Using Scraps from your kitchen: Turn Pineapple Skin into Tepache

I have only made a few fermented drinks so far and I must admit I have focused on the no fail versions until I learn more. If you would like to give fermenting beverages a try this is THE ONE! Pineapple Tepache is the perfect, easy way to enjoy the benefits of probiotics. Tepache is said to Improve your internal gut flora thus helping your immune system and it also helps with inflammation.

Ingredients
1 pineapple
Filtered water
¾ cup to 1 cup of sugar
1 cinnamon stick (optional)
3 to 4 cloves (optional)
Gallon Jar

Directions
Wash the pineapple. The yeast for fermentation is on the rind, so don't scrub it, just rinse it off. Cut the top and the bottom off the pineapple. I usually stand the pineapple up on its end and slice downward, removing the rind and trying to leave about ¼ inch of the fruit left on the rind. Cut up the rind up in pieces so that they will drop in the gallon jar.

Use the fruit of the pineapple for other recipes or freeze for later use. Add the sugar (I used ¾ cup of brown) and go ahead and drop in the spices (if desired).

Cover with enough filtered water to come up on the neck of the jar. If you use tap water the chlorine can inhibit the fermentation, so use filtered water. Give the ingredients a real good stir. I just used a wooden spoon and then I covered the top with a cotton cloth. You can use a cheese cloth or towel or sprouting lid.

Leave it sitting a cool, dry place away from any direct light. Leave here for 3 days, but stirring each day. Just stir it real good one time a day to put oxygen back in. By Day 2 your smell should be a deep rich pineapple. It should be smelling good, not bad in any way! By day 3 you should have plenty of bubbles and pretty much the top covered with bubbles and the taste should be a bubbly, carbonated pineapple.

Strain the contents of the gallon jar thru a metal strainer. I strained mine twice but I don’t think a
second strain is necessary.

I had grolsch bottles on hand so I bottled into those and put into the fridge for the second fermentation.

The good yeast that grow in the 1st fermentation eat the sugar in the 2nd fermentation and thats what gives you the cool fizzy taste. The fermentation time is so short, there is not enough time to turn into alcohol. The ending result served over ice is the most amazing fizzy pineapple, slightly clovey drink that everyone is sure to enjoy.

My Fermenting Notes:

• I want to try adding a little jalapeno or basil to the next batch.
• I don't think I left enough flesh on the skins. If you cut the skins too thin you can add some core.
• Maybe Add some chunks of flesh if you have a small pineapple.
• I will go with 2 cinnamon sticks next time. We just love cinnamon.
• Be careful with leaving your first ferment longer than 3 days. You can turn this into vinegar quick.
• Try regrowing a pineapple with the top you cut off.