Tepache Slime

[yukipilas]

Hello All,

my Tepache keeps getting Slimy. i would really appreciate some help with this one.

ive started fermenting at home so i am beginner.

ive had already 3x failed attempts.

first 2 times: Chopped a pineapple took the skin off and put some chunks in a glass vessel with brown cane sugar, and let it ferment for 3 days. The glass was in a room @20-23 °C the Glass jar was not sealed but closed letting it breathe.

after 3 days. foam was not too much and the consistence was a bit slimy. so i tossed it away and tried a third time.

after some googling i found out that:

- Not disinfecting well could attract bad bacteria which create this slimy consistence
- too much sugar acts as a preservative and inhibits fermentation therefore maybe thats the reason for no foam forming
- If the pineapple skin is not completely sinked in the water it may produce other bacteria (slime)


third time: before the fermentation i disinfected the jar with boiling water, i did not have cane sugar so i used normal brown sugar, i reduced the amount of sugar considerably, half a cup of sugar and 4 cups of water. i placed the skin in the jar with a couple of chunks of pineapple and pushed it to the bottom of the jar to avoid exposure with the surface.

Result:
- 3 days of nice fermentation, not super bubbly but more foam than last time
- at the 3 day i strained the tepache through a sieve and transfered it to a bottle for carbonation for 3 more days. the bottle was previously desinfected with boiling water
- i refilled the jar with the peels for postfermentation to experiment
- Glass jar: after 3 days it still kept producing foam, however the smell was starting to get sour probably going in the direction of vinegar so i strained it and voila! super Slime. The Tepache had a gooey texture almost glue like, so i toss it away -> what went wrong?
- Beer bottle: after 3 days, i placed it in the fridge for 2 hours to drink it afterwards. the result was the same, no considerable Co2 (just a bit ) even after 3 days in storage and also super gooey tepache texture -> is this gooey slime comming from the wild bacteria ? is this toxic?

this is my third try at it, i keep missing the sweet spot, i would really appreciate some tips on what im doing wrong so i can finally nail the tepache,

very thankful,
Miguel

 

[TasunkaWitko]

Hi, Miguel -

Hopefully, this will help - there are fairly comprehensive instructions as well as a video:

https://farmsteady.com/field-guide/recipe-tepache

My guess is that you need an airlock, and need to keep the stuff weighted down so that it is completely submerged.

Hope this helps -

Ron

 

[Andrew Hodgson]

I agree with the above though I will say that I make my tepache in a glass container with a lid that is not airtight and my method is to soak a piece of cheesecloth in Star San and then put it under the jar lid, leaving a small space for air exchange if necessary but not enough space (so far) for contamination. I am not diligent about keeping the entire rind submerged though there is very little headspace and it turns out okay.

I would recommend following the above steps and cleaning everything that will touch the tepache like any other ferment, clean then sanitize.

 

[RPh_Guy]

????
Everything you describe is normal.

It's a wild fermentation. You should expect foam/bubbling, gooey sediment, and a pellicle (film/slime).
The ropey/viscous texture is from Pediococcus. It may go away given enough time (if Brettanomyces is present it breaks down the EPS).

Equipment sanitation when doing a wild/spontaneous fermentation is completely useless. The fruit is completely covered with yeast, bacteria, and mold spores from where it grew outside, where you bought it, and everywhere in between. It's not just on the outside of the fruit but inside as well.

How do you minimize the impact of certain undesirable microbes?

Fermenting at a lower temperature will favor yeast growth. 50-60°F (10-15°C) is probably ideal.

Reduce oxygen exposure. Many wild microbes will produce acetic acid (vinegar) in the presence of oxygen.
Straining it and then letting it sit at room temp is the worst thing you could do if you don't want vinegar.
Try using an airlock or loosely fitting lid, perhaps what @Andrew Hodgson describes.

Safety:
Risk of food poisoning or other toxicity (besides alcohol) is pretty low as long as there's no mold (not to be confused with a pellicle). However giving it a few weeks after fermentation begins is the safest practice, so the alcohol has time to kill any pathogenic bacteria.
The foam, pellicle, and ropey texture are not harmful.
Submerging the solids helps prevent mold growth.

If you want to take the wild microbes out of the picture, bring the sugar+water+fruit to a boil, chill, and then add your own yeast culture like wine yeast, brewers yeast, or even bread yeast.

Carbonation results from the yeast eating sugar. If they've eaten all the sugar before bottling, there will be no carbonation. Care must also be taken that the yeast don't produce too much carbonation.

Welcome to HBT! Happy to answer any questions.

 

[TasunkaWitko]

As someone who is just about to start my first batch of Tepache, thanks for the information RPh.

 

[yukipilas]

thank you all for your quick reply,
@RPh_Guy

Pediococcus going away: how can i wait? I fermented almost for 5 days and it was 100% slime. If i waited it would just get acid

temperatures 10-15°C: ill change the room were i have cooler temperatures. I dont think it will do that much. In mexico they do this at 28-32 °C and i think the wild slime doesnt happen ?
Reducing oxygen exposure: Maybe i was not strict enough with the closure. But i did have a glass jar with a closed lid (not sealed) this still led to the goo

i will try with a normal pineapple the above again. if this does not work i will try your recommendation with the boil and the yeast.

however whats the benefit? if i am boiling the sugar + water + fruit + peels and adding yeast, am i just fermenting the sugar with the yeast? i expect i killed all the bacteria through the boil right?

how much yeast in the solution do you recommend and how long should i ferment also 3 days ?

Thank you again for the recommendations

Best regards,
Miguel

 

[RPh_Guy]

Pediococcus going away: how can i wait? I fermented almost for 5 days and it was 100% slime. If i waited it would just get acid

The third batch is probably ruined by the excessive oxygen exposure. The vinegar is only going to get worse over time, so it's not suitable for aging, unless you don't mind the vinegar flavor.

It may take a few weeks to a few months to return to a normal consistency. Or it may never go away if there is no Brettanomyces present in the wild culture on your particular pineapple.
It also may not go away if the alcohol level is too high, inhibiting the Brett.
You could add a Brettanomyces culture if you want to be sure; it makes delicious flavors and breaks down the goo.
An enzyme product might also break it down, like Beano, UltraFerm, or AG300. Just an untested theory, but they can probably break down polysaccharides. Sounds like you're outside the US, so I'm not sure what's available.

In mexico they do this at 28-32 °C and i think the wild slime doesnt happen ?

By slime do you mean the pellicle (film floating in the surface)?
A pellicle is from excessive oxygen exposure. It's much less likely to form when properly protected from oxygen (an airlock is best).
Carbon dioxide gas is produced by yeast during fermentation. If enough of it is produced and the headspace is small enough, it will purge all the oxygen from the container. You need to keep it sealed to prevent air getting inside (unless you don't mind a little vinegar flavor or a pellicle; the pellicle is just cosmetic)... But the carbon dioxide also needs to escape, so it can't be totally sealed. That's why we use airlocks.
A loose fitting lid may be adequate, but you may still get a pellicle. Reducing the amount of headspace will help.

The lower temperature I suggested is to inhibit bacterial activity, in particular the Pediococcus from increasing the viscosity and Acetobacter and other bacteria from creating vinegar. It will also reduce or prevent funky flavors from enteric bacteria.

Keep in mind that wild fermentations are by definition unpredictable. What works somewhere else may not work for you, and it varies from batch to batch.

if this does not work i will try your recommendation with the boil and the yeast.

however whats the benefit? if i am boiling the sugar + water + fruit + peels and adding yeast, am i just fermenting the sugar with the yeast? i expect i killed all the bacteria through the boil right?

Yes. If you pasteurize everything and then pitch yeast, there will be no bacteria or wild yeast.
The benefit of this approach is predictability and consistency. That is how the vast majority (approaching 100%) of commercial fermented products are made.
However, wild microbes are capable of making great and unique flavors. For example one of my wild cultures gives strawberry, kiwi, and yogurt flavors, like a tropical smoothie. Plus, you don't have to buy yeast if you use the wild microbes.

How much yeast you use depends on the yeast product and batch size. If you're making less than a liter, the amount you use will be small. A pinch of bread yeast would be fine and you can ferment it at your normal temperature. Keep it under 80°F (26°C).

should i ferment also 3 days ?

How long you ferment depends on your goals. The easiest approach is to let it ferment for a few days, transfer it to a new container leaving behind the fruit and sediment, and then put it in the refrigerator immediately. Drink it within a few days to a week; it'll be lightly sparkling.
This approach works whether you use wild yeast or commercial yeast.

If you want shelf-stable bottles, or higher carbonation it's a little more complicated (although not difficult). Do you want it sweet or dry? How much carbonation? Do you want shelf stable bottles? If yes, what bottles do you have available?

Thank you again for the recommendations

My pleasure
Cheers