Review: Austin Eastciders Rico Tepache

I’d imagine anyone that likes hard cider, or alcohol, or has simply been into a gas station, grocery, or bodega in the last decade has at least a passing familiarity with Austin Eastciders’ branding (and font), if not their product. The stuff is everywhere. Given its ubiquity I was surprised to find that, 30-something releases deep, 17 of which are currently in production, this is the first anything they’ve released that isn’t a cider.

Rico Tepache is their “Texas take” on the thousands-years old, indigenous Mexican drink, tepache. A fermented beverage typically made with pineapple rind and brown sugar, Austin Eastciders flips the script in a few notable ways: they use pineapple fruit, which gives it a breezier, sweeter profile, add pinches of cinnamon and ginger, and up the alcohol content to 6.8%. Rico Tepache also hits at a chunky 195 calories, or in Texan, “nearly half the caloric content of a bacon and cheese Whataburger Jr.”

It’s not hard to see why. This is canned dessert. It’s sweet, viscous, sometimes pulpy; reminiscent of candied ginger, pineapple upside down cake, and frosted spice cookies. A stout little drink that does well to remain refreshing. The pineapple doesn’t always land up front but it’s always there, providing a tart, fresh counterbalance to that aforementioned mixing bowl full of tacky, wet brown sugar and spices.

I doubt Rico Tepache will be everyone’s cup of tea. I’m not even sure that it’s mine. Nevertheless, Austin Eastciders should be commended for putting their own stamp on the drink, as what could have felt like crass appropriation reads as a thoughtful love letter. It’s unique, lush, respectful, and probably readily available in a 10 mile radius.

6.8% abv.

B / $10 per six-pack / austineastciders.com

The post Review: Austin Eastciders Rico Tepache appeared first on Drinkhacker: The Insider’s Guide to Good Drinking.