You’ll see barrels of it being pushed through tianguis, Mexico’s labyrinthine open-air markets. If you’re stuck on a bus in Mexico, where the windows only open just so far and dust clings to a picture of the Virgin of Guadalupe, you might also get lucky.
And, now you can even find it in Australia – tepache that is.
Made from fermented pineapple and spices, tepache is typically sold in rural and coastal areas of Mexico but is now making a mark internationally.
It’s a big step for the icy-cold pineapple drink which was once banned.
Indeed tepache has had many incarnations since it first appeared in pre-Hispanic times, says Mexican food historian Dr José Luis Juárez.
“Tepache was on the list of drinks that were prohibited to make and consume in the colonial era. On this list of banned liquors, the preparation of tepache is listed as a combination of the remains of white pulque and panocha honey,” he explains.
Over time, this particular alcoholic version of tepache – an offspring of chicha – changed as pulque (fermented agave) and corn were dropped out of the recipe.
This “made it appropriate for people outside of the popular classes to drink,” says Dr Luis Juárez, and led to a new, almost a non-alcoholic version (tepache has around 1 per cent alcohol content).
Today, there are lots of versions of tepache. Pineapple husk and piloncillo, or brown sugar, are the staples but cinnamon and even beer can also be added.
Back in the 19th century, “it was made from pineapple husks, pepper, clove and cinnamon and left to ferment for various hours, sometimes days,” says Dr Juárez.
During this period, tepache was regularly served with tacos and other greasy dishes, he adds. Almost every taco place offered tepache but this has fallen out of practice.
“Tacos continue to be popular but now they are more commonly eaten with soft drinks,” says Dr Luis Juarez.
“What has remained as a testimony to tepache’s once widespread popularity is that in many of these taquerias you can still find the big barrel where the drink was prepared and served,” says the historian.
Even tepacherías – places that exclusively sell and make tepache – can be hard to come by. In the metropolis of Mexico City, where over 20 million people live, there are less than 10 tepacherías.
Finding tepache often means keeping a lookout for people pushing a wooden barrel on a tricycle through a market or catching señoras on the bus at just the right time.
But that is changing as more people look to tepache as a healthy alternative to soda.
Felicity Evans, founder of Australian botanic drinks company and author of , discovered the drink while backpacking across Mexico.
“When using local buses to get across the country, women would come onto the bus selling tacos and juice,” she says.
Can't get to Mexico? Make your own !
Mexican pineapple tepache Source: Murdoch Books / Rob Palmer
"It was nothing like I had ever tasted before – it was sweet and sour at the same time, fizzy and delicious! Thirst-quenching in that dry Mexican heat.”
But Evans soon realised that tepache was more than just a refreshing treat for long hot bus trips – it was also a great source of probiotics.
She explains, “The health benefits come from the lacto-fermentation process, during which the good bacteria proliferate giving you a beautifully fizzy drink that is bubbling with probiotics.”
“Probiotics are the good bacteria we need to help us live our most vibrant and energetic life. They help fortify the gut, which in turn can lead to glowing skin, better immunity, stable moods, happy digestion and so much more!”
While there hasn’t yet been much research into tepache and its possible health benefits, Evans - who has shared a - is just one of the many who are rallying behind this traditional Mexican drink – for its taste as much as for its health merits.
“I love it! It’s perfect on a hot day when you want a real burst of flavour and that distinct sweet/sour profile, as well as the added benefit of getting the probiotic hit.”
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