Crafted in San Pancho on Mexico's Pacific Coast, each bottle from Tepache Sazón contains local pineapples and a taste of tradition
Tepache, a fermented beverage made from tropical fruit, has a centuries long history in Mexico, but you won't find it outside of a few bars and restaurants in the US. That's about to change with Tepache Sazón, a new expression of this traditional Mexican beverage coming to the US courtesy of importer Back Bar Project. Each bottle of this effervescent, amber liquid is hand crafted in San Pancho, Nayarit, using only three natural ingredients: pineapples, piloncillo (or raw cane sugar), and canela, the cinnamon common in Mexican cooking. Tepache Sazón promises to introduce a new generation of drinkers to this traditional beverage with its distinct, uniquely Mexican perspective.
Although it's not as familiar to American drinkers, Tepache dates back to the Aztecs. The effervescent drink has no single "official" recipe, but it's brewed for everyday occasions and larger festivals by makers ranging from home cooks, to street cart vendors, to chefs in the finest restaurants. Good tepache always starts with a perfectly ripe fruit - usually pineapples - and mixes in herbs, botanicals and a small amount of sugar. You'll find different styles as you travel from region to region, and communities take pride in connecting their very own interpretation with the best ingredients of the season.