Tepache

Alcoholic beverages which are not classified as spirits.

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zapata
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Joined: Fri Jul 07, 2017 1:06 pm

Tepache

Post by zapata »

Didnt know exactly where to put this. It's not exactly a beer or wine, though related to both in some way. Feel free to move to a better home.

Anybody make tepache? A quick search only turned up 1 off hand comment.
Anybody even drink It? I've had some in different parts of Mexico. Straight from sidewalk vendors in little bags with straws, or mixed with beer in a restaurant. Had one or two fancy cocktails with tepache in fancy bars.
It's so freaking fall down simple and cheap you can't not make it.

For those not in the know, it's a low alcohol (no alcohol? kids drink it...) wild fermented beverage made principally from pineapple skins. It's a traditional beverage of pre-columbian indigenous mexico. It's earthy, funky, pineappley (duh), sometimes a bit sour and can be pretty sweet though I think it's more refreshing not so sweet.

The one I'm sipping on now is something like

Tepache
3/4 - 1 cup brown sugar (pilloncillo is authentic, But I used a good demerara. Definitely want some kind of brown)
The rind of 1/2 pineapple
1 cinnamon stick
3 whole cloves
Hoja santa, 1/2 leaf (totally optional and experimental, if you don't know what it is you probably can't get it, skip, or substitute for a dab of something licorice or rootbeerish)
Water

1. Predissolve the sugar into a syrup, especially if using pilloncillo as it can be difficult to dissolve
2. Dont wash the pineapple beyond a good rinse, the yeast and microbes come from the pineapple. Cut skins into strips or chunks, eat the pineapple separately.
3. Add everything to a 1/2 gallon jar, top up with water and mix.
4. Cover loosely, wait for a few days depending on temps, warmer is faster, no control needed though. Maybe "punch the cap" if your skins are floating above the surface, sometimes they can get moldy, especially if it isn't hot and takes a few days to ferment.
5. When it goes cloudy and has a scummy foam on top it's ready, or you can let it go a bit further. Apparently it eventually turns into vinegar though I've never let it go that long.
6. Everybody says to skim the foam off before serving, but I often don't, it's fine, can't taste a difference. I do pour it from a strainer lid I have for wide mouth jars though. Any kind of strainer, sieve or slotted spoon probably works fine.
7. Drink over ice for a funky, sourish, earthy, slightly bubbly refresher. Some will sweeten to taste with more pilloncillo. Some will bottle and carbonate. I like it straight from the jug over ice, and leave it out to get the full range of flavors over the next day or 2.

And of course you can use it as a mixer. Beer is traditional, both mixed at consumption and as part of the ferment. Rum and tequila are no brainers. But in honor of my recent accidental white corn daquari fuck up, here is tonights quite tasty and completely intentional "recipe".

maíz blanco tepache
Some crushed ice
A good slosh of strong (60%ish?) white corn whisky
2 squirting dashes of lime juice
1 good squirt demerara simple syrup
Fill with tepache

Seriously, these flavors are perfect. The corn daquari was an interesting mistake, but this tastes right. I will make this often.
zapata
Distiller
Posts: 1664
Joined: Fri Jul 07, 2017 1:06 pm

Re: Tepache

Post by zapata »

Correction, maybe you do want to scoop off the foam before serving, just had a "motherish" glob in my last sip. I mean, whatever, but maybe it loses some highbrow cocktail points. Or maybe mother boogers gain snooty cocktail points in some circles?
Shine0n
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Location: Eastern Virginia

Re: Tepache

Post by Shine0n »

Sounds good to me, although fresh pineapple is hard as hell to find around here other than the big box stores.

I wonder if they'll work as prescribed? If so I'll give it a go this week in hopes to be finished by next weekend :thumbup:

Thanks for the recipe!!!
zapata
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Joined: Fri Jul 07, 2017 1:06 pm

Re: Tepache

Post by zapata »

Wal-Mart pineapples work for me.
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contrahead
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Location: Southwest

Re: Tepache

Post by contrahead »

Huitlacoche (QUEET-la-coh-chay)

This was dropped this in my e-mail and I've never heard of it before. Maybe someone here has.
https://www.atlasobscura.com/foods/huit ... orn-mexico" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

I researched “corn smut” a little and came up with an older page that spells the name a little differently.
https://www.npr.org/templates/story/sto ... =111789560" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow
Omnia mea mecum porto
zapata
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Joined: Fri Jul 07, 2017 1:06 pm

Re: Tepache

Post by zapata »

Lol, Other than mexico, this has absolutely nothing to do with tepache :)

Note, some american foodies are calling it "mexican truffles". If ever in Amsterdam be aware that what they call "mexican truffles" will have a very different effect!
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