THE BALINESE LIQUOR

Arak is Balinese liquor which is distilled from tuak, a sweet wine made from the coconut palm flower. Tuak is about 5lcohol. Good arak can contain over 50..・ｽit has a similar drug-like effect as opposed to a drunk feeling. Which isn't to say you won't get drunk. It's very potent. And if you drink too much you're liable to have some strange dreams. People in Bali say Rangda, the witch demon, visits them when they drink too much arak. Don't worry, at least you're not waking up next to her in the morning. Hopefully. The good news is you won't wake up with a hangover from drinking arak. Well, not as long as you don't mix your liquors.

Arak, It's For More Than Drinking
Arak isn't only used for recreational purposes, it's widely utilized for medicinal and religious reasons. Many balians, who are practitioners of traditional Balinese medicine, prescribe it externally to relieve aches and pains as well as a part of cures for more serious problems. One balian gave me a list of herbs and roots, telling me to mix them in a base of arak.

It's also used in Balinese Hindu religious ceremonies. Typically it's poured from a bottle into a tapan, a ladle made from a banana leaf. The worshiper or priest holds the tapan in the left hand and wafts the essence of the arak with his right hand, often using a flower held between the fingers to aim it towards the gods in a gesture called ngayabang. Then, shifting the tapan to the right hand, the arak is poured on the ground as an offering to the spirits. This second act is called matabuh, which refers to the spilling of a liquid on the ground as an offering to the lower spirits. Arak used for this purpose is very low quality. The good stuff is saved for drinking.
Finding Good Arak
The best arak is bought in Bali from a warung (small roadside stand) where they probably make it around back or at home. They fill a plastic bag with arak and tie a knot at the top. You take it home and pour it into an empty soda bottle, fastening it with some of the plastic and a rubber band. It pretty much keeps forever since it's not fermented. You can also buy it in liquor stores, where much of it is distilled in Jakarta, but it's not as strong and really doesn't have that distinctive arak taste. Actually, it's pretty bland compared to good homebrew. Good luck finding arak for sale outside of Indonesia, so you need to grab a friend who's going to Bali and have him or her pick up a couple of bottles for you. If he or she forgets, it can be purchased at the Duty Free Shops in Ngurah Rai airport in Denpasar on the way out. Handy, huh?

Making Arak Madu
Experiment. Start with several shots of arak, squeeze half a lime into it, then mix in a teaspoon of honey. Mix it well. Taste it. Add more lime or honey to get the balance you like.

Other Ways to Drink Arak
Straight shots. Arak and coke. Arak and Seven-up