The ingredients list of lime, honey, turmeric root, and lemongrass might sound like a refreshing juice blend at first glance.
But this isn’t some modern cold-pressed drink recipe. Throw in tamarind, black pepper, and ginger root, and you’ll get jamu – an ancient Indonesian herbal drink that has long been consumed for over 1,000 years. Herbs and other plants are greened down and blended together, then consumed for their medicinal properties that range from boosting immunity to boosting stamina.
While folk medicine was historically reserved for royalty, these days, jamu’s herbal healing prowess can easily be consumed by everyone. And it helps that a new generation is embracing this ancient remedy for modern well-being. Vanessa Techapichetvanich started Jamulogy with her mother to help spread awareness for the traditional elixir. By tweaking the recipe and packaging the drink into convenient bottles, Vanessa hopes to make jamu current again.
What was your earliest memory of jamu – and what do you like most about it?
Being part Thai and part Indonesian, I spent my childhood years in Indonesia, and recall my aunt often buying jamu for me. But I didn’t like them back then.
Now, I love what they can do for your body – the fact that it gives a smilier boost the same way coffee does without actually containing any caffeine. Turmeric and ginger are known to provide natural energy which can help kickstart the day as well.
Why did you decide to start Jamulogy?
We want to debunk the old mindset that ‘herbs taste like medicine’. Green tea and kombucha have grown in popularity, and I believe that jamu has the potential to achieve that as well. It would also be a shame to see a cultural heritage like jamu going into extinction. We thus started Jamulogy to re-imagine the traditional concept, in hopes of making it more appealing to a newer, younger crowd.
What would you say is the biggest misconception about jamu?
That most people think jamu is a form of cold-pressed juice. Making each jamu is actually quite complicated, and involves several processes, including brewing different ingredients at various temperatures. For instance, the active ingredients in turmeric and ginger are best extracted under mild heat.
Others mistakingly associate jamu with tea – sure, they share a smilier brewing process, but I feel like the closest, most accurate way of describing jamu in the English language is a herbal tonic.
How is Jamulogy doing things differently?
Our jamu doesn’t require refrigeration and does not contain any preservatives or additives. Most jamus in Indonesia are also known for being very bitter, and sweetened with palm sugar. We strive to make our jamu modern and pleasant-tasting.
My favourite is the passionfruit jamu, which makes for a very refreshing drink – ideal for those living in the tropics.
What do you ultimately hope to achieve with Jamulogy?
Jamulogy is the world's first fusion jamu maker. It is sad that jamu, despite its long history, hasn’t received as much recognition as it should. The ambition is to bring this Indonesian herbal heritage to the global stage – to customers from around the world.
