Swap Pineapple Juice for Tepache in these Cocktails

Everyone loves a cocktail with pineapple juice. They’re tropical, summery, and delicious. But if you want to spice things up and give your classic cocktails a twist, try swapping pineapple juice for tepache in the following drinks. Tepache, a healthy, traditional Mexican beverage made with fermented pineapple, will add a delicious, carbonated twist to your favorite cocktails.

Bahama Mama 

The classic Bahama Mama cocktail is made with dark rum, coffee and coconut liqueur, lemon juice, and pineapple juice. If you want to give this beachy summer-time classic a little bit of fizz, you can swap out the pineapple juice for tepache. Combine ½ an ounce of dark rum, coconut liqueur, and lemon with ¼ an ounce of high-proof rum and coffee liquor in a cocktail shaker with ice. Add 4 ounces of tepache and shake well. 

If you really want to make this the perfect warm-weather drink, you can make it a frozen cocktail. Add all of your mixed ingredients to a blender with a cup of ice and blend until smooth. This variation is sure to keep your friends cool and refreshed on a hot summer day.

Tepache Mojito 

Another classic cocktail that tastes delicious with tepache is the mojito. In order to make this delicious tropical drink, you’ll need aged rum, triple sec, tepache, fresh pineapple, lime, and mint leaves. 

If you have a muddler at home, muddle the pineapple, lime, and mint in the bottom of your shaker to make the most of those fresh, bright flavors. Add ice, 3 ounces of rum, 1 ounce of triple sec, and 1 ounce of tepache to the shaker. Mix well and serve with a mint leaf garnish.

Tepache Tequila 

If you’re looking for something simple and easy, look no further than a tepache tequila cocktail. All you need is some tequila (blanco tequila is preferable), orange, or any type of citrus liqueur, tepache, and lime. Use a 4:1 ratio for tepache to tequila and add the orange liquor to taste. Squeeze a little lime juice in and garnish with a fresh piece of pineapple if you’re feeling a little fancy.

Tepache Jungle Bird 

This cocktail is perfect for all the rum lovers out there! To make a Tepache Jungle Bird, you’ll need dark rum, Campari, simple syrup, tepache, lime juice, pineapple (wedge and leaves), and a maraschino cherry for garnish. 

Grab your cocktail shaker, fill it with ice, and add 1 ½ ounce of dark rum, ¾ an ounce of Campari, ½ an ounce of simple syrup, 1 ½ ounce of tepache, and ½ an ounce of lime juice. Campari is a bitter Italian spirit that’s known for its bright red color. Although it’s somewhat of an acquired taste, it pairs perfectly with the sweet simple syrup and pineapple flavors in this drink. 

The real show stopper with the Tepache Jungle Bird is the garnish if you’re feeling up to a little culinary challenge. Before you start with the garnish, make sure you slice your pineapple into rings and then triangle wedges from there, be sure to keep the pineapple leaves. Grab a toothpick and slide a cherry on first. After the cherry, slide on a few pineapple leaves spread out to look like the feathers of a jungle bird. Finally, slide a pineapple triangle on the toothpick to create the “body” of the bird. Pop one of these in each of your cocktails to wow your dinner guests!

Tepache Martini 

If you’ve been looking for a cocktail with gin and tepache, look no further than this citrus twist on the classic martini. To make this martini, you’ll need your favorite gin, sweet vermouth, tepache, and orange curaçao. You’ll want to use a roughly 2:1 ratio of gin to vermouth and tepache. You can start using less vermouth and tepache and add more to taste. 

Add about two teaspoons of orange curaçao and shake well. If you don’t want to dilute the pineapple flavor with the curaçao, you can skip this step completely. A lemon or orange rind spiral makes a perfect garnish to this classy cocktail. 

Spicy Tepache Shandy 

If you want to depart from the classic cocktails to try something totally new, the Spicy Tepache Shandy is the perfect drink for you. This cocktail combines jalapeño simple syrup, tequila, lemon juice, tepache, and beer. Now you might be thinking: beer mixed with liquor, absolutely not! But trust us, the carbonation of the tepache perfectly pairs with the texture of the beer to make a super fresh, spicy cocktail. 

Before you start making the drink, you’ll need to make jalapeño simple syrup. Luckily, it’s way easier to make than it sounds. Bring a cup of water to a boil and add two cups of sugar (you can increase or decrease the quantity depending on how much simple syrup you need, just make sure to use a 1:2 ratio of water to sugar). Stir until all of the sugar is dissolved. Add two chopped jalapeño to the pan and turn the heat down, allowing the mixture to simmer for a couple of minutes as you continue to stir. 

Take the mixture off the heat and allow it to steep for about 20 minutes. Once the syrup has steeped, strain the jalapeño out. Now you have a delicious syrup that you can use in any cocktail that needs a little heat!

To make the shandy, pour ½ an ounce of the jalapeño simple syrup and lemon juice, 1 ounce of tequila, and 2 ounces of tepache into a pint class. Mix these ingredients well. If you want, you can add ice. Fill the rest of the glass with your favorite summer beer. A pale ale or a hazy IPA would work well. Due to the pineapple in the tepache, the head will form quicker than normal on the beer, so make sure you pour slowly. 

Bubbly Hawaiian Iced Tea 

If you’re a fan of the classic Long Island Iced Tea, try making a Bubbly Hawaiian Iced Tea to give this classic a fruity, bubbly twist. Just like with the Long Island Iced Tea, you’ll need all the classic cocktail liquors to make this drink: vodka, rum, tequila, and gin. You’ll also need triple sec, sour mix (just citrus-flavored simple syrup), and, of course, tepache. 

Pour equal parts vodka, rum, tequila, gin, and triple sec into a glass with ice and stir. Based on the amount of liquor you added, add double the amount of sour mix and four times the amount of tepache. Stir well. If your drink is a little too strong, add more tepache until it’s perfect. Similarly, if it’s too bitter, keep adding simple syrup until it satisfies your sweet tooth. 

Tepache Chili Margarita 

Everyone knows a Taco Tuesday isn’t complete without a margarita. But if you’re getting tired of the classic margarita, try spicing up the recipe with tepache and chili. In a cocktail shaker, add 1 ½ ounce of tequila, ¾ an ounce of orange liqueur, ¾ an ounce of lime juice, 2 ounces of tepache, and a drop of hot sauce if you like a little heat in your drink. Give the mixture a good shake, and then pour into a glass with the rim prepared.

To prepare the rim of your Tepache Chili Margarita, use a lime slice to wet the entire rim. From there, dip the glass in salt or Tajin (a spice with chili and lime flavor). A pineapple slice makes the perfect garnish for this spicy margarita. 

Conclusion 

Next time you’re craving a tasty, tropical cocktail, try swapping tepache for pineapple juice to give your drinks a delicious twist!

Sources:

Limes: Nutrition, Benefits, Uses, and Side Effects | Healthline

7 Surprising Health Benefits of Jalapeños | Healthline

Spice Up Your Life: The Health Benefits  of Spicy Foods | Penn Medicine