Recommended Indonesian Alcohol Brands

HappyMan

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I'm wondering if anyone has some recommendations for Indonesian liquor. Post any sort of drink you like though, of course.

I'll start with Albens cider. It's no Thatcher's Christon, but it goes down well. Not too sweet, not too dry. Made in Bali, available in your more well stocked alcohol sellers. I think I got some at Beer Point in Bdg ages ago. At least one of the liquor stores across from Yens on Setiabudi also stocks it. It's better than bloody Strongbow, anyhow.
 
Stark Beer is pretty good. Also made in Bali. The wheat beer and the IPA are passable. The IPA is about 80% as good as something like Fullers IPA in the UK (https://birrapedia.com/fuller-s-india-pale-ale/f-572382f21603da8d31ad07a4). I don't mean that to sound insulting, I'm very happy to be able to get a locally sourced IPA. :))

Stark Beer also have a taproom in Jakarta at SCBD. Been there once after touch rugby was called off. Highly recommend it. Plus they offer the normal size pints and Oktoberfest size pints.
 
Stark Beer also have a taproom in Jakarta at SCBD. Been there once after touch rugby was called off. Highly recommend it. Plus they offer the normal size pints and Oktoberfest size pints.

Thanks for this! I will keep an eye out, I knew they had one in Bali, it was named a 'Beer Garden' but it felt like a normal pub tbh. The Zomato link (here: https://www.zomato.com/jakarta/stark-taproom-1-scbd) looks great!
 
I agree on Stark beer....IPA is pretty decent and it also has a low carb one too which is also pretty decent in my opinion. Wheat beer...cold with a slice of lemon is also drinkable (maybe think of it as a local Hefeweizen..)

Wine: Thumbs down on Hatten for me...although its Riesling is drinkable in a pinch (or with food)...Cape Discovery reds are all quite enjoyable in my opinion. Didn't try the whites, but my guess they're quite decent too if they follow their reds' quality.

I tried Albens before and it was quite nice..not sure why I didn't think it was local, maybe because the price for a bottle was double (or almost triple?) a bottle of Bintang..
 
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How pretentious! Give this stuff a go. At most Rp80,000 a bottle and often closer to Rp60,000. Why pay more for something less potent? Produced in Banten and 19.8%. Local opposition in news reports - one has to wonder if the people here realise that most of their ancestors were non Muslims. Seems ok and moderately inspirational. I'll let you know in the morning but so far so good.
 

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How pretentious! Give this stuff a go. At most Rp80,000 a bottle and often closer to Rp60,000. Why pay more for something less potent? Produced in Banten and 19.8%. Local opposition in news reports - one has to wonder if the people here realise that most of their ancestors were non Muslims. Seems ok and moderately inspirational. I'll let you know in the morning but so far so good.
I do have a soft spot for chilled orang tua anggur merah mixed with beer! Its pretty okay!
 
How pretentious! Give this stuff a go. At most Rp80,000 a bottle and often closer to Rp60,000. Why pay more for something less potent? Produced in Banten and 19.8%. Local opposition in news reports - one has to wonder if the people here realise that most of their ancestors were non Muslims. Seems ok and moderately inspirational. I'll let you know in the morning but so far so good.
I have had a couple bottles of Kawa Kawa... While the ABV has quite a kick to it, it is absurdly sweet. I say that as a person who considers South East Asian baked goods to be nowhere near sweet enough. Kawa Kawa is even sweeter than the Mad Dog 20/20 that was popular when I was in high school in the US. All that said, I still drink it occasionally because 600 ml for 50k (plus ongkir) is too good of a deal to pass up.
 
How pretentious! Give this stuff a go. At most Rp80,000 a bottle and often closer to Rp60,000. Why pay more for something less potent? Produced in Banten and 19.8%. Local opposition in news reports - one has to wonder if the people here realise that most of their ancestors were non Muslims. Seems ok and moderately inspirational. I'll let you know in the morning but so far so good.
I'll have to find a bottle of that. If it is a bit sweet, I might try mixing it with some of that waterlymon stuff from Sprite.
 
I'll definitely buy Kawa Kawa again. It opened up corridors of my mind that the usual bland lagers do not reach. Often feel bloated and bored after just two Bintangs, but Singaraja is alright and you get a free t-shirt if you order a box! This dreadful 2020 must be the first year for over two decades in which I have not supped Caffrey's or Worthington's creamflow... will have to make up for it in 2021.
 
Since this thread seems to have veered off into "acquired taste" territory, can I ask if they still make Mansion House spirits? Haven't seen it for years.

Vile stuff, really - but it was cheap as chips.
 
Since this thread seems to have veered off into "acquired taste" territory, can I ask if they still make Mansion House spirits? Haven't seen it for years.

Vile stuff, really - but it was cheap as chips.
(Note: Tokped is constantly going after the good spirits vendors, hence that link will probably only work for a few hours.)
Mansion House appears to be making a big push into "Jamaica Rum" these days, but pretty much all local spirits are effectively flavored vodkas. To that end, IMHO, the best value for the money liquor is "Iceland Vodka". Of course, "Iceland Vodka" is as Icelandic as HokBen is Japanese, but it is the best bang for the buck neutral spirit to be found in Indonesia.
 
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Since this thread seems to have veered off into "acquired taste" territory, can I ask if they still make Mansion House spirits? Haven't seen it for years.

Vile stuff, really - but it was cheap as chips.
They still brew but are marginalized by a bunch of indonesian breweries who are producing better booze ate similar prices.
Iceland vodka has been named (it also exists in Citrus and Orange flavored vodka) and Empire Gin and Manta Rum (exists in white and Dark) are among these locally produced spirits, which are drinkable. Chivas Whisky is said to be produced locally under license in a not so far future which should knock down a bit the price without messing up too much the taste.
In the "produced under license" category there is the smirnoff vodka and Captain Morgan Rum.
The original and legal Cap Tikus (not for the faint hearted though) may also be considered. The price has sky rocketted though since it became legal.
In the wine category, a decent mention can be given to Isola. They are gonna become bigger since they now have a distribution agreement with PAN which have cabang all over Indonesia. The downside is that the price will go up (albeit still under 200K a 750ml botol).
Zirca has decent and affordable liquors, particularly the coconut, irish cream and triple sec. Don't expect a Malibu, a Bailey's or a Cointreau, but you can blend some non lethal stuff with it.
 
And don't forget Konig Ludwig Weissbier (330ml and 500ml) and Kaltenberg (330ml) which are both brewed locally. Both are great and less than half the price of similar imported beers.
 
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They still brew but are marginalized by a bunch of indonesian breweries who are producing better booze ate similar prices.
Iceland vodka has been named (it also exists in Citrus and Orange flavored vodka) and Empire Gin and Manta Rum (exists in white and Dark) are among these locally produced spirits, which are drinkable. Chivas Whisky is said to be produced locally under license in a not so far future which should knock down a bit the price without messing up too much the taste.
In the "produced under license" category there is the smirnoff vodka and Captain Morgan Rum.
The original and legal Cap Tikus (not for the faint hearted though) may also be considered. The price has sky rocketted though since it became legal.
In the wine category, a decent mention can be given to Isola. They are gonna become bigger since they now have a distribution agreement with PAN which have cabang all over Indonesia. The downside is that the price will go up (albeit still under 2000K a 750ml botol).
Zirca has decent and affordable liquors, particularly the coconut, irish cream and triple sec. Don't expect a Malibu, a Bailey's or a Cointreau, but you can blend some non lethal stuff with it.

This is like a treasure trove of new toys for me and right in time for Christmas! Got a few weeks to get warmed up XD

And don't forget Konig Ludwig Weissbier (330ml and 500ml) and Kaltenberg (330ml) which are both brewed locally. Both are great and less than half the price of similar imported beers.
These are both good. Are they brewed under license from Europe or are they purely local creations?

Thanks for this post! :))
 
These are both good. Are they brewed under license from Europe or are they purely local creations?

Thanks for this post! :))
Both Konig Ludwig and Kaltenberg are brewed under license of the German brewery König Ludwig GmbH & Co. KG Schlossbrauerei Kaltenberg.
 
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Wow @atlantis that is quite the wealth of information. Do you have any advice for acquiring these products for someone who lives in a province where you have to know the special stores just to find Bintang? Do these companies use distribution networks which are specific to alcohol? Is it realistic to get inter-island shipment direct from the manufacturer or distributor of a dozen bottles?
 
Wow @atlantis that is quite the wealth of information. Do you have any advice for acquiring these products for someone who lives in a province where you have to know the special stores just to find Bintang? Do these companies use distribution networks which are specific to alcohol? Is it realistic to get inter-island shipment direct from the manufacturer or distributor of a dozen bottles?
They definitely have appointed distributors in most region of Indonesia. As a matter of fact Empire Gin, Iceland Vodka, Zirca liquors, Konig Ludwig and Kaltenberg all belong some way or another to the same group, the Orang Tua group.
Pantja Artha Niaga which distributes Isola wine throughout Indonesia has also appointed distributors throughout the archipelago. As a matter of fact some people of PT Phinisi Anugerah Nusantara, the PAN distributor in Makassar, came to see me a few weeks ago. We didn't reach an agreement on Isola but since it's pretty much the only wine they have at the moment, it's perhaps worth trying to contact them if you don't live too far from Makassar and are interested by quantities above 1 carton.

If you can't find their contact, let me know.
 
I remember Mansion House! I bought their vodka once. It was so vile I threw it out. No matter how badly I should happen to need a stiff drink, I could not force that stuff down.
 
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