T.S.Bocce

Brewer's notes:

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I don't just make beer. In my years of homebrewing, I've tried my hand at making just about anything that can ferment (and even some things that don't ferment!). I've made some wines that turned out pretty well and a couple I'm still using exclusively to cook. I've made some decent meads, an absolutely delicious sake, and many sodas. Then there was that period where I got super into cocktails - I was hunting down every type of glassware there is, reading recipe and theory books old and new, and making my own bitters and syrups. One of the more interesting syrups - in particular with tiki drinks - was when I brewed a batch of tepache and reduced it down to a syrup.

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Tepache is a traditional Mexican drink of pineapple - rind and all - covered in water and mixed with piloncillo (or brown sugar), and spices such as cinnamon, clove or anise, and sometimes a pepper or two. It's left to naturally ferment from the residual yeast on the pineapple. The longer you let it ferment, the earthier and funkier everything gets. It's often then mixed with a light lager for a delicious beer cocktail.

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Recently, I read an article that said a country had shut down all liquor stores and bars due to the pandemic, which spurred locals into making their own beer-strength Tepaches. I realized I had a fermenter full of Kolsch lagering in the brew house, so I pulled some out and mixed in my own tepache concoction. The bocce ball connection is just a cute play on words, but this would be a good accompaniment to a game of bocce ball!

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Salud!