Pineapple Tequila?

by **Jesiah** » Sat Apr 13, 2013 7:11 pm

Okay so I have been thinking about this for a long time.

Tequila is made from roasted Agave. Agave is related to pineapples but are several times larger, also take several times longer to grow.

The Agave are oven roasted, then mashed in a wooden vat (similar to grapes, mashed by foot) then left to ferment, the ferment is then distilled, oaked and aged.

With older oaked tequilas being in comparison to a fine single malt. You can sip it with no bite.

Mescal is tequila that is made from any cactus, not just Agave.

So why can't we do this with pineapples? It shouldn't be too hard right?

-Jeremy

by **BackyardBrewer** » Sat Apr 13, 2013 7:39 pm

Totally different flavour and yield. Try it, post pics and send me a jar:), but no chance that's likely to be tequila like. You smoke a pineapple for that amount of time and there'd be nothing left.

by **Jesiah** » Sat Apr 13, 2013 8:02 pm

Mmm might hit up the local fruit and veg store near my parents to give me any older / left over pineapples for cheap.

Would probably need at least 10 good sized pineapples. Oven roasted then mashed. Or would it be better to use less and just add extra water / sugar to get the levels correct.

Pineapples also have a rather high acidity, should be good for the yeast.

Probably champas yeast would be best.

by **BackyardBrewer** » Sat Apr 13, 2013 8:28 pm

Get some ph strips. I learned today that my expensive time consuming apricot wash stalled because it was too acidic.

Pineapple has tones of sugar & flavour but acidic as ummm? Acid?

by **Jesiah** » Sat Apr 13, 2013 8:52 pm

I think it is actually citric acid in pineapples, so that shouldn't be too bad yeah?

by **BackyardBrewer** » Sat Apr 13, 2013 8:53 pm

Mate Citric will strip the sparkle off a unicorn !

by **Jesiah** » Sat Apr 13, 2013 9:08 pm

That's okay they don't need to shine anyways.

I just read a couple recipes for pineapple wine.

It sometimes turns in to jam if the ferment goes wrong.

Mexicans have several drinks they make from pineapple, one is made with sugarcane and fermented with natural yeast to make a soft drink, guess it would be slightly alcoholic, another is mixed with lime, ginger, cinnamon, brown sugar and using a beer as a yeast starter. Another makes a pineapple ginger beer using whey or yoghurt.

http://www.distillique.co.za/documents/pineapple_brandy.html

Found a recipe for pineapple brandy. does that mean tequila is a type of brandy also?

by **kiwikeg** » Tue Apr 16, 2013 3:27 pm

Um as I understand it agave is a lily, pineapple is a bromelid.
Not even closely related.
I think the confusion may come from the heart of the.agave being called a pina.
Roasted pineapple would be a interesting flavor though?

by **baldoss** » Tue Apr 16, 2013 3:30 pm

Like BYB said, do it, post pics and send us a jar :D

by **Jesiah** » Tue Apr 16, 2013 4:31 pm

Oh really, that opens up many more doors.. Not gonna head down the botanic gardens and dig up a few lillies though. Never know what chemicals are in what plants.

I am however growing a Super Pedro cactus to ferment.. Contains the same chemicals as Peyote. could be dangerous.

Milk of the gods and all that.