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The Paradise of Balinese Arak in Les Village, Buleleng Regency, You Can See How It's Made

Balinese wine lovers must come to Les Village in Bali. Besides being able to enjoy the wine, you can also see the process of making it. It was said by the Governor of Bali that therapy using Balinese Arak could help COVID-19 patients without symptoms (OTG). Balinese Arak is one of the magnets for tourists who vacation in Bali. It's not complete when a trip to Bali without tasting these alcoholic beverages. Well, in Bali several villages produce wine traditionally. One of them is Les Village, located in Tejakula District, Buleleng Regency. Chef Yudi is the owner of the Dapoer Bali Moela restaurant which also produces Balinese wine. He explained that there are three types of wine where the difference is in the ingredients used. There is arak made from palm wine, palm wine, and palm or Siwalan fruit.

"Here at Dapoer Bali Moela, we make wine from lontar. Palmyra water is tapped and then fermented for 1x24 hours. Then it is distilled until it becomes arak. The alcohol content is between 5-10 percent," he said. various flavors. There are original ones, Moringa, mango, and jackfruit.

The price varies, depending on the type and alcohol content. The price range is Rp. 25 thousand to Rp. 135 thousand per bottle.

Besides being famous for its Balinese wine, Les Village also has other tourist attractions. Chef Yudi explained that the destinations there are complete, from mountains to the sea.

"There are waterfalls, there are good trekking routes, in the sea, there are snorkeling and diving spots because there are coral reefs," he said. What's interesting is that the people of Les Village are so preserving the nature there. They also have a special organization for the rescue of coral reefs.

"We are a community that cares about corals. So if there is garbage, we clean it," said Chef Yudi. Chef Yudi also explained that the concept of maintenance there is following the teachings of Balinese Hinduism.

"We are actually without any program, we are recommended to protect nature, respect humans, and glorify God. That is what is called Tri Hita Karana," he said.

"So we care for this nature. That's a strong concept in Bali," he concluded. Meanwhile, how to make Balinese wine The Governor of Bali I Wayan Koster claims that Balinese Arak therapy is effective in curing Corona patients who have no symptoms or OTG (People Without Symptom). What is Balinese wine like?

Citing various sources, in Indonesia, Bali is indeed an area famous for its wine. Arak is not solely owned by Bali, other areas make wine.

Balinese wine is usually made from coconut sap or brown rice which is fermented for hours with natural tools. The production process is still done traditionally by community groups in villages. Several places in Bali that produce arak are Tri Eka Buana Village, Loaddem Village, and Abang Village in Karangasem Regency. Then in the Buleleng Regency area. However, the most famous wine producer in Bali is in the Karangasem Regency. One of them is in Merita Village where almost all houses process and produce arak as a home industry.

According to a study by Putu Ayu Indrayathi, et al (2017), making wine in this village has become a hereditary tradition where this wine is often used as part of prayer activities and ceremonies in Bali.

Meanwhile, another village in Karangasem which is also famous as a winemaker is Tri Eka Buana Village. Just like in Merita Village, making wine there is still simple and this wine is also served in ceremonies.

justify;">The Balinese wine produced usually contains 20-50 percent alcohol. The price starts from IDR 20-25 thousand per bottle depending on the alcohol content.

In its development, this traditional arak can be mixed with various other ingredients which make it richer in taste. This type of wine is widely sold in tourist areas such as the Canggu and Seminyak areas.

In addition, in the manufacture of Balinese wine, there is also a philosophical meaning related to the local community's belief in the god Bagus Arak Api or Ida Batara Arak Api, who resides in Pura Dalem.

In Bali, apart from being a therapeutic tool, Balinese wine has also been used as an ingredient for making disinfectants and hand sanitizers by the Bali Police and Udayana University. Arak Bali is extracted into pure alcohol with a content of 96% according to the standard. The alcohol purification extract process uses equipment in the laboratory of the Faculty of Pharmacy, Udayana University.