In short: tapai is the sweet fermented rice, tuak is the wine made from fermenting it further, and langkau is the strong spirit made by distilling tuak. They’re three points along one journey — from food, to wine, to spirit — and Sarawakians have names for each. Here’s how to tell them apart.
At a glance
| Drink | What it is | Typical alcohol | Form |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tapai | Fermented glutinous rice or cassava | Low (a few %) | A sweet dish / dessert |
| Tuak | Fermented rice wine | 11–17% ABV | A drink, like wine |
| Langkau | Distilled rice spirit | 40%+ ABV | A clear, strong spirit |
Tapai — where it begins
Tapai is glutinous rice (or cassava) fermented with ragi until it turns soft, sweet and faintly boozy. It’s eaten with a spoon as a traditional dessert, not poured as a drink. Because only a little alcohol has formed, it’s mild — but it’s still not considered halal, since trace alcohol is present. Tapai is essentially tuak’s starting point.
Tuak — the rice wine
Let that fermentation continue and draw off the liquid, and you have tuak: Borneo’s rice wine, sitting at a wine-like 11–17% ABV. It’s gently sweet and smooth — you can read more about what tuak tastes like — and it’s the centrepiece of Gawai celebrations. This is what we craft at Tuak Atelier.
Langkau — the distilled spirit
Take tuak and distill it, and you get langkau — a clear, potent rice spirit often compared to Sarawakian moonshine, at 40% ABV or more. Distillation concentrates the alcohol far beyond what fermentation alone can reach, so langkau is in a different league of strength entirely. It’s a spirit to respect, sipped in small measures.
How they connect
Think of it as one continuum:
Tapai (fermented rice, a sweet dish) → Tuak (fermented further into wine) → Langkau (distilled into spirit)
Each step concentrates the alcohol and changes the role the drink plays — from something you eat, to something you share by the glass, to something you sip by the thimble.
How each is made, side by side
The three share a starting point but diverge in process. Tapai is simply glutinous rice fermented with ragi for a short period, then eaten as-is — no liquid is drawn off. Tuak takes that same ferment further, over a longer period, and separates the liquid from the rice solids to produce a drinkable wine — see how tuak is made for the full process. Langkau starts from finished tuak and adds a distillation step, heating it so the alcohol vaporises and re-condenses into a much stronger, clearer spirit. Each step is a deliberate transformation of the one before it, not a different recipe entirely.
Does Tuak Atelier make langkau or tapai?
No — Tuak Atelier crafts tuak, the fermented rice wine, exclusively. We don’t distill, so langkau isn’t part of what we make, and tapai is more a homemade snack than a bottled product. If you’re specifically after tuak — dated, measured and made with care — that’s exactly our focus; for langkau or tapai, you’d look to traditional home producers or markets instead.
Which should you try?
If you’re new to all this, tuak is the natural starting point — approachable, food-friendly and the most versatile of the three. Tapai is a lovely cultural curiosity if you spot it at a market; langkau is for the seriously spirit-inclined.
Common questions
What’s the difference between tuak and langkau? Tuak is fermented rice wine (11–17%); langkau is tuak distilled into a spirit (40%+).
Is tapai the same as tuak? No — tapai is the sweet fermented rice dish; tuak is the wine made from taking that fermentation further.
Which is strongest? Langkau, by far, because it’s distilled.
Start with the rice wine itself: read what tuak is and the complete guide to tuak, or browse the collection.