DRINKS IN INDONESIA: POPULAR NON-ALCOHOLIC ONES, TEA, COFFEE, RECIPES

NON-ALCOHOLIC DRINKS IN INDONESIA

Es cendol (Rice flour jelly with green natural coloring from pandan leaf, mixed with coconut milk, shaved ice and palm/brown sugar)

Fruit drinks made with every fruit imaginable — from pineapple, to sirsaak to passion fruit — are plentiful and delicious. Some are made with condensed milk and ice and are like fruit shakes. They are often served in plastic bags with a straw. Fruit-based refreshments, inexpensive drinks and sweet, creamy teas are sold at .warungs (small food stalls) and kaki lima (street carts). Fresh coconuts are refreshing and hygienic. Drink the water with a straw straight from the coconut. Don't let the vendor pour it into a glass, which may be unclean. Sugar cane juice is also good but sometimes unhygienic.

Various tea soft drinks and chocolate milk are available, Some coastal areas serve toddy (palm sap) drinks. Soft drinks such as Coke, Sprite and Fanta are widely available and cheap. Coca-Cola is the brand leader for soft drink category. The top three soft drink brands that aware by respondents are Coca cola (99.4 percent), Fanta (98.7 percent), and Sprite (97.5 percent). But Sprite has the highest gap score between TOM and spontaneous, which accounts for 14.1 percent and 88.4 percent.Try to drink bottled drinks where you buy them. Otherwise they will put them in a plastic bag or you have to pay a bottle deposit. Water is often served at meals. Water is usually boiled and served at room temperature. To cool down the hot weather try Es Campur (mixed ice), Es Cendol or Es Doger.

As of the mid 2010s, Danone dominated the soft drink market in Indonesia through its sprawling Danone Aqua water business. According to the Financial Times It has spent hundreds of millions of dollars building new bottling plants as it tries to fend off competition. Coke, Nestlé and many small local players offer their own bottled water but the big threat is Indofood, the conglomerate controlled by the powerful Salim family, which has teamed with Asahi and acquired the second most popular Indonesian water brand, called Club. Coca-Cola Amatil, the Australia-listed company that bottles Coke in Indonesia, has been badly hit by rising costs and competition from cut-price rival AJE. The Peruvian company, which sells its Big Cola for around 25 per cent less than Coke, has grabbed more than a third of the $1 billion carbonated drinks market (as of 2014) just four years after entering Indonesia. [Source: Ben Bland, Financial Times, November 5, 2014]

Drinking water access: urban: 98.3 percent of population (2022 estimate); rural: 88.3 percent of population (2022 estimate); total: 94.1 percent of population (2022 estimate). The sale of bottled water nearly doubled between 1999 and 2004. [Source: CIA World Factbook, 2025]

Coffee and Tea in Indonesia

Kopi joss (Unrestrained coffee served with immersed piece of burning charcoal)

Indonesians are big tea drinkers. The only hot beverage that Indonesians drink regularly with their meals, tea (teh) is usually black and served in a glass with varying amounts of sugar. Local tea specialties include ice lemon tea (poured hot over ice, with a generous portion of sugar added) and “tarik” (hot tea mixed with super sweet condensed milk).

Teh manis (sweet tea) is a common household drink served hot. Popular variations include Jasmine tea and green tea (made from camellia sinensis). While usually prepared hot, an ice-cold variation is also popular. A refreshing bottled jasmine tea called Teh botol is sold alongside traditional soft drinks

Coffee is also popular. Powerful coffee, known as 'kopi' in Indonesia, was introduced by the Dutch in 1699 and is now widely grown on Java, Bali and Sumatra. Some of the world’s best arabicas come from Indonesia, especially Sulawesi.

Coffee in Indonesia is usually pitch-black, sweet, thick and rich with the coffee grounds floating on top. It is often very strong, Sometimes it is served black with super-sweet condensed milk on the side. Indonesian coffee is made by boiling water, ground coffee and sugar and has a gritty texture and is served in a glass. A lot of grit is left at the bottom of the glass.

Indonesian 'kopi' is sometimes mixed with chicory or chocolate. Kopi tubruk refers to hot sugary coffee. It is made with coffee, sugar and hot water poured straight in the glass without separating out the coffee residue. Kopi susu is served hot with condensed milk and is the Indonesian version of Café au lait

Popular Drinks in Indonesia

Fruit juices (jus) are widely enjoyed in Indonesia and are often treated as dessert-like drinks. They are typically made by blending fruits such as orange, guava, mango, jackfruit, papaya, longan, avocado, coconut, melon, and even ingredients like seaweed or red beans, then mixing them with condensed milk, chocolate syrup, and ice to create rich, refreshing treats. [Source: Indonesiandrinks.com; angloinfo.com; Wikipedia]

Traditional Hot Drinks are also popular. These include bajigur and bandrek, both made with coconut milk and warming spices, as well as sekoteng and wedang jahe, which are ginger-based beverages. Another favorite, wedang ronde, features sweet potato balls served in a warm, sweet broth.

Wedang uwuh, a traditional drinks often consumed as a traditional medicine, widely used during the covid19 pandemic

Bajigur is a typical drink from West Java. It has a sweet and savory taste because it is made from coconut milk and brown sugar. It is usually enjoyed during relaxed moments and is believed to stimulate the appetite. The aroma of pandan leaves gives it a distinctive fragrance, and as it is drunk, a warmth spreads through the body. Bajigur is often served with boiled yam, bananas, or peanuts.”

Ice-Based (Es) Drinks often double as desserts. Common ones include es kelapa muda (young coconut ice), es cincau (grass jelly drink), and es cendol or es dawet, made with rice flour jelly and coconut milk.

Loloh is a traditional Balinese herbal health drink made from ingredients such as turmeric, ginger, galangal, and cinnamon. It is sometimes mixed with egg yolk and honey and is typically found in local markets rather than commercial outlets. Kratingdaeng, an Indonesian energy drink, was recalled by Indonesia’s Health ministry because it contained excessive caffeine levels and was linked to three death in Sweden.

Teh Halia (Hot Ginger Tea, Ambon-style)

Ingredients:
6 cups water
1 cup brown sugar, packed
2-inch piece of fresh ginger, cracked

Directions:
1) Combine the water, sugar, and ginger in a saucepan and bring to a boil.
2) Cook over moderate heat for about 5 minutes.
3) Strain the mixture.
4) Serves 6.

Bajigur

Sekoteng, a hot sweet drink made of ginger, sugar and milk with peanuts, slices of bread, and pacar cina

Bajigur is a traditional drink from West Java made with coconut milk and palm sugar, giving it a sweet and slightly savory flavor. Often enhanced with ginger, pandan, and other spices, it is enjoyed warm, creating a soothing sensation and is believed to stimulate the appetite. Commonly served during relaxed moments, it is typically accompanied by boiled yam, bananas, or peanuts. Bajigur is widely available in West Java, popular with both locals and tourists, and is considered safe for all ages. [Source: Indonesiandrinks.com]

Ingredients
300 grams palm sugar
100 grams sugar
1 tablespoon salt
2 pandan leaves
350 milliliters water
900 milliliters coconut milk
150 grams kolang-kaling, split into two
2 tablespoons coffee powder
white bread

Directions:
1) Combine palm sugar, sugar, salt, pandan leaves and water. Bring to a boil, lift, and strain.
2) Enter coconut milk and kolang-kaling, cook until done.
3) Serve bajigur in cups or small bowls with white bread or a little coffee powder (if liked).

Bandrek

Bandrek made of ginger and brown sugar, as well as additional spices such as cinnamon, cloves and pandan leaves. It is meant to be served in cold weather.

Ingredients
600 milliliters of water
100 grams palm sugar
100 grams ginger, peeled and crushed and then burned
2 pandan leaves, torn to pieces.
3 cloves
200 grams young coconut scrapings
1/2 tsp salt
1 cinnamon stick
1 tsp coffee

Directions:
1) Boil water, ginger, pandan leaf and cloves.
2) Enter palm sugar.
3) Cook until sugar dissolves, add salt.
4) Stir well then strain.
5) Serve with coconut.

Sekoteng

Sekoteng is a hot, ginger-flavoured drink native to Central Java. Other ingredients that are usually mixed into sekoteng include mung beans, peanuts, pacar cina and bread chunks. Sekoteng is usually sold from a cart. On one side of the cart is a pan of ginger water on a stove, while on the other side is a mixture of ingredients for preparing sekoteng. [Source: Indonesiandrinks.com]

Ingredients for the Wedang (Hot Beverage)
300 milliliters of water
200 grams sugar
50 grams ginger, thinly sliced and crushed
5 pandan leaves
3 fennel
3 cm cinnamon

Filling:
2 white bread, cut into pieces
50 grams roasted peanuts
50 grams boiled mung beans
50 grams boiled kolang-kaling
50 grams pacar cina, boiled
sweetened condensed milk

Directions:
1) Boil water with sugar, ginger, pandan leaf, fennel, and cinnamon. Lift, strain, set aside.
2) Arrange filling in a small bowl, pour wedang and serve.

Cendol

Cendol is a typical Indonesian beverage made from rice flour and served with grated ice, liquid palm sugar and coconut milk. It is both sweet and savoury. In the Sunda region, the drink is known as cendol, whereas in Central Java it is known as es dawet. The rice flour is processed to give it a green dye, then pressed through a special filter to give it a granular shape. Initially, natural dyes from pandan leaves were used, but now artificial food colourings are used instead. This drink is usually served as a dessert or snack. It is served during the day. [Source: Indonesiandrinks.com]

Cendol Ingredients:
100 grams rice flour
500 milliliters coconut milk
1 tablespoon water whiting
1 tablespoon pandan paste
2 liters water
ice cubes
simple syrup
500 milliliters coconut milk, give a little salt, boiled

Palm sugar sauce:
250 grams palm sugar
250 milliliters of water
1 pandan leaf
1/4 tsp salt

Directions:
1) Palm sugar sauce: Combine all ingredients, cook until boiling, strain. Set aside.
2) Mix rice flour, coconut milk, water whiting, and pandan paste. Stir well.
2) Cook over medium heat, stirring until a thick porridge.
3) Put water and ice cubes in a bowl. Give the filter cendol thereon.
4) Pour green dough and let fall into the water.
5) Enter into a container, add simple syrup, little water, and crushed ice.
6) Serve with coconut milk and palm sugar sauce.

Es Teler

Es Teler is a drink made with fresh avocado, young coconut, jackfruit and diluted coconut milk. Sweetened condensed milk and syrup are then added. It can be served with either shaved ice or ice cubes. Another variation of es teler contains grass jelly, kolang-kaling, pacar cina, apple pieces, papaya, sapodilla, melon, bread and jelly. It is difficult to distinguish between es teler and es campur. [Source: Indonesiandrinks.com]

Ingredients
10 pieces kolang-kaling, cut into pieces
1 tablespoon sliced jackfruit
3 tablespoons avocado scrapings
2 tablespoons coconut scrapings
3 tablespoons red syrup
white sweetened condensed milk
crushed ice

Directions:
1) Prepare serving glasses. Enter kolang-kaling, jackfruit, avocado and young coconut.
2) Pour the red syrup and white sweetened condensed milk.
3) Serve with crushed ice.

Es Goyobod is popular in Garut, West Java. Many people are not familiar with this ice because it is only found in the Garut area. Goyobod is made from water, brown sugar, hunkwe flour, salt and pandan leaves. It is cooked until it boils and thickens, then left to freeze. It is then cut into box-shaped pieces. The kuah is made from coconut milk, brown sugar, salt and pandan leaves. Goyobod is served with young coconut, avocado, coconut milk and shaved ice.

Es Alpukat (Balinese Avocado Drink)

Ingredients:
5 Tablespoons sugar
5 Tablespoons water
2 avocados, peeled and pit removed
½ cup milk
1 cup chocolate milk
Ice, crushed
[Source: Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of Foods and Recipes of the World, Gale Group, Inc., 2002]

Directions:
1) To make the simple syrup, combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium-high heat.
2) Stir until the mixture becomes clear, then remove from heat and let it cool.
3) Scoop out the avocado pulp and place it in a blender.
4) Add the syrup and blend, then pour in the cold milk and blend again until smooth.
5) Divide the mixture between two tall glasses, then top each with ½ cup of chocolate milk to create a separate layer, along with crushed ice.
6) Makes 2 servings.

Wedang

Wedang is a traditional hot Indonesian beverage from Java designed to warm the body and boost immunity. Primarily consumed during the rainy season, it is made from natural spices, herbs and palm sugar. Popular varieties include wedang jahe (ginger) and wedang uwuh (mixed spice/herb tea). Some of the benefits of this 'uwuh' wedang include lowering cholesterol, acting as an antioxidant, refreshing the body, relieving fatigue, curing and preventing colds, and warming the body.[Source: Indonesiandrinks.com]

The word 'wedang' comes from the Javanese language and means 'hot drink'. There are many variants of wedang, which are similar but not identical. As the name suggests, wedang jahe is made with ginger, palm sugar, cardamom, cloves, lemongrass and black pepper. Drinks from Java are usually made more delicious by the addition of pandan leaves.

The history of Java's traditional beverages is full of stories. Many types of traditional beverage have emerged from creativity or trial and error. The various types of wedang include wedang jahe, wedang ronde, wedang secang and wedang uwuh.Of these, wedang uwuh is unique in its name. Wedang means 'to drink' in Javanese, while 'uwuh' means 'garbage'. However, this is not just any 'garbage' wedang; the term 'garbage' here refers to organic foliage, which of course contains many benefits.

Wedang Ronde

Wedang ronde is a traditional wedang beverage from Java. Wedang ronde is made with ginger and water containing balls, called ronde. It is usually served with roasted beans, kolang-kaling, and pieces of bread. [Source: Indonesiandrinks.com]

Ronde Ingredients:
250 grams glutinous rice flour
75 milliliters of hot water
1/4 tsp salt
green and red dye

Wedang Ingredients:
1 liters of water
50 grams ginger, crushed
4 stalk lemongrass, crushed
250 grams sugar

Filling:
100 grams roasted peanuts, crushed
35 grams sugar

Directions:
1) Wedang: Mix water, ginger, lemongrass, and sugar. Cook until boiling. Remove and set aside.
2) Ronde: Mix glutinous rice flour, salt, and hot water until dough can be formed. Divide dough into 3 parts. Each gave a green color and red color. Let one part white.
3) Take a little dough, flatten, give 1/2 tsp filling, round it off. Repeat until dough runs out.
4) Boil water, put ronde, boiled until floating. Remove and soak in cold water. 5. Solution: Prepare a small bowl. Place green ronde, red ronde, and white ronde. Give wedang ginger. Serve warm.

Image Sources: Wikimedia Commons

Text Sources:“Encyclopedia of World Cultures Volume 5: East/Southeast Asia:” edited by Paul Hockings, 1993; “Culture and Customs of Indonesia” by Jill Forshee, Greenwood Press, 2006; National Geographic, New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Smithsonian magazine, Encyclopedia.com, Library of Congress, Indonesia Tourism website (indonesia.travel), Indonesia government websites, Live Science, The Conversation, The New Yorker, Time, BBC, CNN, Reuters, Associated Press, AFP, Lonely Planet Guides, Google AI, Wikipedia, The Guardian and various websites, books and other publications.

Last updated April 2026