Arrack

Arak is the traditional alcohol of Bali, tested out of curiosity after reading that it was produced on the island. We will have drunk more than we should, and its unbeatable price will also have worked in its favor.

Behind this almost banal name hides a traditional Indonesian distilled alcohol, obtained from the fermentation of palm sap (coconut or sugar palm) or sometimes sticky rice. The process remained astonishingly simple. The sap is collected from coconut blossoms, left to ferment, then distilled over an open fire in rudimentary facilities passed down from generation to generation. The result, a clear, colorless alcohol, which is between 30 and 50 percent depending on the producers. Since 2021, it has even been recognized as Indonesia's intangible cultural heritage.

Depending on the region of the archipelago, it is found under other names. In Flores and the Moluccas, a very similar alcohol is called sopi, distilled from the sap of the lontar palm. Each island actually has its own recipe and method.

In Bali, it's one of the cheapest alcohols on the market, and yet it was clearly our favorite. Served raw, it is powerful and rustic, with a slight hit of hot heat in the throat. But prepared well, with a good blender, lime juice and a little sugar syrup, it takes on the surprising air of a pisco sour, all freshness and balance. We spent a few very nice evenings around two or three glasses of arak, chatting with travelers we met along the way or with local people.

Little anecdote that sums up the atmosphere well. In Komodo, we went to buy some with our guide, directly from the locals. These were two very young girls who sold us the bottle, discreetly, from the small porch of their house. An improbable scene, very telling about the uninhibited relationship that part of Indonesia has with this alcohol.

A word about caution though. Uncontrolled artisanal arak can contain methanol in the event of failed distillation, and serious accidents have already happened. It is better to favor labeled brands or serious local addresses. And as always, alcohol abuse is dangerous for your health.