Balinese drinks

One might say ‘Bintang’ when asked what a Balinese drink is, but its not really. Traditional Balinese drinks include kopyor (coconut water) which is served with chunks of the fresh meat. Air jeruk is the juice of an orange, usually the small green skinned ones you’ll see in a lcoal market. Sugar will probably be added, so you’ll have to tell them beforehand if you don’t want it super sweet. Air jeruk can be served panas (hot) or cold with es jeruk (ice).

Many of the places I go, including Warung Nikmat in Tuban, have a fruit stand and a blender outside. The sky is the limit of how many things you could get here.

Fruits that might be available for drinks include jeruk (orange), pisang (banana), pepaya (papaya), apokat (avocado), mangga (mango), sirsak (soursop). The drink can consist of fruit, ice and evaporated milk. When you ask for avocado juice you’ll get chocolate syrup added.

Teh panas (hot tea ) and kopi Bali (coffee) are served black and with sugar. Tell them you’d like your drink ‘pahit‘ if you don’t like sugar. I tell them ‘saya sudah manis‘ (I’m already sweet’) which getting them laughing. You can ask for milk for no extra charge. I quite enjoy ginger coffee, which black coffee with slices of ginger and teaspoon of sugar. This usually isn’t on the menu but does the job on a rainy afternoon in the highlands.

Lastly there is tuak, a fermented palm beer, arak a palm liquor and brem and rice wine…all nasty.