Kaila Yu – Glass bottles of jewel-toned liquids lined the walls, labeled lavender, cold brew coffee, and lychee. In 2023, inside Four Seasons Bali, Telu, a zero-waste bar, aromatic herb garden, and cocktail garden opened. Here, bartenders infuse their arak – formerly known as Bali's most dangerous drink. This famed moonshine is currently experiencing a renaissance.
In 2020, the Balinese government legalized arak, formalizing the formerly underground industry with standards and regulations. In 2022, arak also received the designation of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) of Indonesia. As a result, the ancient drink is experiencing a revival. Several bars, such as Bali Boozy, Potato Head Bali and TELU have sprouted to focus on this traditional drink, and there's a proliferation of new local arak brands such as Karusotju and IWAK. Almost 50 new artisan brands of arak have debuted domestically since 2020.
Traditional Balinese arak's main ingredient is tuak, derived from coconut palm tree nectar. It's a sweet, aromatic and milky liquid harvested from coconut palm tree flowers. The traditional method is laborious, including climbing trees in the morning to drain tuak from the flowers and climbing up again at night to collect the harvest. The resulting tuak is refreshing, similar to sugar cane juice.
Years ago, arak was a sketchy Balinese moonshine, and tourists were hesitant to drink it due to instances of people getting sick, going blind, or even dying from methanol poisoning. However, in recent years, the industry has stabilized with many licensed local distillers.
Interestingly, there's no legal agreement on the methodology or ingredients required for a drink to qualify as arak. This contrasts bourbon, whiskey, or Mexican tequilas, which are strict about the regions and ingredients used to qualify. Arak commercial production is still in its infancy and currently, there are araks on the market made out of snake fruit, jackfruit, sweet potato and more. The possibilities are endless.
Jan Jurecka showcasing Four Season Bali's arak from TELUFour Seasons Bali
At TELU, guests can sign up for a sustainable cocktail-making class to learn about infusing the spirit with local herbs and mixing drinks such as an arakoni. The bar serves 15 kinds of arak. "One of our most popular cocktails is the Ocean Guardian," says Jan Jurecka in a video interview. "Made from in-house fermented honey, it is a yeasty beverage. We add a bit of blue spirulina to make it funky blue and include lemon juice. We also mix it with aquafaba – chickpea water, upcycled from the hummus served at the bar. It's a fruity, refreshing, sour style of cocktail."
Akademi Cocktail BarAkademi Cocktail Bar
Arak is also popular at Bali Boozy Kitchen and Bar, serving craft cocktails and local spirits. It's a popular spot for young locals and expats. Try signature cocktails like the Manusia Pulau featuring arak Bali, pineapple, guava, toasted coconut and lime. Head to the Akademi Cocktail Bar at Seminyak's iconic Potato Head Beach Club. The bar serves root-to-flower cocktails, and a popular pick is the Akademi Negroni cocktail with gin, bali grape arak, aperol, Brem wine, Campari, and Sweet Vermouth The bar also offers a cocktail masterclass with the head mixologist.
There are also many local makers making a splash. Female female-founded Iwak Arumery, started by Ida Ayu Puspa Eny, aka Puspa, a former Brahman journalist. Iwak Arumery product is made from three fermented palm nectars double distilled, blended, infused, and then rested for 2 years to achieve the mellow flavoring. "Painters have their brushes, sculptors their clay, I have my spices," Puspa explained over email about her creation process. "Iwak Arumery is the true Indonesian spirit, not only does it showcase Indonesian ingredients but also its exotic flavor profile not found in any other drinks in the world."
Iwak ArumeryIwak Arumery
Another is the artisanal brand Karusotju, made from Indigenous honey sweet potatoes. It's a high-end product with a smooth finish and comes in two varieties. Try the Karu 18, which is similar to Japanese sake and marketed at the young and trendy.
It's an exciting time for Arak, and watching how the spirit develops over the next several years will be interesting.
[Kaila Yu is an LA-based luxury food, travel and culture journalist.]