Tropical Heatwave Tepache Margarita

Tropical Heatwave Tepache Margarita is a delightful and refreshing cocktail that combines the unique flavors of tepache, a fermented pineapple drink, with the classic margarita ingredients. The tangy and slightly spicy notes of the Scotch bonnet chili add a tropical heat to this beverage, while the sweetness of ripe pineapple and the zing of fresh lime juice create a perfectly balanced flavor profile. This cocktail is a perfect choice for those who enjoy a hint of sweetness with a sour kick in their margaritas.

Tropical Heatwave Tepache Margarita

A refreshing margarita made with homemade tepache, white tequila, Cointreau, and fresh lime juice, garnished with fresh pineapple.

4.52 from 34 votes
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Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 6 cups water
  • 1 ripe pineapple
  • 1 Scotch bonnet chili, pierced but left whole
  • Ice
  • 1.70 oz white tequila
  • 0.80 oz Cointreau
  • Juice of 3 limes
  • 0.80 oz simple syrup
  • 2 slices of fresh pineapple, for garnish

Instructions

  1. Stir together the sugar and water in a 3-liter jar until the sugar dissolves.
  2. Wash the pineapple, then trim off the top and discard it.
  3. Peel the pineapple, chop the peel, and add it to the sugar-water mixture along with the whole Scotch bonnet chili.
  4. Reserve the fruit for another use and add the core to the jar with the peelings. Weigh down the peelings with a small (sterilized) dish.
  5. Cover the jar with muslin or a clean cloth and let it sit at room temperature for 24-36 hours until fermentation occurs, removing any harmless white froth periodically.
  6. Once the tepache is fermented, strain it and refrigerate.
  7. In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine 1.7 oz tepache, white tequila, Cointreau, lime juice, and simple syrup.
  8. Shake vigorously and strain into two glasses, garnishing with fresh pineapple slices.