2. Product Categories

Beers, RTDs, Whisky
Indonesia

This section provides the regulatory definition of the food category in scope, or the appropriate food category for the product in scope. Additionally, it provides the food products that belong to this food category along with the definition and specific information on each of these types of food products.

2.1 Category Name & Definition

General Food

Processed Food

Food or beverages processed by certain means or methods with or without additives. [1]

Category Name

Alcoholic Beverages, Including Similar Beverages with Low Alcohol Content (Food category 14.2) [1]

Alcoholic beverages are classified into classes A, B, and C, categorized by their alcohol content. Similar drinks that are low in alcohol are in the same food category as alcoholic beverages [1].

Alcoholic beverages are drinks that contain ethanol (ethyl alcohol) as a by-product of the fermentation process of agricultural products with or without distillation and/or food-grade ethanol that is intentionally added to the beverage to create the expected ethanol content [1]. 

Alcoholic beverages are classified as follows: [2,3]

1. Class A: drinks containing ethyl alcohol or ethanol (C₂H₅OH) with levels up to 5% (five per hundred)
2. Class B: drinks containing ethyl alcohol or ethanol (C₂H₅OH) with levels of more than 5% (five per hundred) up to 20% (twenty per hundred)
3. Class C: drinks containing ethyl alcohol or ethanol (C₂H₅OH) with levels of more than 20% (twenty per hundred) up to 55% (fifty-five per hundred

2.2 Product & Definition

1) Beer

Definition

Beer (food category 14.2.1) is a beverage containing ethanol as a by-product of the fermentation process of yeast towards the main raw materials of malt, hops (Humulus lupulus), and water which produces the aroma, taste, and characteristic properties of beer. Other food ingredients can be added such as rice, corn, sugar, tapioca, barley, and roasted barley. Malt is the result of the germination process of barley (Hordeum vulgare), wheat (Triticum sp.), or rye (Secale cereale). [1,2] 

Basic characteristic: 

Ethanol content 0.5 – 8% v/v. [1,2]

Specifications/Target Age

21 years of age or older. [3] 

Additional Information

• May be categorized into food category 14.2.1 Beer (no-flavored beer) or food category 14.2.7 Flavored Alcoholic Beverages (flavored/aromatic beer) [1] 
• May be classified into Class A (ethanol content up to 5%) or Class B (ethanol content >5 – 20%) [3,4,5]

1.B) Stout Beer

Definition

Stout beer is a fermented beverage made from yeast floating from malt and roasted barley grains (Hordeum vulgare), with the addition of hops (Humulus lupulus), giving it a bitter taste and a strong hop aroma. It is dark brown in color, with or without other food ingredients. [1,2] 

Basic characteristic: 

Ethanol content 2 – 8% v/v. [1,2]

Specifications/Target Age

21 years of age or older. [3] 

Additional Information

• Beer may be categorized into food category 14.2.1 Beer (no-flavored beer) or food category 14.2.7 Flavored Alcoholic Beverages (flavored/aromatic beer) [1] 
• May be classified into Class A (ethanol content up to 5%) or Class B (ethanol content >5 – 20%). [3,4,5] 

2) Alcoholic Ready-to-drink beverages

In Indonesia, the relevant categories of these alcoholic beverages are:

2.A) Spirits containing more than 15% Ethanol [1] food category 14.2.6 

Definition

Food category 14.2.6 Includes all distilled spirits obtained from grains, fruit, tubers (such as potatoes), or cane sugar containing more than 15% ethanol. Includes: brandy, cognac, rum, gin, vodka, and tequila [1]. Specific definitions and basic characteristics depend on the type of products, i.e. spirit drinks, arak, and soju [1]: 

2.A.1) Spirits drinks

Definition

Spirits are alcoholic beverages from the distillation of alcoholic liquids from the fermentation of grain, fruit, or cane sugar. [1,2]

Basic characteristic: 

Ethanol content is more than 15% v/v. [1,2]

2.A.2) Arak

Definition

Arak is an alcoholic beverage derived from the distillation of alcoholic liquids from the fermentation of ingredients such as rice, shorghum, molasses, sap, and/or fruits. [1,2] 

Basic characteristic: 

Ethanol content is more than 30% v/v and with specific aroma. [1,2]

2.A.3) Soju 

Definition

Soju is an alcoholic beverage distilled from the fermentation of rice, wheat, barley, potato, yam, tapioca, or other starches. [1,2] 

Basic characteristic: 

Ethanol content 20 – 35% v/v. [1,2]  

Specifications/Target Age

21 years of age or older. [3]

Additional Information

• Categorized into food category 14.2.6 Spirits containing more than 15% Ethanol. [1] 
• May be classified into Class B (ethanol content >5 – 20%) or Class C (ethanol content >20 – 55%). [3,4,5] 

2.B) Aromatized Alcoholic Beverages (e.g. Beer Drink, Fruit Wine, Cooler-Spirit Drinks, Low-Alcohol Refreshers) food category 14.2.7 [1] 

Definition

Aromatized alcoholic beverages include all unstandardized alcoholic beverage products. While almost all products in this category contain less than 15% ethanol, some traditional products may contain up to 24% ethanol. [1] 

Specific definitions and basic characteristics depend on the type of products, i.e. alcoholic soft drinks, shandy, and low-alcohol wines [1]:

2.B.1) Alcoholic soft drink

Definition

Alcoholic soft drinks are carbonated soft drinks that are flavored. [1,2] 

Basic characteristic: 

Ethanol content not more than 1% v/v. [1,2] 

2.B.2) Shandy

Definition

Shandy is a beverage product containing not more than 1% ethanol made from shandy concentrate, with or without beer, sugar, and carbonated water. Generally, shandy is produced from a mixture of beer and non-alcoholic beverages. [1,2] 

Basic characteristic: 

Ethanol content not more than 1% v/v. [1,2] 

2.B.3) Low-alcohol wines

Definition

Low-alcohol wines are wines that are reduced in ethanol content by methods other than dilution with water. [1,2] 

Basic characteristic:

The ethanol content of reduced alcohol wine is 1.2% to 6.5% v/v and low alcohol wine is not more than 1.2% v/v. [1,2] 

Specifications/Target Age

21 years of age or older. [3]

Additional Information

• Categorized into food category 14.2.7 Flavored Alcoholic Beverages (e.g. Beer, Fruit Wine, Cooler-Spirit Drinks, Low-Alcohol Refreshers). [1] 
• Ready-to-drink alcoholic beverages such as Chuhai are included in this food category 14.2.7. The specific definition and basic characteristics of Chuhai are not stipulated in this regulation, but the ethanol content may refer to the definition of flavored alcoholic beverages (less than 15% ethanol). [1] 
• May be classified into Class A (ethanol content up to 5%), Class B (ethanol content >5 – 20%), or Class C (ethanol content >20 – 55%). [3,4,5] 

3) Whisky

Definition

Whisky is an alcoholic beverage made from spirits distilled from cereals or grains or their derivatives, and aged in wooden barrels for not less than 2 years. [1,2]

Basic characteristic: 

Ethanol content not less than 40% v/v. [1,2] 

Specifications/Target Age

21 years of age or older. [3]

Additional Information

• Categorized into food category 14.2.6 Spirits containing more than 15% Ethanol (see above 2.A). [1] 
• Classified into Class C (ethanol content >20 – 55%). [3,4,5] 

2.3 References

1. BPOM Decree No. 13 Year 2023 on Food Category 

https://jdih.pom.go.id/download/rule/1492/13/2023/Peraturan%20Badan%20Pengawas%20Obat%20dan%20Makanan%20Nomor%2013%20Tahun%202023%20tentang%20Kategori%20Pangan

2. BPOM Decree No. 5 Year 2021 on Safety and Quality Standard of Alcoholic Beverages

https://jdih.pom.go.id/download/rule/1233/5/2021/Peraturan%20Badan%20Pengawas%20Obat%20dan%20Makanan%20Nomor%205%20Tahun%202021%20Tentang%20Standar%20Keamanan%20dan%20Mutu%20Minuman%20Beralkoho

3. The Ministry of Trade Decree No. 20/M-DAG/PER/4/2014 Year 2014 on Control and Supervision of The Supply, Distribution, and Sale of Alcoholic Beverages 

https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Details/129077/permendag-no-20mdagper42014tahun2014

4. The Ministry of Trade Decree No. 25 Year 2019 on Sixth Amendment of Regulation on Control and Supervision of The Supply, Distribution, and Sale of Alcoholic Beverages

https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Details/128581/permendag-no-25-tahun-2019

5. President Decree No.74 Year 2013 on Control and Supervision of Alcoholic Beverages

https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Details/41444/perpres-no-74-tahun-2013