If you have ever asked a friend, “Where can I find tuak in KL?” then you’ve come to the right page. Nearly every region in the world that produces rice will have a culture of fermenting it, creating rice wine—the Japanese have sake and the Koreans have makgeolli. Even within Malaysia, we have different variations of rice wine: tapai, lihing, tuak, and more. Today, however, we will be focusing on tuak.
Tuak originates from Sarawak and is a variant of rice wine made by several indigenous clans in Sarawak, including the Iban, Bidayuh, and Kelabit people. It is typically made by fermenting glutinous rice over two weeks—sometimes longer—and its flavour has different variations of sweetness with a typically dry finish. Some clans specialise in fruit tuak too, using fruits as a natural source of sugar for fermentation; these will result in differently-flavoured tuak.
This alcoholic drink has typically been associated with celebrations: rituals and festivals. During the Gawai festival, tuak is given as an offering to the spirits. But it is also a big part of family gatherings and merrymaking, where people share a drink (or several) of tuak.
Over in Peninsula Malaysia, tuak is slowly but steadily gaining its own following. More people are seeking out tuak-based cocktails in bars, while others even have their own “supplier” of tuak. Below, we find out where you can purchase your own bottles of tuak and which cocktail bars you can head to try them out before you take the leap to purchase your own bottle.
Bars and Bottle Shops in KL That Sell Tuak
Ooh-Haa! Tuak
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“Ooh-haa!” is the Iban equivalent of saying cheers, and there’s plenty to cheer for with this brand. Founded by Iban-American Lydia Lubon who wasn’t able to procure tuak so easily during the pandemic, she instead took to making her own. From making tuak for her own consumption to gaining some customers after bringing it to a party, Ooh-Haa! Tuak was born. Lubon enjoys creating fruit tuak, so you’ll find flavour such as Passion Fruit, Lemon, and Cloudy Apple in her repertoire. There are also other flavours such as Original and Roselle. To place an order for delivery within the Klang Valley area, simply send them a DM on Instagram.
Handcrafted Bornean Tuak Ba'Tisi Bukit
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Better known by the name “Bornean Tuak”, the brand was founded by Iban native Evan Lee, who is also a sape musician. According to this post, he learned the art of tuak-making from his aunt in 2017 and since then have been visiting other longhouses to taste their unique version of tuak and learn the different tuak-making styles from different tribes. Since moving to Selangor, Lee also often collaborates with local farmers in Malaysia to use their raw ingredients in his tuak. Bornean Tuak can often be found at various flea markets and weekend pop-ups around the Klang Valley so stay tuned to their Instagram to see where they will be next. Alternatively, you can also place a pre-order with them via Whatsapp; all details can be found on their Instagram profile.
Endu Borneo
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Who needs champagne when you can have locally-produced sparkling tuak? Endu Borneo is the world’s first sparkling tuak, and it is heavenly. Founder Shaun Chang, of Iban-Chinese descent, learnt the art of tuak-making from his mother, using a recipe passed down from generation to generation. As for the discovery of naturally-sparkling tuak, Chang shares that it was his mentor, a master brewer who shared with him how to naturally carbonate tuak. They eventually became founding partners of Endu, manufacturing this sparkling drink that is now available for sale in Malaysia and Singapore. For now, they have two core flavours: Endu Classic and Endu Roselle.
Bad Cat Borneo
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Bad Cat Borneo founder Maynard Keyne Langet was a pastry chef in Peninsula Malaysia before he decided to return to his hometown in Sarawak to focus on brewing tuak; specifically, Bidayuh-style tuak but with modern fermentation practices. The brand recently turned six years old, and the core lineup of offerings includes some pretty interesting flavours such as Asap (roasted rice) and Black Pepper, alongside more common ones such as Pineapple, Apple, Roselle, and the Original flavour. More recently, Bad Cat Borneo released a premium, aged tuak made with red glutinous rice farmed by the founder’s family. According to them, “It is an earthy brew, mildly sweet and fairly potent, made just how tayung used to.”
To place an order, simply slide into their DMs on Instagram.
Tuak Alus
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Founded by three friends who were homesick for tuak in Peninsula Malaysia (only two of them are native Sarawakians), they decided to take matters into their own hands and create their own. Thus, Tuak Alus was born. What stands out with this brand is that they only use ingredients imported from Sarawak as a means to support the local businesses and communities there. Stay tuned to their Instagram page to find out which pop-ups they’ll be at, so you can purchase your very own bottle of Tuak Alus.
Sun Borneo
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Have you noticed that some tuak-brewers categorise their tuak between “tuak indu” and “tuak laki”? The former is smoother and sweeter, while the latter errs on a harsher mouthfeel and stronger flavour. Sunborneo Ragi offers both variants depending on how you like your drink, alongside other flavoured tuak. Like many other brands in this list, you can find Sunborneo Ragi at pop-ups and flea markets around the Klang Valley, so stay tuned to their Instagram account for updates.
Locker & Loft
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A good introduction to tuak, if you’re afraid to commit to an entire bottle, is to try it in a cocktail. The Locker & Loft, a cocktail bar in Petaling Jaya, has been a constant in the scene with their selection of tuak-based cocktails. Ladies should definitely visit on Wednesday’s ladies night and take advantage of the tuak sangria shooters; it’ll definitely keep you coming back for more.
The Attic Bar KL
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Picture this: sipping on a tuak sangria cocktail while admiring stunning views of the KL city’s high-rise buildings—it can only be done at The Attic Bar in Petaling Street. The perfect thirst quencher in our perpetual summer heat, this also happens to be the bar’s best-selling drink, which says something when you want to try tuak.
Merdekarya
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Live music and tuak infusion drinks—Merdekarya’s the place to be when you want to have a good time singing along to indie local bands. Be sure to follow their Instagram account and see what acts are coming up. More recently, they had a Merdeka event with free-flowing lychee tuak for two whole hours; if that doesn’t sound like a good time, we don’t know what does.
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