo), and spices such as cinnamon, cloves, allspice, or ginger.

The ingredients are topped with water and are then left to ferment for a couple of days before the drink is ready for serving. Tepache is low in alcohol, lightly effervescent, subtly tangy, and usually described as funky. It is often sold in plastic bags or containers, and it is also commonly served in Mexican taquerias.

Recently, it has been promoted as an excellent cocktail ingredient, and it is also often mixed with beer. It is believed that the first versions of tepache were made with corn because the word tepache probably stems from the Aztec word tepiātl, meaning the drink made from corn.

Since its beginnings, tepache has seen many alterations, and it is easily tweaked with additional ingredients.