Young Malaysians brew goal for traditional tuak drink to become national success
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…
At Raffly Langi's family longhouse in Sarawak, on Malaysian Borneo, tuak rice wine was traditionally served without any branding or tasting flights. The drink was made using steamed glutinous rice and a cake called ragi, which contained rice flour, yeast, and spices to initiate fermentation. Raffly, now 33 years old, has carried his family recipe to the Klang Valley, where he produces tuak under the brand Tuak Alus and creates modern flavors for those unfamiliar with the traditional brew.
While indigenous groups in Sarawak have long celebrated Gawai, the harvest festival that features tuak, commercialization brings new challenges in preserving cultural meaning.
Written by urgent.news from South China Morning Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
