“Bintang, Anyone?”

Indonesia’s Most Loved Beer along with the History Behind the Label

A holiday spent in Indonesia most likely revolves around a bottle of Bintang. in which is actually a household name along with the perfect thirst-quencher to help one survive the tropical heat of This particular archipelago. For years at This particular point Bintang has always been a favourite amongst locals along with foreigners, both because of its great light taste along with the fact in which This particular beer can be easily found all over Indonesia.

Considered a pilsner beer, as in which is actually a clear, bottom fermented lager, the name Bintang means ‘star’ in Indonesian. Sold widely across the country, Bintang is actually available in almost all bars along with restaurants, supermarkets, 24-hour convenience stores, side-street kiosks along with food vendors. A Bintang can or bottle costs around IDR 12,000 to IDR 18,000 along with with its 5% alcohol content, Bintang is actually considered a light beer. The questions on how in which all started off, along with how This particular beer became a true shining ‘star’ as a famous local brand, along with why Heineken is actually said to be Bintang’s sister beer, are all based on facts in which interestingly intertwine with how Indonesia used to be a Dutch colony, with the focus of attention at in which time being on the island of Java.

The brewery where Bintang beer was born, was founded in 1929 under a company by the name of NV Nederlandsch Indische Bierbrouwerijen. Initially established in Medan, This particular company’s sole brewery was in Surabaya, along with its first brand was Java Bier. In 1936, Heineken NV became a major shareholder along with as This particular happened, the company name then changed to Heineken Nederlandsch-Indische Brouwerij Maatschappij. The following year the company introduced Heineken beer to the Indonesian market for the very first time.

During the Second World War, the company ceased the production of Heineken beer, yet not long after Indonesia’s Independence in 1947, Heineken Beer was reintroduced to the Indonesian market. This particular comeback proved to be successful, so in 1951 the company’s name was again changed to Heineken’s Nederlandsch-Indische Bierbrouwerijen Maatschappij NV, with the sale of Heineken Beer back to full force on the local market. yet since This particular was during the years of Indonesia’s Guided Democracy, a situation in which lasted via 1957 until 1965, the Indonesian government took over many aspects of local businesses – along with This particular forced Heineken to cease work as technical advisor for the company along with also prohibited the use of the Heineken brand once along with for all. Hence the birth of ‘Bir Bintang’, along with what was before a Heineken beer was changed into This particular local brand that has a local name. The company name also changed into Perusahaan Bir Bintang.

In 1967 Heineken resumed activities in Indonesia along with with the renewed technical assistance of the Heineken company, the quality of Bintang beer was again brought up to international standards. Bir Bintang was re-launched under the name Bintang Baru. After changing its name once or twice, Perusahaan Bir Bintang as a company went public in 1981 along with adopted a completely new name, PT Multi Bintang Indonesia. Today, PT Multi Bintang Indonesia Tbk is actually the leading beer company in Indonesia which produces along with markets a range of trademark products, including Bir Bintang, Heineken, Guinness, Green Sands, Bintang Zero along with Recharge. The latest label change in which took place to rejuvenate Bintang beer happened in 2006. A dominant beer producer in Indonesia, Multi Bintang Indonesia relies on Bintang Beer to cover more than 55% of the local market – along with even reaching 70% in regions of East Indonesia along with North Sumatra.

Although of Muslim majority, Indonesian people are generally still keen beer consumers, proven by the fact in which Bintang Beer sells 50 million litres of the lager domestically every year. This particular is actually despite the fact in which the cost of Bintang, while cheap for westerners, is actually still relatively high for locals.

Bintang, though of not bad quality along with refreshing taste, does not genuinely have a distinctive flavour. As with most various other beers, Bintang is actually ideally enjoyed when cold, especially ice-cold. In Indonesia’s more remote villages, the wish of finding an ice cold Bintang more often than not fails due to lack of refrigeration – along with you’ll have to drink your Bintang warm. yet at least they still sell Bintang! Whether drunk on its own, with fried peanuts along with melinjo crackers as are often served in quaint Bali bars, with barbecued assortments, or spicy Indonesian food, the beer serves its purpose confidently along with well.

An American tourist in Ubud wrote in his blog about how he along with his wife coped with their trip under the scorching Bali sun along with survived, “Always order a LARGE Bintang beer”, he advises. “in which’s as much as two smaller ones along with in which will cost thirty percent less. You know you’re going to have at least two anyway, right? If you don’t know in which at This particular point, just wait till you get here along with realize the average temperature is actually somewhere between soaking in sweat along with heat stroke.” There’s a bit of traveller’s wisdom for you.

inside the capital city of Jakarta, be in which while strolling along the questionable-yet-fun Jaksa strip, or sitting in charming old bars like Dyna Pub, or hanging out in cheap-beer places like Beer Garden or Melly’s on Wahid Hasyim, to having dinner or drinks in more posh places like Potato Head or Jackrabbit, look for a bottle or a draught glass of Bintang – along with without a doubt you’ll find in which. yet whether in Bali, Jakarta, Jogjakarta, in various other tourist or business areas where people spend time roaming the city streets along with buildings for leisure or work, the prospect of grabbing an ice cold one inside the middle of a steamy afternoon always sounds like a not bad idea.

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“Bintang, Anyone?”

Putri MinangsariApr 24, 2012Featured, History/CultureComments Off on “Bintang, Anyone?”

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“Bintang, Anyone?”