Labelling process at Arak Dewi Sri’s factory in Bali. (JP/Randy Verlie)" border="0" height="341" width="512">Labelling process at Arak Dewi Sri’s factory in Bali. (JP/Randy Verlie)

Arak is perhaps not everyone’s cup of tea. But if you’re visiting Bali, having a sip of the liquor is a must.

The local distilled alcoholic beverage made from natural ingredients is a part of Balinese culture that is much loved by both residents and tourists.

Boscha Victor Pandapotan, the beverage manager of the Nusa Dua Beach Hotel and Spa in Bali, said there were three different araks.

“The first is made from coconut. The second is made from the sap of palm or the ental flower and the third is made from beras or rice,” he says.

Traditional arak distillers, who can still be found in rural areas across the island, operate very humbly, using aluminum containers and bamboo pipes.

Pure distilled arak. (JP/Randy Verlie)The process starts by splitting open palm flower and collecting the sap. The juice — called tuak — is milky and already contains low alcohol percentage by the time it is collected. Tuak should be processed immediately — the longest wait is should be three days — otherwise it will go bad.

For arak of the purest quality, the maker should filter the tuak, remove any pollen from the collecting process. The process will produce clearer tuak.

The juice is then poured into containers that are placed on a wood-fired flame. Bamboo pipes are fastened at the top of container, while at the other end of the pipe, a glass bottle is tied.

When the juice is boiled, steam runs up into the pipes and drips into bottles. These drops are arak. From every 10 liters of tuak, the producer gets around 1 liter of arak.

The liquid in the bottles settles into several levels. First grade arak comes from the lower layer, usually about 5 centimeters from the bottom. It is 80 proof and is as clear as water. The alcohol is similar to vodka, but with a very strong fruity odor.

The second-grade arak is collected from the next level — about 10 to 12 centimeters from the top — and shows a less clear color than the first level. It is about 50 proof.

The remainder of the concoction is arak of the “least pure” quality.

Fermented sticky rice. (JP/Randy Verlie)In Balinese tradition, arak is usually consumed during communal activities, such as funeral processions.

According to Made Suparta, a former arak producer, Balinese usually drink the third-grade arak to stay awake while waiting for the deceased to be buried. They do not drink first-grade arak, as it would quickly make them drunk.

“Good quality arak will not make the drinker sleepy. Instead, it acts like an energy drink. Farmers are used to drinking a small glass of first-grade arak before they start working, for extra energy,” Suparta said.

First grade arak was also used by farmers as a balm called boreh to ease stiff joints, he added.

Arak is used as an offering to pay tribute to butha kala, a spirit believed to exist invisibly among humans.

By giving them an offering of tetabuhan, or arak, to drink along with a meal of five-colored rice (segehan), the Balinese believe that the butha kala will not influence humans to do negative things, since they are well fed.

Recently, arak has been produced using modern technology. Aluminum pipes replace the bamboo and gas stove coexist alongside the wood-fired flame.

Labelling process at Arak Dewi Sri'€™s factory in Bali. (JP/Randy Verlie)

Arak is perhaps not everyone'€™s cup of tea. But if you'€™re visiting Bali, having a sip of the liquor is a must.

The local distilled alcoholic beverage made from natural ingredients is a part of Balinese culture that is much loved by both residents and tourists.

Boscha Victor Pandapotan, the beverage manager of the Nusa Dua Beach Hotel and Spa in Bali, said there were three different araks.

'€œThe first is made from coconut. The second is made from the sap of palm or the ental flower and the third is made from beras or rice,'€ he says.

Traditional arak distillers, who can still be found in rural areas across the island, operate very humbly, using aluminum containers and bamboo pipes.

Pure distilled arak. (JP/Randy Verlie)The process starts by splitting open palm flower and collecting the sap. The juice '€” called tuak '€” is milky and already contains low alcohol percentage by the time it is collected. Tuak should be processed immediately '€” the longest wait is should be three days '€” otherwise it will go bad.

For arak of the purest quality, the maker should filter the tuak, remove any pollen from the collecting process. The process will produce clearer tuak.

The juice is then poured into containers that are placed on a wood-fired flame. Bamboo pipes are fastened at the top of container, while at the other end of the pipe, a glass bottle is tied.

When the juice is boiled, steam runs up into the pipes and drips into bottles. These drops are arak. From every 10 liters of tuak, the producer gets around 1 liter of arak.

The liquid in the bottles settles into several levels. First grade arak comes from the lower layer, usually about 5 centimeters from the bottom. It is 80 proof and is as clear as water. The alcohol is similar to vodka, but with a very strong fruity odor.

The second-grade arak is collected from the next level '€” about 10 to 12 centimeters from the top '€” and shows a less clear color than the first level. It is about 50 proof.

The remainder of the concoction is arak of the '€œleast pure'€ quality.

Fermented sticky rice. (JP/Randy Verlie)In Balinese tradition, arak is usually consumed during communal activities, such as funeral processions.

According to Made Suparta, a former arak producer, Balinese usually drink the third-grade arak to stay awake while waiting for the deceased to be buried. They do not drink first-grade arak, as it would quickly make them drunk.

'€œGood quality arak will not make the drinker sleepy. Instead, it acts like an energy drink. Farmers are used to drinking a small glass of first-grade arak before they start working, for extra energy,'€ Suparta said.

First grade arak was also used by farmers as a balm called boreh to ease stiff joints, he added.

Arak is used as an offering to pay tribute to butha kala, a spirit believed to exist invisibly among humans.

By giving them an offering of tetabuhan, or arak, to drink along with a meal of five-colored rice (segehan), the Balinese believe that the butha kala will not influence humans to do negative things, since they are well fed.

Recently, arak has been produced using modern technology. Aluminum pipes replace the bamboo and gas stove coexist alongside the wood-fired flame.

A priest prepares offerings, incense, holy water, arak and brem rice wine before prayers at a major temple in Bali. (JP/Ari Gunadi)The general manager of Arak Bali Dewi Sri, Ida Bagus Gunawan, said they produced arak in the firm'€™s Sanur factory using sticky rice, since it has a milder scent than arak distilled from palm.

The water produced from the fermented rice '€” called brem '€” is about 10 proof before it is again distilled at 80 to 90 degrees Celsius.

'€œIt is very important to keep the temperature under control, since alcohol evaporates at a temperature between 80 and 90 degrees, and to ensure you get pure arak. If you expose it to higher temperatures, it is more likely that the water will evaporate and the steam will mix into the arak,'€ he says.

Arak is also quite famous among tourists and expats. Before imported liquors were stocked on the island, the only option available for those wishing to drink alcoholic beverages was arak.

The first famous arak-based cocktail was the Arak Attack which, according to Boscha, was very famous in 1980s.

'€œThe Arak Attack is a very simple drink, a mix of arak and orange juice. When tourists drank it, they said:
'€˜It was too alcoholic, too attacked, too attacked'€™. That'€™s why it'€™s called Arak Attack,'€ Boscha recalled.

At the hotel, arak is taken to the next level '€” treated as a premium beverage just like imported liquors, with four different creations: Joget made from arak, lime juice and sugar syrup; a Bali Julep, created from mint leaves, brown sugar, arak and ice; a Balinese Mule, made from Premium arak mixed with spicy ginger beer; and the last one is Mount Agung.

The star is Mt. Agung, a smoky martini made from apple wood chips, premium arak, herbs and spice syrup. The syrup is homemade, made of black pepper, star anise, cinnamon and cloves.

'€œWe have served arak over the past years, but this time we'€™re really proud to promote it. Arak is part of Balinese culture and this island is famous for its arak,'€ Boscha says.

Arak, he said, has attracted curiosity, especially from tourists wanting to try something unique and local, as part of local culture but with high quality of serving.

'€œIt depends on how you mix it. Arak has a strong note of fruitiness, so you have to mix or infuse it with something that has stronger aroma such as lemon juice, puree, orange juice or herbs to overlap the smell and taste.'€

He also added that good arak is 80 proof, but third-grade arak spiked with methanol can be up to 140 proof.

Boscha said that to know whether a glass of arak contains methanol or not, it has to be tasted to tell if it is too dry or strong, and it will be odorless.

'€œGood arak is like vodka. The only difference is its strong fruity note,'€ he says.