STEM Club’s annual Mocktails with Mawer is back! Every year, STEM Club collaborates with Mr. Mawer, one of VPM’s history teachers and a passionate mixologist, to learn hands-on about food science.

This year, STEM Club prepared a twist on their usual mocktail preparation. Instead of mixing store-bought drinks, Mawer helped the club’s leaders incorporate the science of fermentation to make tepache, a lightly fermented Mexican drink. Typically a part of STEM Club’s mathematics unit, students learned about fermentation and biology rather than the mathematics of mixing drinks with the correct ratio. 

Tepache, made with fermented pineapple peels, ginger, and cinnamon, was fermented by STEM Club members for a week and mixed with sparkling water and other juices to make custom mocktails. Students learned about lactic acid, ethanol, and acetic acid fermentation, and the importance of burping the tepache jars to release built-up gases and moisture and prevent mold.

Mawer, an experienced tepache-maker, paid STEM Club a visit and gave the tepache a try. The tepache had mostly positive reviews, with a lightly-fermented, sweet-and-sour pineapple flavor. Toppings included sugar rims, chili-lime rims, and lime juice, and students enjoyed mixing in apple juice, lemonade, and mango juice for different flavors. 

If you’re interested in STEM Club and its fun and delicious activities, visit room 2232 every Friday at lunch and check them out on Instagram @stemclub.vpm!