Wedang Sereh: Javanese Lemongrass Drink Explained

Food Desk Published by the BaliGenie editorial team. Last updated 16 October 2026. Report a factual error through Contact.

Wedang sereh: a lemongrass infusion, hot or cold

Wedang sereh is an Indonesian infusion made by simmering lemongrass in water. It can be served hot or chilled. The name combines wedang, the Javanese word for a drink, with sereh, the Indonesian name for lemongrass; serai is the Malay spelling, and the plant is also called serai dapur. A plain wedang sereh tastes light, citrus scented and faintly grassy, with no tea leaves involved. Ginger and a little sugar are often added, but they change the balance rather than define the drink.

Think of it as a fragrant herb drink rather than a sharp lemon drink. Lemongrass gives an aroma like citrus peel, because its lemony character comes largely from citral, the main compound in its essential oil, while the steeped liquid stays comparatively mild. The flavour depends on how much stalk is used, how well it is bruised and how long it simmers. A short extraction is delicate, while a longer one gives a fuller, more persistent herbal note.

The name is Javanese in form, since wedang is the Javanese word for a warm drink, but it does not point to one village or a fixed recipe. It is made at home from a plant that grows across Maritime Southeast Asia and South Asia. A menu name alone does not tell you whether a cup includes ginger, sweetener, tea or other aromatics, so it is worth asking what is in the cup.

How the stalk becomes a clear infusion

Lemongrass stalks are fibrous, so the drink is made by extracting flavour into water rather than eating the stalk. The lower, pale part of the stalk is the usual choice for a clean infusion. Rinse it, trim it, cut it into manageable lengths and lightly crush or bruise it. Bruising opens the layers so the aromatic oils can disperse. Pounding it to a paste is unnecessary and leaves fine fibre that is hard to strain out.

The pieces go into water, which is brought to a boil and then simmered, commonly for around ten to fifteen minutes when ginger is part of the pot. Once the liquid smells distinctly lemony and has reached the strength you want, remove the stalk with a strainer. Boiling starts the extraction, and gentler simmering gives you a chance to stop before the flavour becomes too forceful. If the drink will be served cold, a slightly stronger infusion keeps its aroma after chilling.

Sweetener dissolves most easily while the liquid is warm. Ordinary sugar, palm sugar or honey are the usual choices, though none at all also works. Adding sweetness after straining lets you taste the herb first and adjust each cup without changing the whole pot. If ginger is wanted, it can simmer with the lemongrass, but keep the amount restrained when the aim is to keep the lemongrass in front.

Straining is not cosmetic. Long fibres are awkward in a cup, and small fragments keep steeping if they are left behind, which changes the flavour as the drink sits. Pour through a fine strainer into a clean vessel and discard the used stalk rather than leaving it in a serving jug.

Choosing a version that suits your palate

Plain lemongrass

A plain cup is the clearest way to recognise the drink. It lets the grassy, citrus-like scent come through without the heat of ginger or the sweetness of sugar. Try it plain first. Afterwards you can judge whether you prefer a warmer spice note or a rounder, sweeter finish.

Lemongrass with ginger

Ginger adds a peppery warmth and a more substantial finish. The two ingredients can compete if both are heavy. Lemongrass smells bright and lifted, while ginger is pungent and lingers at the back of the palate. A balanced pot keeps one in the lead rather than producing an indistinct mix of spices.

Sweetened or unsweetened

Sweetness softens the herbal edge and can make a chilled cup taste rounder. It also masks some of the finer aroma, so a very sweet cup may taste less distinctly herbal. When the drink is offered already sweetened, ask whether it can be adjusted. At home, sweeten each cup after straining, so one base suits people with different tastes.

Hot or cold

Served hot, the aroma rises as the cup comes close and the flavour reads as gentle and comforting. Served cold, it becomes a refreshment with a cleaner, brisker impression, especially over ice. Chilling can mute fragrance and make sweetness seem less obvious at first, so taste before adding more sugar. Ice dilutes the drink as it melts, so a stronger base suits a drink poured over plenty of ice.

Wedang sereh beside other Indonesian drinks

The simplest distinction is the ingredient doing the main work. Wedang jahe centres on ginger, so its signature is more pungent and spicy. Lemongrass can appear in a ginger drink, but that does not make the cup a plain wedang sereh. If you want lemongrass aroma without ginger heat, ask for a version where lemongrass is the main infusion.

Bir pletok is a non-alcoholic Betawi drink of Jakarta, made with ginger, pandan, lemongrass and sappanwood. Lemongrass is one ingredient among several there, and the sappanwood makes the drink red. Wedang sereh puts the citrus-like scent of lemongrass first, so the two should not be treated as interchangeable just because both are warming Indonesian drinks.

Bandrek is a hot, sweet, spicy drink of the Sundanese in West Java, but it is not another name for lemongrass water. Its base is ginger water with palm sugar and cinnamon, and lemongrass is only one of the spices sometimes added. The useful question is not which drink is more traditional. It is whether you want a clean herbal scent, a ginger heat or a deeper spice mixture.

A common mismatch is ordering by the word wedang alone and expecting one flavour, when the ingredient after it often matters most. Wedang jahe means ginger, wedang secang means sappanwood, and wedang sereh means lemongrass, so a menu that groups infusions, spiced drinks and sweet refreshments together is easiest to read from the second word.

What to notice when it is served

Look at the form of the stalk and the clarity of the liquid. A cup may arrive strained, with no visible lemongrass, or with a piece left in as a visual cue. The stalk is not normally sipped or chewed. If a glass has fine plant fragments, let them settle or ask for it to be strained. That is a texture preference, not a sign that the drink is a different category.

Colour is not a reliable recipe test. A plain infusion can be nearly clear or lightly tinted, depending on the plant and the extraction. Ginger, sweeteners and other additions change its appearance. Aroma is a better first clue: fresh citrus-grass points to lemongrass, while sharp spice suggests ginger is prominent. Taste a small sip before deciding the drink needs more sweetness.

In a warm climate, a chilled version often makes sense even though the drink is associated with warming infusions. Serving temperature is a choice, not a rule. Warmth carries aroma straight to the nose, while cold service puts more emphasis on refreshment. If you are sensitive to sweetness, confirm whether sugar has already been mixed in, since it cannot be removed from a prepared glass.

On a menu, the word tea is used loosely in English for any herb steeped in water. Wedang sereh does not need black or green tea leaves. If caffeine matters to you, ask whether tea leaves have been added to that preparation. The name describes the lemongrass drink, not every possible variation a kitchen might serve.

Making a small pot at home

For a first attempt, put a few trimmed lemongrass stalks in a pot of water, lightly bruise the pale lower sections, and simmer until the liquid has a clear aroma. Strain, then taste it plain. This makes the ingredient’s character easy to judge and gives you a base you can sweeten or chill. There is no need to add several spices at once, because that makes it hard to tell which flavour you actually prefer.

If the result tastes faint, check the preparation before simply extending the cooking time. An unbruised stalk releases aroma slowly, and too much water dilutes a modest amount of herb. Cut the stalks shorter and bruise them again for the next pot. If the drink tastes harsh or vegetal, reduce the simmer or use less stalk rather than hiding it under sugar.

For a ginger version, slice or crush a small piece and simmer it with the lemongrass, then assess the balance after straining. Ginger’s heat builds after the first sip, whereas lemongrass is noticed first through its fragrance. If the ginger dominates, change the ratio in the next batch. A little palm sugar can round the edges, but it should not be needed to make an over-extracted pot drinkable.

To chill a batch, strain it while warm and let it cool before refrigerating it in a covered container. If the stalks stay in the liquid while it cools, extraction continues and the flavour can grow stronger than expected. Pour over ice only when serving, or chill without ice if you want to avoid dilution. Make a fresh batch once the aroma has faded, because a weak infusion does not improve with keeping.

Common questions about wedang sereh

Does wedang sereh contain tea leaves?

Not usually. The basic drink is lemongrass simmered in water, so tea is a convenient English word for an infusion. A particular recipe may add tea or other ingredients, so check when caffeine or a specific ingredient matters.

Is wedang sereh the same as lemongrass tea?

The two names usually describe the same basic idea: lemongrass steeped or simmered in water. Recipes vary, and a drink sold as lemongrass tea may include additions that a plain wedang sereh does not have.

Can it be served cold?

Yes. It can be strained, cooled and served chilled or over ice. The cold version is less aromatic at first than a hot cup, so taste it before adjusting the sweetener.

Is ginger essential?

No. Ginger is an optional addition that makes the drink warmer and spicier. A plain preparation keeps the lemongrass flavour more distinct.

Sign In