Chapman

Chapman drink is one of the popular cocktails I serve in birthday parties and other high-profile events in Nigeria; Bar men serve this in major Nigerian hotels and clubs. It is also the most popular drink for cocktail weddings in Nigeria.

I got a request from a lady friend sometimes last week to write this recipe; she wanted to prepare the Chapman drink for her kids.

So here we go! 😀

It became my favorite soft drink since I learned how to prepare it.

Chapman, Alcohol or Not?

You can decide to make it soft or hard, what I mean is that you can add a particular ingredient (Angostura bitters) to make chapman drink alcoholic for adults or avoid the ingredient so that both adults and children can enjoy it.

I can’t say much about the origin of chapman but I hear that it all started with a man at the Ikoyi club, a man named Shapman. Over time, the name changed. 😀

Angostura aromatic Bitter is the ingredients to look out for, at first I thought I wouldn’t find it in Nigeria but I did, I learned just one company market and distribute it in Nigeria and you can buy it in most major superstores.

I got mine from a major supermarket here in Port-harcout, they sold a small bottle at four thousand five hundred naira only. Ask for Angostura aromatic bitters used for cocktails.

I later learned that Amazon offers it at a way cheaper price.

Alomo bitters can also be used in place of the Angostura bitters, alomo bitters are very popular in Nigeria and sold at every corner of the street in Lagos. However, you can avoid the aromatic bitter or alomo bitter completely if you want to make chapman for the kids instead, squeeze in a lime… half lime would be OK. This would taint the true taste of the chapman that you buy from bars and restaurants but it is alright.

Here are the complete ingredients for making chapman, the popular Nigerian drink. These ingredients would serve four persons.

Ingredients for chapman Nigerian Drink

Serving: 4 persons.

A bottle of Fanta (35cl)
A bottle of Sprite (35cl)
Angostura aromatic bitter or alomo bitters 3 spoons
Grenadine syrup (1 cup)
5-10 spoons of orange juice (optional)
1 lemon or lime
cucumber
Ice cubes

I use the orange and cucumber for garnishing; you can use lime, oranges, cucumber, grapes, a combination of two or even just lemon is okay.

Preparations for Original Shapman Drink

It is better to prepare chapman in a jug the way David did in the video below and then distribute in glass cups thereafter.

I hope you know that ice cubes are the same thing as ice blocks; the difference is just the shapes. They supply most refrigerators with ice cube trays, so be sure to have them ready before you start the preparation.

It is also advisable to chill the Fanta and sprite before using them. You should remember that chapman must be served cold or Chapman will arrest you himself 😀 So the best approach would be to chill the major ingredients before the preparation.

How To Prepare Chapman Drink

Step 1

Get a simple wine glass or a giant mug, pour a cup full of grenadine syrup.

Step 2

Pour in the sprite and Fanta into the same jug. Add two spoons of the Angostura aromatic bitter or alomo bitter.

The angostura/alomo bitter kinda dilutes the sweetness from other ingredients a little.

This is just to avoid the intake of sugar in excess. We have discussed Healthy Nigerian foods this year.

Step 3

Add the fresh orange juice, and shake or stir with a spoon.

At this point you are almost done with making the Chapman Nigerian drink, distribute in glass cups and then throw in the garnishing fruits.

Step 4

Cut the cucumber/oranges into triangular shapes and throw them into the mixture. Cucumber, lemon or even banana can also be used for garnishing; even a combination of two or three fruits-slice is acceptable.

Step 5

Add the ice cubes and serve chilled with a straw and your favorite snack. So the Nigerian Chapman or shapman drink is made of a bottle of Fanta, sprite, Angostura aromatic bitters, grenadine syrup, fruit juice, ice cubes, and other garnishing Ingredients.

That is how to make Chapman drink, the most popular drink for cocktail parties in Nigeria.

Here is the video for chapman, as made by David, watch and enjoy. Don’t forget to drop me a comment below.

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