While mocktails are all the rage right now, some in the wine and spirits world are pushing for a more natural way to avoid alcohol. Fermented drinks like kombucha or Kvass provide some of the acidity without the alcohol. Tepache, a fermented pineapple drink originally from Mexico, is one such option. It’s easy to make at home and the only ingredient that requires some digging is piloncillo, unrefined Mexican cane sugar. But if you so choose, you can use grocery store brown sugar instead. However, the unrefined sugar enhances the color of the drink and brings out more of the flavors.

If you’re the cocktail-loving type, a shot of dark rum is a lovely addition to a tall glass of tepache on the rocks.

About Tepache

Tepache originated with the Nahua people in pre-Columbian Mexico, and the name means “drink made of corn.” But the contemporary version does not have corn in it, since over time pineapple rinds became a more popular base. In modern-day Mexico, commercial soda companies picked up on the non-alcoholic drink trend and have started selling Tepache in cans, but it’s always more fun to try and make your own. If you don’t succeed at fermentation the first time, just try again!

Tepache

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• Author: Emma Riva

Print Recipe

Description

A natural, fermented drink.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

 

• 4 1/2 cups water
• 1/2 cup brown sugar or piloncillo
• 1 ripe fresh pineapple
• 1 cinnamon stick

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Instructions

1. Pour the water and sugar into a pot. Stir together until the sugar has dissolved.
2. Cut the top of the pineapple of. Then, begin cutting off the skin in strips so you end up with medium-sized pieces of the prickly skin, with some flesh inside.
3. Place the peels and the cinnamon stick in the fermented mixture.
4. Cut the leftover pineapple into cubes and store to snack on later. Then, for a little extra infusion, cut the core out of the pineapple. Place it into the pot with the other ingredients.

Cover the pot with a dish towel and leave to sit for 24-36 hours in a room temperature part of the kitchen. If fermentation has occurred, there will be a light foam on the ingredients. If you don’t see that, leave it for another 24 hours.

Once you reach your desired fermentation, serve over ice or neat depending on your preference and enjoy.

Recipe by Emma Riva
Photography by Dave Bryce

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TABLE Editor at Large Gabe Gomez sketches out a path toward tequila blanco connoisseurship. The first step: enough with the shots. Instead, sip thoughtfully and find the nuances. Your new favorite bottle is surely on the horizon.

Lamentably, one of the most common ways drinkers enjoy straight tequila is by doing a shot accompanied by a dash of salt and a wedge of lime, presumably to mask any semblance of taste or nuance in exchange for a quick buzz. While a few shots of mid-tier tequila can elevate a fun night into an epic one, it’s time to reconsider how one should enjoy tequila. Our recommendation is to appreciate it neat or on the rocks, sipped and savored.  

Unlike reposado or añejo, blanco tequilas are unaged, offering a bright and confident flavor profile. Each sip of blanco tequila reveals its origins, note by note. Blancos are often best enjoyed on the rocks with a gentle twist of lime. This undefinitive list of handmade blanco tequilas are additive-free and made from pure, natural ingredients with no artificial flavors or colors, making them perfect for summer sipping, whether lounging by the pool, hosting a barbecue, or simply slowing down. 

Best Bottles of Tequila Blanco to Buy

Siete Leguas, Blanco 

Named after Pancho Villa’s horse, Siete Leguas has produced artisanal tequila since 1952. Their Blanco variant offers a crisp, clean taste with hints of citrus and herbs. Ideal for sipping, this tequila provides a smooth and refreshing experience. This is perfect for those new to tequila wanting to start at the top!

Tequila Ocho, Plata 

Inspired by terroir concepts from winemaking, Tequila Ocho Plata is a high-quality, artisanal tequila made from carefully selected blue agave. It boasts a rich, complex flavor with fruit, vanilla, and pepper notes. This tequila is excellent, too, for sipping slowly to appreciate its depth and character fully.  

Lalo Blanco 

Lalo Tequila emphasizes pure, natural flavors in their singular Blanco offering. Floral and citrus undertones deliver a beautifully fresh, slightly sweet taste. This easy-to-drink tequila is ideal for those who want to enjoy the true essence of agave.  

Amatiteña Tequila, Blanco Origen 

Amatiteña Tequila Blanco Origen captures the essence of the Jalisco region in Mexico. It features a smooth, balanced flavor with notes of earthy agave, citrus, and a hint of pepper. This tequila is ideal for those looking to explore authentic Mexican spirits. Originating from Amatitán, Jalisco, a UNESCO World Heritage site, this single-estate tequila is made using traditional artisanal methods dating back to the early 19th century.

Volcan, Still Strength Blanco 

Still Strength Blanco is an uncut, higher-proof tequila that retains the full flavor of the blue agave plant. Despite its higher alcohol content, it offers a surprisingly smooth taste with complex layers of fruit, spice, and herbal notes. This tequila is excellent for those seeking a more intense and robust flavor.  Made with spring and deep well water, it has a balanced minerality and a touch of black pepper for an added kick.

For more, check out the rest of our liquor education series:

• All About Gin
• Vodka Isn’t Just for Shots and Soda
• Get to Know Japanese Whisky
• The Digestivo Digest
• Vermouth is the Apéritif You Need Right Now

Wondering what to cook to go with your drink? Try our food education series:

• Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Olive Oil 
• Knowing Spices Can Completely Change Your Kitchen Game
• How to Use Salt Correctly in Cooking

Story by Gabe Gomez
Photo Courtesy of Dmitry Dreyer

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In the world of Japanese whisky, efficiency doesn’t come at the sacrifice of quality. Owner Derek Burnell, who serves Japanese whisky at his restaurant, COBRA, remembers hearing a story that a distiller at Yamazaki ate the same exact meal every day for thirty years straight, at the exact same time, so that his palate never changed, and thus his discerning taste bids would never go off kilter. Though this may be apocryphal, it shows why so many have fallen in love with this spirit with its rich history and unique flavor profile.

Japanese Whisky’s History is as Rich as its Flavor

Whisky or whiskey (with the “e” for American-made or Irish-made spirits), has existed since at least the 13^th century, but Japanese whisky is relatively new. The official definition of whisky says that it is any type of liquor made from fermenting grain mash, and classified by how many times the grain is “malted’ (how long the grains soak in water), how it’s fermented, and then how it’s distilled.

The aging process of whisky and its relative scarcity are what makes whiskies like Suntory Yamazaki so expensive. (Beyoncé and Jay-Z are among many high-profile, big budget Yamazaki fans). But Japanese whisky isn’t just a luxury export—its history comes from hardworking distillers who found their passion in bringing a new liquor to the Japanese market.

Scotch, Whisky, and Bourbon

To refresh, whisky is a spirit made from distilling and fermenting grains, such as corn, rye, barley, or wheat. Two of whisky’s most prominent stylistic categories, which provide a point of context or Japanese whisky, are Scotch and bourbon. Bourbon and Scotch are both whiskies, but not all whiskies are Scotches or Bourbons. Scotch comes from Scotland and focuses on the smoky flavors of peat. Bourbon comes exclusively from America, and is predominantly corn, aged in new, charred oak barrels, which results in a sweeter flavor, with more tendency towards vanilla or caramel in its profile.

Japanese whisky is much closer to Scotch in its flavor profile, since distillers first encountered whisky in Scotland. For a whisky to be considered Japanese whisky, it has be fermented, distilled, aged and bottled in Japan, use some part of malted grain in its mash, and use water sourced from Japan, after stricter labeling laws went into effect in 2024. The chart below illustrates the similarities and differences between Scotch and Japanese whisky.

How Did Whisky Get to Japan?

The story of Japanese whisky is full of larger-than-life characters. Shinjiro Torii, the founder of Suntory, the most famous Japanese distillery “house,” was originally a wine importer. Japan was coming off of the Meiji period, when after years of sakoku (closed borders), the country opened again to foreign trade and influences. The Tokugawa shogunate collapsed in 1867, and Japan rapidly industrialized from there under the rule of Emperor Meiji.

Torii opened a small imports store in 1887, but nobody took much interest in the wines he was selling. He decided he wanted to develop more spirits for the Japanese palate. His first project was Akadama, a fortified wine designed to pair with Japanese food—you can still buy it today. Akadama was better received than his imported wines, but next Torii took on the challenge of fighting the belief that good whisky could only come from Scotland. He earned the nickname “the nose of Osaka” for his uncanny ability to taste and smell complex flavor profiles in his blending process.

In the early twentieth century, a chemistry student at University of Glasgow found himself enamored with scotch, as Torii was years before. Masataka Taketsuru came from a family of sake distillers, but he wanted something more out of his spirits. He fell in love with a Scottish woman—despite disapproval from both of their families, and the pair moved back to Japan. After completing an apprenticeship with Suntory, Taketsuru started his own distillery: Nikka, in the mountains of Hokkaido.

Japanese Whisky in the American Market

If you’re looking for an entry point to Japanese whisky, Burnell noted that in the States, Suntory Toki is one of the most accessible ones, that won’t set you back nearly as much as something like Yamazaki 55, which retailed at an auction for almost $60,000.

But if you’re not ready to drink Japanese whisky neat, the best cocktail for you is the Highball. While it may have originated in England, the Highball gained its zenith of popularity in Japan as a whisky and soda. Most craft cocktails bars in the States offer a younger Suntory Toki to make highballs, so you can try it out next time you’re looking to change up your typical order.

Japan is a complex country, one that westerners often exoticize or fetishize as either samurai and shogunates or salarymen and shinkansen trains. Japanese whisky has a commitment to quality, but its story is also that of cross-cultural exchange and the search for liquor that doesn’t just pair with European foods. Too often, European food pairings and flavor profiles are the standard for liquor. Trying Japanese whisky is an opportunity to expand your palate and a chance to experience liquor not just as an intoxicant but as a craft and an integral part of world history.

For more, check out the rest of our liquor education series:

• All About Gin
• Vodka Isn’t Just for Shots and Soda
• The Best Bottles of Tequila Blanco
• The Digestivo Digest
• Vermouth is the Apériitif You Need Right Now

Wondering what to cook to go with your drink? Try our food education series:

• Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Olive Oil 
• Knowing Spices Can Completely Change Your Kitchen Game
• How to Use Salt Correctly in Cooking

Story by Emma Riva
Photo by Yuri Shirota

Subscribe to TABLE Magazine’s print edition.