Merita‘s merry juice
Banjar Merita is the name behind Bali’s famous arak. Located in Bali’s Karangasem Regency, it is the producer of the island’s popular palmyra liquor. Hundreds of households in the banjar—the Balinese equivalent of a hamlet—are familiar with the centuries-old tradition of distilling arak, passed on over generations. Now, traditional Merita arak has penetrated the tourism industry and has spread its wings beyond Bali. Locals believe that their arak’s exquisite taste is due to the blessings of Ida Bhatara Arak Api, the god of fire.
October 30, 2017
Balinese Arak's Time to Shine
The Merita Arak, once consumed only by locals in Karangasem, has penetrated the tourism sector and is now served in Bali's hotels and restaurants. The traditional alcoholic drink has even been exported.
Palmyra trees flanking the streets of Banjar Merita in Labang Sari village, Bali, some 80 kilometers east of Denpasar, seemed to welcome Tempo English last September. The palmyra tree-called ental or lontar in Bali-is
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