Young Malaysians brew goal for traditional tuak drink to become national success
Given the drink’s origins in Sarawak, industry players have to balance between adhering to traditional processes and commercial limitations
At Raffly Langi’s family longhouse in Sarawak, on Malaysian Borneo, the tuak rice wine did not come in a branded bottle or a tasting flight.
His aunt has brewed the drink for Gawai, the harvest festival celebrated by Dayak communities, an umbrella term for indigenous groups in Sarawak whose longhouses have long been centres of family, rituals and communal life.
She made it from steamed glutinous rice and a cake called ragi, prepared with rice flour, yeast and spices to kick-start fermentation. Once ready, the tuak was drawn from a jar and served without flavouring.
Years later, 33-year-old Raffly has carried that family recipe to the Klang Valley, the urban region around Kuala Lumpur, where he produces tuak under the brand Tuak Alus and develops modern flavours for drinkers who are unfamiliar with the traditional brew.