Bali Island, Indonesia - A traditional alcoholic brew has killed 25 people, including four foreigners, on Indonesia's resort islands of Bali and Lombok over the past two weeks, a doctor and media reports said Tuesday.

Police on Bali have arrested two people from a factory that produced the beverage for allegedly adding excessive levels of methanol to the brew, known locally as arak.

American Rose Johnson died Monday at Bali's Sanglah hospital after losing consciousness because of methanol poisoning, said Ida Bagus Putu Alit, a doctor at the hospital.

A Briton, Alan Colen, died Saturday after consuming the drink.

A Dutch couple died Monday after drinking a similar concoction, the Detik. com news website reported.

Police have questioned 24 people and declared two people who worked for the factory that made the drink as suspects.

"They are responsible for the existence of methanol in the drink," said Kokok Indarko, head of the police anti-narcotics division in Bali.

They could face 20 years in prison if found guilty, he said.

Cases of poisoning involving homemade drinks are common in Indonesia, where quality alcoholic beverages are expensive.

In January, 14 people died in Central Java after drinking a concoction of 90-per-cent alcohol, ginseng, vanilla extract and fermented tea.

In September, 12 people died in West Java after drinking homemade alcohol allegedly mixed with methylated spirits and insecticide. (dpa)