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BALI DRINK
Most foreigners like the local BINTANG beer. Many restaurants
and pubs also serve BINTANG "draft". Other locally produced
beers are ANKER, CARLSBERG, SAN MIGUEL, and the less popular
BALI HAI beer. In hotels and supermarkets you can also find
well-known brands imported from Australia, Germany, Japan, and
even China (Tsing Tao).
Five or 10 years ago a wide range of imported liqueur and a
(somewhat limited selection of) wines was freely available in
supermarkets and restaurants, although at relatively high prices.
However, during the past years it has become sometimes difficult
to get hold of a bottle of white wine, red wine, cognac, whisky,
a real Vodka, etc - no matter what price you are prepared to pay.
Some religious (Moslem) groups are trying to make the consumption
of alcoholic beverages illegal in Indonesia, and there is a
possibility that in future alcoholic drinks will either not
be available at all or can only be served in international
hotels and only to foreigners.
This is really bad news for all Balinese who have enjoyed Arak,
Tuak, and Brem as long as anybody can remember. It is a tradition
that in all villages the men meet in the evening in "drinking clubs"
where they discuss the news of the day and get slowly stoned on their
rather potent home brews.
Tuak (about 5% alcohol) is a sweet palm wine made from the juice
of the coconut palm flower which is stored for about one month for
fermentation. Brem is made from black glutinous rice and coconut
milk; the alcohol content is about 7% to 9% after three days
fermentation. Most popular with foreigners is Arak: a colorless,
sugarless spirit distilled from either Brem or Tuak with 20% to
50% alcohol content. A whole bottle costs about Rupiah 8,000,
and it is usually served 'on the rocks' as "Arak Attack" or
"Arak Madu" (Arak, lemon or orange juice, and honey). You
should try it at least once. There is no hang-over as long
as you don't mix your drinks, and many visitors don't order
anything else after they have discovered Arak.
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