North Lombok –
Brem is a type of traditional alcoholic drink from the Bayan Traditional Village, North Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB). This drink, which is often consumed by the Bayan Indigenous community, was previously considered a herbal medicine to warm the body.
Before being bought and sold as it is today, brem drinks were originally consumed by people who lived at the foot of Mount Rinjani when winter arrived.
“Brem is actually herbal medicine. Brem has been considered alcohol in Bayan District for perhaps the last 20 years. Previously, brem was called herbal medicine because the pattern of consuming brem had a certain amount,” said traditional community leader in Karang Bajo Village, Bayan District, North Lombok, Raden Sawinggih. , Thursday (19/9/2024).
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Brem drink is made from fermented white and black glutinous rice. This drink is used to warm the body for men who work as farmers. In fact, the method of making it is similar to fermented poteng (glutinous rice).
“Brem is for body warming for men who work in the rice fields. Especially when it’s cold during the rainy season, it could be said that it’s mandatory (drinking) brem here,” said Sawinggih.
This brem drink, which is starting to be sold, also has benefits for women. Namely, it is efficacious in facilitating menstruation.
The taste of Brem depends on 5 factors
 View of making the traditional drink Brem in Karang Bajo Village, Bayan District, North Lombok. (Ahmad Viqi/detikBali). |
The taste of typical Bayan brem can be influenced by five factors. These include water quality, glutinous rice quality, room temperature (fermentation location), tape mixture content, and time for making brem. These factors greatly influence the taste of brem when drunk.
“If it is made during the season when the tamarind tree bears fruit it will definitely be sour, it will be difficult to produce sweet brem. It is most suitable to be made during the transition from rainy to dry season,” said Sawinggih.
Sawinggih emphasized that brem is a traditional Bayan drink and should not be associated with cultural and religious issues. The making of brem in the community was initially personal
“It’s personal in nature. It’s purely for warmth because of the geographical location of the indigenous people. We are agrarian and are at the foot of Mount Rinjani. So don’t associate it with customs and religion,” he stressed.
Brem’s Efficacy Researched
Sawinggih said that the efficacy of Bayan brem was being researched by the authorities. As a result of this research, the public can find out whether Brem is a drink that has health benefits for the body or not.
“Its properties and ingredients are being researched. It’s true that it can’t improve menstrual blood circulation for women. It’s true that it can’t improve men’s body fitness,” he said.
But unfortunately, Sawinggih said, brem drinks are now consumed only to seek pleasure and even get drunk. It is no longer used as a treatment and body warmer.
“If you drink too much you can get drunk which results in bad behavior. This is the wrong consumption pattern,” he said.
(nor/nor)
