When drinking tuak or tuak cocktails, toast the Iban way and say ‘Oohaa!’. — O’haus
Come for the cocktails, stay for the tuak. That’s the approach some enterprising tuak-makers have taken in promoting the traditional alcoholic beverage.
Tuak is a traditional rice wine from Borneo that many outside of Sabah and Sarawak may not be familiar with. Because of this, brewers based in Peninsular Malaysia have decided to present it in a more ... “modern” form.
“Mixing it into cocktails is the perfect solution,” says Michelle Glory G. Jonik, who co-runs the Penang-based O’haus. “It allows us to modernise tuak while making it appealing to people who might not have tried it otherwise. It’s a great way to blend tradition with something new and exciting,” she explains.
Cocktails like Sparkling Nutmeg (“original” tuak infused with the spice synonymous with Penang), bright red Sarikei Laicee (original or pineapple tuak combined with lychee syrup and fruit) and the blue-hued Tropikal (original tuak topped with tropical spices) are just some of the colourful concoctions the brand offers.
Jonik co-founded O’haus in 2019 with two of her close friends from her university days. All aged 31 now, the trio has continued to keep in touch long after graduating, often meeting up for drinks. Anyone visiting the Hin Bus Depot weekend market in Penang nowadays will see two of the friends manning their kiosk there: Jonik and Julian Anak Frederick.
The third partner, who wishes to remain anonymous, is still very much part of the business, though less involved than before.
“Our cocktail business is mainly a weekend venture since we all have full-time jobs during the week,” Jonik says.
“It can be a bit of a balancing act, but we make it work by being prepared ahead of time, ensuring everything is ready so we can focus on running the business on the weekends.”
O’haus founders Julian (left) and Jonik primarily sell their tuak cocktails at Hin Bus Depot in Penang. — O’haus
Borneo’s rice wines
While the drinks that they feature on their menu are the tuak cocktails, Jonik and Julian clarify that they actually brew two different types of traditional rice wines. Both base their drinks on family recipes, having learned from their respective parents who are also brewers in their own hometowns.
The main tuak brewing is handled by the Sarawak-born Julian, taught by his mother who focuses on producing tuak anggur (grape) and tuak ginseng, apart from the original version.
Jonik, who hails from the small town of Papar in Sabah, makes aged tuak – “or what we call lihing (or hiing)” in the Kadazandusun language, she shares. Original and pineapple tuak are her two chief flavours, the latter influenced by her father’s post-retirement agri- entrepreneurial venture of pineapple farming.
Glutinous rice, a special yeast called “sasad” or ragi and water are the basic ingredients needed to make the rice wines; all of these mixed together and fermented in a jar for a minimum of two weeks (for tuak) or two months (for lihing).
The main ingredients in tuak-making are yeast (ragi or ciping in Iban, sasad in Kadazandusun) and glutinous rice. — Filepic
But, as Jonik points out: “What’s interesting is that every family’s tuak tastes slightly different, even with similar ingredients. It all comes down to how it’s made, with a few unique twists here and there.”
Tuak and lihing may have come from different parts of Borneo, but both share similarities in their cultural origin and significance, having been conceived in the olden times not just for consumption during gatherings but also as offerings to the gods and ancestors.
This is exemplified by how tuak is poured to the ground for the souls of the ancestors to drink first, before it could then be served to attendees at a festivity – like Gawai Dayak – in Sarawak.
Meanwhile, the bobolian or bobohizan (spirit medium) in Sabah uses lihing as an offering before initiating contact with the spirits. And, of course, it is a drink enjoyed during festivities, such as during Kaamatan (harvest festival similar to Gawai) and weddings.
Tuak is often served as a welcome drink during festivities in Sarawak. — Filepic
Heritage beverage
As more and more of the younger generations move out of their villages and hometowns to seek better opportunities, finding something to reconnect them to their roots has become paramount to the diaspora of Borneans who have migrated across the South China Sea.
Learning the craft of traditional drinks has become one of these important elements, judging by the many tuak brands that have permeated the local booze scene in recent years.
One such young brewer, who preserves his Sarawakian heritage by continuing his family’s tuak-making legacy, is Raffly Langi. The 31-year-old Iban tuak-maker, who goes by Raff, is one half of the duo currently running Tuak Alus, based in Kuala Lumpur.
The now five-year-old business was originally the brainchild of Ayden Chong, 29, and another Iban partner, Timothy (who left to pursue other goals two years ago). A trip to the longhouses in Betong, Sarawak during a Gawai celebration was what initially sparked the friends’ interest in making the drink and sharing it in the Peninsular Malaysian market.
Since joining the venture during its second year, former-engineer-turned-master-brewer Raff has helped scale Tuak Alus to what it is today by sharing the skills and knowledge he’s learned from his elders. The team is especially grateful to Raff’s “Aunty Norlia” who taught them how to make ragi (yeast balls), and Raff’s stepmother who gave them tips on brewing tuak.
“We continue to sharpen our skills by attending different tuak sharing sessions with other brewers like Bad Cat Borneo and Bornean Tuak,” says Chong, who holds a full-time job as a recruitment consultant while also devoting his time to managing the ins and outs of the tuak brand.
Although born and raised in Ipoh, Perak, Chong fully lauds and supports his Sarawakian friends’ efforts in not only preserving their heritage but also introducing it to non-Borneans. Making cocktails with tuak has been a great gateway for them to talk more about the culture behind the traditional drink, and subsequently its heritage value.
“Korea has soju, Japan has sake, China has baijiu – we believe one day tuak could represent Malaysia,” Chong shares their conviction.
“There are definitely opportunities and demands for tuak in the world; we’ve even received enquiries from Japan and Australia about it,” he adds.
Serving tuak in cocktail form keeps the traditional drink relevant in modern times. — Tuak Alus
Talking about tuak
International interest is definitely something that tuak has been gradually gaining. Jonik recalls the time when a group of German tourists approached their kiosk seemingly already aware of the drinks O’haus hawks.
They soon learned that the group had discovered them through a travel blog (which exists specifically for informing tourists from Germany of interesting places to visit when abroad) and decided to drop by their kiosk to try their tuak cocktails.
“It’s great to see that kind of interest from both locals and foreigners,” she says, beaming.
Jonik and Julian’s friendly demeanour and delectable offerings no doubt help keep a healthy flow of customers, whether local or foreign, old or new.
Some of them are repeat customers who will seek out the O’haus kiosk regularly, no matter where it is located for the weekend. (The Hin Bus Depot market rotates the kiosks’ positions weekly so that everyone has a fair chance of exposure, instead of ending up permanently stuck in areas that may have lower foot traffic than others.)
Both cocktails and bottled tuak can be found at the O’haus kiosk. — FLOREY D. MIKIL/The Star
While the market has become their base, O’haus can occasionally be found peddling its wares at “various events around Penang to spread the word and reach a wider audience,” says Jonik.
She and Julian also hold tuak-making classes, attended by a mix of expatriates, foreign tourists and locals.
“They’re always so curious and engaged, and it’s great to see how eager they are to learn about Bornean culture. Some even use our classes for team-building activities, which is really fun to watch,” she shares.
One thing they always teach their participants is to toast the Sarawakian way – Iban, to be specific – which is by exclaiming “Oohaa!” before drinking.
The toast, paired with the Malay word haus (thirsty; also a slang term in Sabah that indicates wanting to drink alcohol), create the portmanteau that is their brand name. “It’s a playful way of inviting friends to drink tuak,” Jonik adds.
They have a separate name for their bottled tuak, Kuing Kiba, which is an Iban phrase meaning “slight left”.
Now how that one came about, there is only one easy way for the duo to answer: “It’s kind of an inside joke.”
As for Tuak Alus, Chong explains, “Alus means ‘smooth’ or ‘refined’ in many Bornean dialects. We chose the name because it’s a drink that’s easy to enjoy, yet still deeply rooted in tradition.
“It captures the essence of what we want our tuak to be – something that honours Bornean heritage while being approachable and enjoyable for everyone.”
Chong and Raff too have concocted cocktails with their tuak, a move that was suggested and encouraged by friends and bartenders who attended their tuak events and pop-ups.
The results are Tuak Solero and Tuak Kumang Sehari, with “... many more to launch soon”, Chong says. These cocktails, along with the brand’s bottled tuak, can be found at pop-up markets and private events such as weddings and brand functions.
Tuak Alus founders Raff (left) and Chong wearing a traditional costume from Sarawak. — Tuak Alus
Of tuak and cocktails
At the moment, the Tuak Alus duo has yet to hold their own tuak-related classes. But they have been imparting their knowledge on the traditional drink through collaborations with bars as well as organising Borneo-themed events.
Chong says, “We have participated in cultural festivals, such as Bornean Native Festival and Peszta Festival, where people can experience both the traditional and modern sides of tuak.
“However, we recognise the importance of educating through tuak-making classes, and we already have plans to hold tuak-making and cocktail-making classes, which will begin next year.”
Collaborating with other brands is always a good way to branch out, and Jonik says O’haus does it as well, having previously joined hands with Nui Kopi, a Vietnamese coffee vendor, to make “a small batch of Tuak Kopi”.
“Their nutty coffee profile paired really well with our tuak, making it a unique fusion,” she says.
As per their names, both businesses currently focus on only tuak. Other than the aforementioned aged tuak (aka lihing) and original tuak, O’haus also does young tuak – fermented for about three months, with an alcohol percentage of ABV10% – such as tuak pandan, tuak bunga telang (butterfly pea), tuak ubi (tapioca), tuak nanas (pineapple) and tuak anggur.
“But some of the flavours are only available at the year’s end,” Jonik clarifies.
Tuak Alus, meanwhile, produces three varieties. The first is the original, tuak laki, and the second is tuak indu (“laki” meaning “male” and “indu” meaning “female” in the Iban language).
“Indu is a smoother variant of original tuak, with the addition of gula apong, Sarawak’s own palm sugar,” Chong elaborates.
The third flavour is tuak pandan, infused with ground dehydrated pandan leaves. But the duo has been experimenting with mixing tuak with different beverages to further expand their menu.
There will soon be Tuak Alus cocktail classes organised by the founders. — Tuak Alus
When it comes to the act of segregating tuak into “premium” and “cheap” categories, as some are of the opinion that the latter is what is widely used for mixing with other drinks, Chong shares his thoughts: “We believe tuak should not be differentiated by ‘cheap’ or ‘premium’, because it is a communal drink meant to be enjoyed in various settings and on various occasions.”
Having said that, he highlights the fact that sometimes people use the period of brewing and fermenting to define “good” and “bad” tuak, since this can be of any length from two weeks to 10 years, leading to the idea of “inferior” products due to the differing tastes and appearances.
“I’d say every tuak has its unique flavour, and the main purpose of making tuak is always to share this cultural drink to a wider audience, allowing more people to appreciate its richness and cultural significance,” Chong says.
Preserving cultural heritage has always been at the forefront of Tuak Alus’ mission, Chong continues. Serving tuak in cocktail form keeps the traditional drink relevant in modern times, which also helps pique the interest of younger generations – especially those who were born or grew up outside of their native homeland – and encourage them to discover their Bornean roots.
Jonik, who personally relates to this as she herself has relocated from Sabah for years now, shares the same sentiment. Not wanting to see Bornean traditional drinks lose its relevance and significance in modern society, she asserts, “By modernising how tuak is served, we’re keeping the tradition alive in a new way.”
