Drink of the Week: De La Calle Tepache

The clouds cleared earlier this week over my Seattle home, and a sunny day crept into the 60s—a fitting welcome to spring. It’s too early yet in the season to go into full shorts-and-T-shirt mode. But one taste of spring weather was all that was needed to get me thinking about the longer, warmer days ahead.

Sunny days aren’t fully satisfying if there’s not a cool drink to sip. One warm-weather favorite of mine is tepache, the lightly fizzy Mexican beverage made from fresh, gently fermented pineapples. I’ve made my own batches of this traditionally homebrewed drink in the past. But this year, stocking the fridge with tepache is much easier, thanks to the canned versions from De La Calle.

Made in California from organic pineapples and ingredients like turbinado sugar and tamarind, De La Calle’s tepaches are inspired by flavors found in regions throughout Mexico. They also occupy a middle ground in the canned drinks aisle: They’re more flavorful and satisfying than seltzers, yet lighter and less sweet than sodas. 

My favorite so far might be Tradicional Pineapple Spice. This tepache is delicately bubbly and bright with the flavors of pineapple and cinnamon. But I need to catch up. The original line of flavors that debuted last year included mango chili, tamarind citrus, orange turmeric, and ginger manzana. Those options have expanded this year with four new flavors: watermelon jalapeno, grapefruit lime, cactus prickly pear, and chamoy.

De La Calle’s tepaches are available in supermarkets in 34 states and counting. Sip them on their own, or—why not?—alongside a pour of tequila. $46.99/12-pack, delacalle.mx