Tej (pineapple Cider) Recipe

Sanitize

Sanitize a 2–3 L fermentation vessel (glass carboy or food-grade bucket) and any utensils with a no-rinse sanitizer. Cleanliness prevents off-flavors.

Bring 1.5 L of water to near-boil, then remove from heat and allow to cool slightly so it's hot but not boiling (~70–80°C / 160–175°F).

In the sanitized vessel, pour the 2 cups of honey. Slowly add the hot water while stirring to dissolve the honey completely. This creates the must. The heat helps dissolve honey and sanitize it.

Allow the must to cool to 25–30°C (77–86°F). If you need to cool it faster, place the vessel in a cold-water bath, stirring gently until the temperature is in range.

Once cooled, add 500 ml room-temperature water to bring volume and reduce temperature further as needed.

Prepare the pineapple: peel, remove core if not using separately, and coarsely chop the flesh. Reserve the core if using for enzyme activity. Add the chopped pineapple and core (if using) directly to the must.

Zest the 2 lemons into the must, then squeeze in the juice (avoid seeds). The citrus brightens flavor and adjusts acidity.

Add the 2 tbsp sliced fresh ginger to the must and the optional whole cloves and crushed cardamom pods if using. These provide traditional spice notes.

Stir gently to combine fruit and spices with the must.

Check the temperature of the must; it should be between 20–25°C (68–77°F) for pitching yeast. If it's warmer, cool further; if cooler, let it warm slightly.

Sprinkle 1 tsp yeast nutrient and 1 tsp acid blend (or the specified amount of citric acid) into the must and stir to disperse. These help fermentation and stabilize acidity.

Rehydrate the champagne/wine yeast per package instructions (typically in 30–40 ml warm water for 10 minutes) or sprinkle directly on top (direct pitch). Pitch the yeast into the must and stir gently to incorporate. Cover the vessel with a sanitized lid fitted with an airlock.

Place the fermentation vessel in a dark, stable-temperature area between 18–24°C (64–75°F). Fermentation should begin within 24–72 hours (look for bubbling or krausen).

Allow primary fermentation to proceed for 5–10 days. Active bubbling and foam are normal. Gently punch down any large fruit solids with a sanitized spoon, or simply leave them submerged to minimize oxygen exposure.

After the vigorous phase subsides (reduced bubbling), rack (siphon) the liquid off the fruit and sediment into a sanitized secondary fermenter (glass carboy). Pressing fruit is optional but will extract more pineapple character and sugars.

Attach an airlock and let the cider age in the secondary fermenter at 16–20°C (60–68°F) for 2–6 weeks until fermentation completes and sediment settles. Monitor specific gravity (if you have a hydrometer); final gravity around 1.000–1.010 is common for a semi-dry tej/cider depending on honey sugar content.

If desired, taste after 2 weeks. Adjust sweetness by backsweetening with a measured small amount of honey (pasteurized or stabilized with potassium sorbate and sorbic acid if you don’t want re-fermentation) or stabilize before sweetening.

If you want a clear beverage, cold crash in a refrigerator for several days or use fining agents per instructions, then rack off lees into a clean container before bottling.

For still tej/cider: siphon into sanitized bottles and cap. Age for at least 2–4 weeks in bottles for flavors to integrate.

For lightly carbonated (bottle conditioning): dissolve 3–5 g (about 1–1.5 tsp) priming sugar (dextrose or table sugar) in 50 ml boiling water, cool, then add to the cider before bottling into sturdy bottles. Cap and allow conditioning at room temperature for 1–3 weeks, then refrigerate to set carbonation.

Store bottles in a cool, dark place. Chill before serving. Serve slightly chilled in small glasses; tez is traditionally enjoyed in small pours.

Clean and sanitize all equipment after use. Keep records of gravity and dates if you plan to fine-tune future batches.

Estimated alcohol will depend on original and final gravities; with 2 cups honey and the fruit sugars, expect roughly 6–9% ABV depending on fermentation and dilution.