Homebrew.
I hope they find who did it!
Arak is a traditional Arab drink.
Stick to beer my friends.
Ah the perils of drinking booze from some of the more “quaint” countries of the world. I did a little jaunt in Africa while I was in the USAF. I did drink the locally brewed beer (some European brand owned it). It was hit and miss. Sometimes I’d get a bottle of brew that was quite good, other times it would taste like paint thinner (it probably was). I pretty much stuck with beer. I didn’t trust the local rotgut,,,er,,,,liquor. I’m not suicidal.
The Tri Hita Karya factory is one of scores of small “home industries” producing arak that have sprung up in recent years.
On first glance, one might think this tragedy resulted from the lack of government oversight, but the truth is quite different.
I don’t recommend the poisoned arak. It leaves the palate with a harsh aftertaste. Like MD 20/20.
Bali - terrorist attack - muzzies are prohibited from drinking alcohol.
Synonyms: Wood alcohol; methanol; carbinol
Inhalation: A slight irritant to the mucous membranes. Toxic effects exerted upon nervous system, particularly the optic nerve. Once absorbed into the body, it is very slowly eliminated.
Symptoms of overexposure may include headache, drowsiness, nausea, vomiting, blurred vision, blindness, coma, and death. A person may get better but then worse again up to 30 hours later.
Ingestion: Toxic. Symptoms parallel inhalation. Can intoxicate and cause blindness. Usual fatal dose: 100-125 milliliters.
I believe I've heard of bootleggers adding wood alcohol to their moonshine and poisoning people. They thought that the wood alcohol would make their booze more potent.
I'm guessing that these Balinese were thinking the same thing.
Ugh. RIP.
Note: The following text is a quote:
https://www.osac.gov/Reports/report.cfm?contentID=103017
YOU ARE HERE: Home > Reports > Consular Affairs Bulletins > Report
Warden Message: Indonesia Reports Poisoned Drink Deaths
CONSULAR AFFAIRS BULLETINS
East Asia / Pacific - Indonesia
2 Jun 2009
U.S. Consulate Surabaya issued the following Warden Message on June 2:
The U.S. Consulate General in Surabaya would like to inform U.S. citizens that several Indonesians and a few foreigners, including an American Citizen, who were visiting the islands of Bali and/or Lombok have reportedly died in recent days due to methanol poisoning. Each of the deaths is reportedly associated with a locally brewed alcoholic beverage called “arak.” In these cases, the arak beverage had reportedly been spiked with methanol to increase its potency. The U.S. Consulate suggests that Americans exercise extreme caution and avoid consumption of “home-distilled traditional arak liquor.”
Americans living and traveling in Indonesia are urged to register and update their contact information with the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta, U.S. Consulate General in Surabaya, U.S. Consulate Medan, or U.S. Consular Agency in Bali. Registration facilitates the U.S. Mission’s contact with Americans in emergency situations, and may be done on line and in advance of travel. Information on registering can be found at the U.S. Department of State’s Consular Affairs website at http://travelregistration.state.gov, at the Embassy’s website at http://jakarta.usembassy.gov, or at the Consulate General’s website at http://jakarta.usembassy.gov/sby. All Travel Warnings, Travel Alerts, Worldwide Cautions, and recent warden messages are posted on the Embassy website.
For the latest security information, Americans living and traveling abroad should regularly monitor the Department’s Bureau of Consular Affairs Internet web site at http://travel.state.gov, where the current Worldwide Caution, Travel Alerts, Travel Warnings, and health-information resources can be found. Up-to-date information on security can also be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll free in the U.S. and Canada, or, for callers outside the U.S. and Canada, a regular toll line at 1-202-501-4444. These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).
The Embassy is located at Jalan Medan Merdeka Selatan No. 4-5, Jakarta; the 24-hour telephone number is 62-21-3435-9000. The telephone number of the U.S. Consulate General in Surabaya is 62-31-295-6400; the number for the U.S. Consulate in Medan is 62-61-415-2200; and the number for the U.S. Consular Agency in Bali is 62-361-233-605.
RELATED REPORTS
25 Mar 2009
WARDEN MESSAGE: BALI AIRPORT, SEAPORT, PUBLIC ROAD CLOSURES
30 Jan 2009
WARDEN MESSAGE: INDONESIA RAINY SEASON ADVISORY
22 Jan 2009
INDONESIA 2009 CRIME AND SAFETY REPORT
12 Jan 2009
WARDEN MESSAGE: INDONESIA CONFIRMS PRESENCE OF RABIES
2 Jan 2009
WARDEN MESSAGE: NEW BALI PROTEST ON GAZA ISSUE