Bali Bartenders Take Arak to Global Stage in Las Vegas and Poland

RRI.CO.ID, Denpasar - Two young bartenders from Bali are preparing to represent Indonesia in international mixology and flair competitions in Las Vegas and Poland. Flair is a bartending technique that entertains audiences through acrobatic bottle tossing and the skillful handling of bar tools.

Their participation on the global stage is seen as an opportunity to introduce Balinese arak internationally and demonstrate that traditional local beverages can compete at the highest level of the global bar industry. The competitions are part of Bali’s efforts to develop young talent in mixology and flair bartending.

Earlier, the Bali Provincial Administration provided a platform for 23 bartenders to compete in the 2026 Balinese Arak Mixology and Flair Competition. Bali Governor Wayan Koster said the participants were not only talented but also capable of promoting arak produced by licensed local farmers.

“I am very interested because this is a rare skill. I believe Bali has been blessed with this talent, and it is well suited to Bali’s position as one of the world’s leading tourism destinations, with local products such as Balinese arak being transformed into cocktails like these,” he said in Denpasar on Sunday, August 10, 2026.

Impressed by the younger generation, Governor Koster said he would provide more opportunities for the modern profession through training, competitions, and performances in public spaces.

“If there is no national forum yet, we should establish a championship ourselves, perhaps a governor’s cup at the national level. Since the world championship moves from one place to another each month, we should organize competitions more frequently,” he said, as quoted by Antara.

He added that the initiative did not necessarily have to take the form of a competition. He asked relevant government agencies to create simple platforms in public spaces, such as Niti Mandala Renon Field, where talented young people could showcase their skills.

“They should receive regular training, especially the 23 participants, and take part in various events so they can become highly skilled and compete at both the national and international levels,” he said.

Governor Koster also encouraged the certification of bartenders so their skills would be formally recognized and they could advance professionally. He expressed concern that many businesses in the hotel, restaurant, and café sector still paid wages that did not adequately reflect bartenders’ mixoflair abilities.

He said the sustainability of this ecosystem is supported by local farmers at the upstream level, producers and cooperatives in the middle, and mixoflair-based creativity in the downstream sales sector.

“This sector has a long value chain and offers promising professions that must be developed seriously. Managing the people’s economy in this area is crucial because it can create new jobs and produce workers with internationally competitive skills,” he said.

In the near future, two young Balinese bartenders will represent Indonesia at mixology and flair competitions in Las Vegas and Poland. Governor Koster expressed hope that the opportunity would encourage the emergence of more Balinese talent skilled in mixing and showcasing traditional regional beverages.

“Do not stop. I invite everyone to come together here so that we can identify ways to encourage, empower, and develop them, as well as determine what we need to do to facilitate their growth,” he said.

I Kadek Suniantara, 20, who won first place in the 2026 Balinese Arak Mixology and Flair Competition, said he was grateful that the Bali Provincial Administration was providing more opportunities for them to learn and enhance the value of their skills.

He said becoming a bartender was not easy, as it required patience, focus, and discipline to master the techniques of mixing drinks and performing behind the bar. ***