How to Make Tepache, Mexico's Ancient Fermented Pineapple Drink
"Founded by Emmanuel Casasola and Kevin Rodriguez in San Antonio, this company commercializes tepache — a native Mexican soda with roots in pre-Columbian Mexico — bringing the 3,000-year-old fermented pineapple beverage into easier reach for U.S. consumers. They emphasize traditional ingredients and methods: fermenting pineapple peels with piloncillo (raw cane sugar) and spices like cinnamon to produce a lightly effervescent, low‑alcohol (around 2–3%) drink that tastes somewhere between juicy pineapple and fruit vinegar, with a yeasty beer note and hints of buttery caramel. The operation highlights sustainability and zero‑waste principles by repurposing pineapple rinds, and its team shares practical brewing guidance (allow the batch to breathe, weigh down peels, stir daily, and refrigerate when done), while also positioning the beverage as a versatile sipper or cocktail mixer—pairing well with tequila, mezcal, rum, or whiskey—and noting that overfermentation yields pineapple vinegar useful in dressings and marinades." - Camille Berry
