Langkau
Didn't I mention in my last entry that our local moonshine can do terrible things to a person. Oh, yes it really can. Look at just how wasted our Alaskan grizzly is.
For the benefit or rather for those of you sorry ass mortals who will never have the privilege of tasting this divine spirit, let me just describe how its like. Think whisky but multiply that by say, 147 to the power of 15. That's how how good and potent it is.
Depending on which village in Sarawak you get it from, sometimes the taste can be gentle and is only there for a few seconds, other times it can be strong and have staying power of a few days. Others have almost no perceptible smell whatsoever. That's the kind I like. Quiet, gentle and straight forward. Langkau like this survives on its flavor and presence alone. Neither end of this spectrum is inherently better than the other. More often then not, the fragrance of langkau is a function of the style of that particular village, which it tied in to water and the rice. So, basically assume that the result was not by accident, but was precisely what the ibu (if the brewer is an Iban lady, which is always the case) wanted to make. Personally, I prefer the ones that comes from Kampung Stutong. An Iban village believed to be where the best langkau brewers hails.
Both styles have their fans and their times and places. The food (or lack thereof), the company and the mood will all contribute to the experience. It is best taken with petai as I just discovered on a recent trip if you have no qualms about pungent gasses when you fart later that is or with a pig head over the fire.
The impact langkau has is affected by many things in how it is produced. The water, the yeast type, alcohol content and rice type all have a say.
Langkau can light up your entire palate - often times overly so which is why most langkau is watered down from the naturally occurring obscene alcohol content. Word of caution though, like all moonshine, fatalities have been reported due to over consumption of this glorious poison. And on that note, Kelvin showed me a photo he took with his tech savy camera phone of three young men in deep slumber on the pavement of a shophouse. One was still in his office attire. Yes, you guessed right. An empty bottle of Chap Langkau was very close by.
Four crucial elements are involved in brewing langkau - water, skill, yeast and rice. More than anything else, langkau is a result of a brewing process that uses rice and lots of water. In fact, water comprises as much as 80% of the final product, so fine water and fine rice are natural prerequisites if one hopes to brew great langkau. But beyond that, the technical skill needed to pull this all off lies with the ibu, the type of yeast they use, and the limitations entailed by local water.
My neighbour's mother who is from Simunjan is a brewer in her own right. She proudly told me once that she makes the best but thats what every grandmother will claim. She gave me a quick lecture on how it is made and if I remember correctly a general description of langkau brewing goes something like this.
Rice is washed and steam-cooked or just cooked. This is then mixed with yeast. The whole mix is then allowed to ferment, with more rice, and water added in batches over a few days. This fermentation, occurs in a large jar. This mash is allowed to sit for a whole month, after which it is pressed, filtered and blended. It is then boiled where the steam is collected. The first steam collected is very often thrown away for various reasons. One which is customary and where it is set aside for the spirit world. They get the very best. The first fruit kind of thing. And also because the first juice collected is in fact the very most potent. The angel's share, it is called in some part of the brewing world. I think.
Langkau is nice if it comes from the kitchen of a nice old grandmother or an ibu. Your commercialised Chap Langkau doesn't even come close to this shite, I kid you not.
Kelvin, a season langkau connoisseur says the only thing that can neutralise its effect is beer.
Riiiiiiiiigggggghhhhtt....
For the benefit or rather for those of you sorry ass mortals who will never have the privilege of tasting this divine spirit, let me just describe how its like. Think whisky but multiply that by say, 147 to the power of 15. That's how how good and potent it is.
Depending on which village in Sarawak you get it from, sometimes the taste can be gentle and is only there for a few seconds, other times it can be strong and have staying power of a few days. Others have almost no perceptible smell whatsoever. That's the kind I like. Quiet, gentle and straight forward. Langkau like this survives on its flavor and presence alone. Neither end of this spectrum is inherently better than the other. More often then not, the fragrance of langkau is a function of the style of that particular village, which it tied in to water and the rice. So, basically assume that the result was not by accident, but was precisely what the ibu (if the brewer is an Iban lady, which is always the case) wanted to make. Personally, I prefer the ones that comes from Kampung Stutong. An Iban village believed to be where the best langkau brewers hails.
Both styles have their fans and their times and places. The food (or lack thereof), the company and the mood will all contribute to the experience. It is best taken with petai as I just discovered on a recent trip if you have no qualms about pungent gasses when you fart later that is or with a pig head over the fire.
The impact langkau has is affected by many things in how it is produced. The water, the yeast type, alcohol content and rice type all have a say.
Langkau can light up your entire palate - often times overly so which is why most langkau is watered down from the naturally occurring obscene alcohol content. Word of caution though, like all moonshine, fatalities have been reported due to over consumption of this glorious poison. And on that note, Kelvin showed me a photo he took with his tech savy camera phone of three young men in deep slumber on the pavement of a shophouse. One was still in his office attire. Yes, you guessed right. An empty bottle of Chap Langkau was very close by.
Four crucial elements are involved in brewing langkau - water, skill, yeast and rice. More than anything else, langkau is a result of a brewing process that uses rice and lots of water. In fact, water comprises as much as 80% of the final product, so fine water and fine rice are natural prerequisites if one hopes to brew great langkau. But beyond that, the technical skill needed to pull this all off lies with the ibu, the type of yeast they use, and the limitations entailed by local water.
My neighbour's mother who is from Simunjan is a brewer in her own right. She proudly told me once that she makes the best but thats what every grandmother will claim. She gave me a quick lecture on how it is made and if I remember correctly a general description of langkau brewing goes something like this.
Rice is washed and steam-cooked or just cooked. This is then mixed with yeast. The whole mix is then allowed to ferment, with more rice, and water added in batches over a few days. This fermentation, occurs in a large jar. This mash is allowed to sit for a whole month, after which it is pressed, filtered and blended. It is then boiled where the steam is collected. The first steam collected is very often thrown away for various reasons. One which is customary and where it is set aside for the spirit world. They get the very best. The first fruit kind of thing. And also because the first juice collected is in fact the very most potent. The angel's share, it is called in some part of the brewing world. I think.
Langkau is nice if it comes from the kitchen of a nice old grandmother or an ibu. Your commercialised Chap Langkau doesn't even come close to this shite, I kid you not.
Kelvin, a season langkau connoisseur says the only thing that can neutralise its effect is beer.
Riiiiiiiiigggggghhhhtt....
posted by Demented | Wednesday, January 24, 2007
10 Comments:
One thing: they (esp. Iban) often say that the first steam is set aside for the spirit world. That is because no mortal human can drink the first steam & come out unscathed, physically or mentally. Look at Mankind. Must be the langkau.
Most of the 'real deal' langkau these days are a mixture of different levels of steam. For instance, the ones that we drank at Sadir is most likely a mixture of 1st and 3rd steam (the 1st steam is always used but must be mixed with 2nd, 3rd or 4th steam).
The cap langkau they sell in stores is probably the 105th steam added with lots and lots of methanol. Too much of that equals to hangover. But the 'real deal' langkau, it is seldom that one gets a headache after that.
Beer to langkau is like coffee to alcohol.
langkau fiction : hear! hear! hence why i dont even touch that commercialised shits.
demented, as if beer is not a commercial shit lah...
the commercialized 'cap langkau' i bought at the shop was for the ibu-ibu at the kampung who seemed to prefer that one.
that is why we stopped at the old man's place in kpg padawan to get another supply of the 'real deal'.
Babe, go easy on that stuff ok. I was told it is nasty. See you soon.
langkau fiction : nothing beats the read deal. nothing!!!
trish : nasty doesnt even come close to describing it.
Can I place an order for a carton of langkau? How much is a bottle again?
A bottle (1 ltr) costs RM10-RM12, depending on from which kampung you buy it.
Demented, just came back last night, did some community work lah. But we were on tuak tebu most of the time. That's also cool. Next time, saya bawa kamu lah...
nick kl : sorry dude...the heavy water wont be able to pass security...nahhhhhh. just kiddin. dont worry bro, the next time i fly out i'll take a bottle or two with me.
langkau fiction : tuak tebu sounds just as intimidating. which is good.
Tuak tebu....this I have to try la bro...
langkau is some nasty shite..look what it did to me during the dinner in KL...man, i was fucked...tot i was gonna die...hehehehe.....
so im not surprised that it brought down ur grizzly fren as well..
bastard united : tuak tebu does not pack as much power as langkau. it will floor you but the morning after effect is always bad. trust me on this one. we can have some when you're down here next bro.
yup, you were indeed very very very fucked at the dinner. langkau wins hands down anytime!!!
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