Tepache: what it is, how it's made and how it differs from kombucha

What is it?

Tepache is a traditional Mexican fermented drink made mainly with the skins and pulp of pineapple, piloncillo and spices such as cinnamon and clove, fermented for 2-3 days. Its origin is pre-Hispanic, though the modern recipe uses pineapple, a fruit not native to Mexico, which indicates it is a mestizo version of ancestral drinks made with maize, mesquite and other local fruits. Its name comes from the Nahuatl tepiatl, maize drink. It is a refreshing amber-coloured drink, slightly foamy, with a low alcohol content (1-3%) and a sweet-and-sour, fruity, spiced and slightly vinegary flavour. It is consumed throughout Mexico as a street drink, sold in markets, tianguis and at house doors in glass demijohns. It forms part of the repertoire of traditional refreshing drinks along with aguas frescas, atole and pulque, showing the fermentative richness of everyday Mexican cooking, today revalued by the artisanal fermentation movement.

Origin and history

Pre-Hispanic tepache was made with ground maize and water, fermented in clay pots, as a ritual and energising drink for warriors and agricultural workers. Friar Bernardino de Sahagún and other chroniclers describe a drink called tepiatl in Nahuatl. With the introduction of pineapple by the Spanish from South America (the pineapple is native to Paraguay and Brazil) and the arrival of piloncillo (unrefined cane sugar) in the 16th century, tepache evolved towards its current version, based on pineapple, piloncillo and spices. Larousse Cocina and México Desconocido agree that pineapple tepache became established in the 19th century as a drink of the people, sold in the markets of Mexico City, Guadalajara, Puebla and Oaxaca. The Mexican government documents regional variants: maize tepache in Chiapas, tamarind in Guerrero, apple in Michoacán and sour orange in Yucatán. Fermentation with bacteria such as Bacillus subtilis and wild yeasts produces organic acids, carbon dioxide and a minimum of alcohol, similar to Asian kombucha.

Characteristic ingredients

Traditional tepache requires: the skins and core of a ripe pineapple (the skin must be well washed), 250-300 g of piloncillo in pieces, 1 cinnamon quill, 2-3 cloves and 4 litres of boiled and cooled water. Everything is placed in a clay or glass vessel (never metal, since the acid reacts), covered with a cloth and fermented at room temperature for 48-72 hours, stirring once a day. When foam and a characteristic vinegary smell appear, it is strained and served cold with ice. If left longer it turns into tepache vinegar, used in pickles. Some regional recipes add barley (Jalisco), tamarind (Guerrero), jamaica (Veracruz) or pulque (Tlaxcala) for greater complexity. Studies by the UAM and Cinvestav document its microbiota: lactic-acid bacteria (Lactobacillus), yeasts and Bacillus subtilis, which provide probiotics similar to those of kefir and kombucha, with beneficial effects on the gut flora according to the INNSZ.

Cultural significance

Tepache is part of the dossier of Traditional Mexican Cuisine inscribed by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2010, a symbol of Mexican popular fermentative wisdom. It is an everyday drink of traditional markets such as Sonora, La Merced and Jamaica in Mexico City, San Juan de Dios in Guadalajara and Hidalgo in Oaxaca, where tepacheras pass down the recipe from generation to generation, mainly among women. Its revaluation in the 21st century has driven bottled artisanal productions, with brands such as De La Calle, Tepache Mexicano and Yampa, which export to the United States in response to the demand for natural probiotic drinks. Festivals such as the Tepache Fair in Cuautla (Morelos) celebrate its gastronomic and economic importance. Academic research by Cinvestav and the INNSZ analyses its probiotic and antioxidant properties. Tepache is an example of how Mexican cooking has integrated global ingredients (South American pineapple, Asian cane) into a local fermentative tradition with its own identity.

Frequently asked questions

What does tepache taste like?

Tepache has a sweet-and-sour, fruity and spiced flavour, with the sweetness of the piloncillo, the acidity of the fermentation, tropical notes of ripe pineapple and a warm base of cinnamon and clove. Its texture is slightly foamy and refreshing. The longer it ferments, the more wine-like and vinegary it becomes, until it eventually turns into vinegar.

What is the difference between tepache and kombucha?

Both are fermented drinks with probiotics, but tepache is Mexican (19th century in its modern version) and is fermented with piloncillo, pineapple and spices for 2-3 days with wild microbiota. Kombucha is Asian, based on sweetened black or green tea fermented with a SCOBY culture for 7-14 days. Tepache is sweeter and less acidic than kombucha.

Is tepache alcoholic?

Traditional tepache has a low alcohol content (1-3%) generated by natural fermentation, similar to kefir or kombucha. If left to ferment for more than 72 hours it can rise to 4-5%, but the aim is a refreshing, non-alcoholic drink. In some regions pulque or beer is added to increase the strength, especially in Tlaxcala and Puebla, where it is called tepache curado.

Where does tepache come from?

The original tepache is pre-Hispanic, made with fermented maize by the Nahua, Maya and Huastec cultures. The current version with pineapple and piloncillo is mestizo, established in the 19th century, after the colonial introduction of South American pineapple and Asian sugar cane. It is consumed throughout Mexico, with regional variants in Jalisco, Veracruz, Morelos, Yucatán and Chiapas.