What Kinds of Alcohol Are There in Bali?
The most popular beer in Bali (and in Indonesia) is Bintang. Best served cold, it’s an mild-tasting pilsner with a brewing history dating back to the Dutch Heineken breweries in Indonesia from the 1920s to the 1930s.
Other common beers found on the island include Prost, Bali Hai, Heineken, San Miguel, and Corona. The Bali craft brewery Stark produces some fine beers and is available in limited locations. Beer is available at most restaurants, bars, markets, and convenience stores.
Wine is available at restaurants, bars, and markets. It is fairly expensive. There are Balinese-made wines made with grapes originating in Australia.
Local alcoholic beverages included arak, brem, and tuak; which are all related. Arak is a strong liquor which distilled from tuak, a sweet wine made from the coconut palm flower, or from brem, a rice wine made from black glutinous rice and coconut milk. Arak is usually served as a cocktail ingredient in an arak madu (arak with honey) or an arak attack (arak with sprite and lemon).
Use caution when considering drinking arak. Arak can contain over 50 percent alcohol. There are some good araks which can be purchased in markets, but also some very bad and potentially lethal homebrews. If you want to try it, it’s best to try it in a cocktail at a reputable establishment.
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