Pineapple Tepache Recipe with Pear and Juniper
Pear and Juniper twist on the classic Tepache just in time for the summer months.
It’s that time of year again when the sun is out and we are all on the search for refreshing recipes we can enjoy all summer long.
Today, that recipe I’m bringing you is my pineapple, pear, and juniper tepache. If you haven’t heard of tepache, just to sum up - Tepache is a Mexican no and sometimes low abv beverage made from the fermenting of pineapples, brown sugar and cinnamon.
It’s much like it’s more popular cousin Kombucha, however instead of tea we use pineapple and instead of a scoby we ferment with the natural yeast on the pineapple. Just as healthy, just as thriving with probiotics and yet way more sustainable as the key ingredient to tepache is pineapple rinds - something usually discarded as waste.
Perfect for mindful drinking. And of course, sustainable bartending.
Tepache is an interesting subject, for this recipe I’m simply going to show you how to make my pear and juniper tepache, if you want to know how to make a classic tepache then check out my full recipe here.
In that article I also cover what exactly tepache is, how it compares with the likes of Kombucha and what exactly is happening when you ferment tepache. It’s an interesting read so do check that out first before going through this tepache twist recipes, here’s that link again.
Watch the Pineapple, Pear and Juniper Tepache Video Recipe
Ingredients for Pineapple Tepache with Pear and Juniper
Ingredients
Rind of 1 pineapple
300grams Chopped Pear
250grams Brown sugar
850ml Water
1 tablespoon Dried juniper berries
1/2 Cinnamon stick
1 Whole nutmeg
Pineapple Tepache Tips
Want it to be super fizzy? after bottling in your fermentation grade bottle, leave it out in a warm place for another 24 hours then refrigerate. You will want to ‘burp’ the bottle from time to time, meaning to open and close it just to release some of the gas build up so you don’t risk exploding bottles.
Always bottle your ferments in fermentation grade bottles, they are built to hold high levels of carbonation to avoid exploding and if they do explode, they will do so from the cap and not the actual bottles, meaning no chance of glass exploding.
My recommendation for a UK fermentation grade bottle is this one from amazon.co.uk
My recommendation for a USA fermentation grade bottle is this one from amazon.com
Troubleshooting and Stuck fermentation fixes
To ferment your tepache, you want to leave it somewhere dark and warm. The perfect place would be in a cupboard or a corner with a towel wrapped around it to protect your fermenting tepache from sunlight. The perfect temperature is around 23°C - 28°C, just above room temp.
Bubbles should start appearing after 10 or so hours. If after 24 hours it’s still flat, sweet, and no fermentation has started, trying hitting it with some dried yeast. It might be that your pineapples didn’t have enough natural yeast on them. You can also mix in a little yeast nutrients just to help it out that much more.
Pineapple Tepache with Pear and Juniper
Ingredients
Instructions
- Sterilize a large glass jar and place to one side.
- In a saucepan on medium heat, combine 250ml of your water with the 250grams of brown sugar, stir to dissolve the sugar. Once the sugar has fully dissolved, take of the heat and leave to cool.
- Bring a separate dry pan to medium/high heat. Once hot, dump in your juniper berries, cinnamon stick and nutmeg. Toast for 1-2 minutes or until fragrant.
- Remove the top and bottom of your pineapple and begin to cut away the rinds, place those rinds into your sterilized jar. Use the remaining pineapple flesh for a juicy snack and your pineapple leaves to grow a whole new pineapple, you don’t need them for this recipe, we just want the pineapple skin.
- Chop your pears (skin on) and put them in the jar along with the pineapple rinds.
- Pour in your now room temp sugar syrup and toasted spices, top the jar up with the remaining 600ml of cold water or until all the pineapple and pears are submerged.
- Now it’s time to ferment. The tricky part here is that we don’t want to fully seal the jar as the gas build up will have nowhere to go, that being said you don’t want to leave it open as any nasties can get in and spoil your tepache leaving it unsafe to drink and/or tasting sour, which leaves you with 2 options. Option 1, get a fermentation jar or fermentation lid, this is a jar with an air lock, an air lock will allow any gas to escape but nothing to get in, really helpful for anyone who wants to get into fermentation and also quite cheap. For UK folk I recommend this fermentation jar from Amazon.co.uk, and for USA folk I recommend this one from amazon.com. Option 2 isn’t the best option but works for short fermentations like tepache, which is to cover the jar with a towel or muslin cloth, sealing it with an elastic band so air can escape through the fabric.
- After 24 hours your tepache should be ready to strain, have a taste and see if it’s to your liking, too sweet? leave it for another day. Strain your pineapple pear and juniper tepache into a fermentation grade bottle and refrigerate.
Notes
Want it to be super fizzy? after bottling in your fermentation grade bottle, leave it out in a warm place for another 24 hours then refrigerate. You will want to ‘burp’ the bottle from time to time, meaning to open and close it just to release some of the gas build up so you don’t risk exploding bottles.
Important note:
Always bottle your ferments in fermentation grade bottles, they are built to hold high levels of carbonation to avoid exploding and if they do explode, they will do so from the cap and not the actual bottles, meaning no chance of glass exploding.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
236.43Fat
0.75 gSat. Fat
0.13 gCarbs
59.64 gFiber
2.13 gNet carbs
57.51 gSugar
54.47 gProtein
0.46 gSodium
23.32 mgCholesterol
0.14 mgThe nutritional information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
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Hi, I’m Cameron, guv’nor of Smartblend and author of this article. If you liked this recipe then you’re in luck, I have a bunch of fermented recipes you can check out above. Oh, and don’t forget to sign up below to receive the Smartblend monthly newsletter!
An entire walkthrough of how I make an interesting twist on classic pineapple Tepache made with Juniper and Pears. Similar to Kombucha and packed with probiotics but way easier to make and way more sustainable.