“Stir It Up”

Indonesia’s Got Spirit

At Klub Kembali, guests often ask why we focus on alcohol produced in Indonesia. After all, until only a few years ago, Indonesian wine and spirits were often more of a cautionary tale with less-than-safe alcohol being offered to unsuspecting visitors – often created by in-home “makers” with little to no knowledge about proper distillation. In 2020, however, Bali changed the tides by legalizing Balinese Arak and at the same time introducing government support to ensure arak is produced safely. Upon issuing the new regulation the Balinese governor promised to “train producers to pay attention to matters, such as hygiene and alcohol distillation, to ensure better quality products.” Since then, not only arak but also beers, wine and other spirits are now legally produced by passionate Indonesian craftspeople with new varieties being released every couple of months.

So what is arak? Most traditional Balinese arak is made from palm sap, which is left to ferment and later distilled. Now, with more unique arak varieties made from snake fruit, Balinese oranges or sweet potatoes, local producers are getting creative in many ways, starting with the fermentation period, number of distillations and ending with some of them infusing and aging their spirits. 

In addition to caring about creative products, the entrepreneurs involved also care about their impact on the communities in which they work. All try to pay a fair price for the farm produce that goes into the arak and some stand out by doing more. For example, Karusotju, a company producing sweet potato-based spirits in the mountains of Bali, has started a non-profit organization to support and brand sustainably produced local farm products. Twalen, the company that produces a coffee-infused Arak named Arakbica, purchased and prepaid for two years’ worth of crops from Balinese farmers to support an economy suffering from the absence of tourism in the middle of the COVID pandemic. These are just two examples of community-focused efforts behind the spirits; countless other Indonesian distilleries, wineries and breweries are also doing amazing work with their local communities!

So how do you best enjoy Arak? Most araks and other Indonesian liqueurs can be enjoyed neat (pure spirit, poured into a glass with no ice) either after dinner, or as a lovely sunset sipper as double-distillation and the aging of spirits ensures a smooth experience without having to add any mixers. On the flip side, though, many local araks also make an excellent cocktail recipe base. If you take a bottle home, experiment by switching vodka, gin or rum in your favorite cocktail recipe with arak – and then adjust other ingredients as needed. (That’s how we often start our innovation process at Klub Kembali!)

Ready to try your own arak cocktail experimentation? Check out one of our favorite recipes using one of the Klub’s most popular araks. Have fun and, as always, enjoy responsibly!

Side note: What about Lombok tuak? Great question. Tuak is a palm wine made in many villages across Lombok. So why don’t we serve it at Klub Kembali? The local makers here in Lombok haven’t yet caught up with the entrepreneurial drive of Bali and there is currently no legal Lombok tuak production. (Safety note? If you’re hanging at the beach and someone offers you “local tuak” – usually in an unmarked or water bottle – you may wish to decline as there are no regulations or safety measures in place yet with Lombok spirits.)

Arakisa

Ingredients

• Arakbica Arak
• Markisa (Passionfruit) Jam
• Simple Syrup
• Fresh Lime Juice
• Saline Solution
• Aquafaba  
• Dehydrated Lime

Preparation

1. Fill shaker with:

• 1/2 oz simple syrup
• 2 tsp lime juice
• 1 1/2 tsp markisa jam
• 1/2 oz Aquafaba 
• 3 oz Arakbica
• 4 drops saline solution

2. Shake the above ingredients WITHOUT ICE for 15 seconds (this is called a dry shake)
3. Next, add ice cubes to the shaker and now shake WITH ICE for 15 seconds
4. Double strain into a chilled Coupe or Martini Glass 
5. Garnish with dehydrated lime slice

Notes

• Make simple syrup by adding 1/2 cup of water and 1/2 cup of sugar into a saucepan and heat gently until the sugar is completely dissolved.
• If you do not have access to markisa jam, experiment with apricot or any other jam.
• Aquafaba is the liquid found in a can of chickpeas. We prefer it over egg white to create the foam on this cocktail.
• Saline solution is the bartender’s secret weapon. Like salt in food, a few drops of saline solution will brighten up the flavors tremendously. And you’ll impress your friends when using a tincture dropper to make this cocktail! We make saline solution by combining 100 ml water with 25 grams of salt, and gently warming it until the salt is completely dissolved.

Daniel Schwizer is the owner and head mixologist at the Klub Kembali craft cocktail bar in Selong Belanak, Lombok.

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