Chapman or shapman is one of the popular Nigerian drinks; it is served in most major Nigerian restaurants and bar and also the most popular drink for cocktail parties in Nigeria
I am writing this article because I got an email from an expert member of the kitchen who 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. You can decide to make it soft or hard, what I mean is that you can add a particular ingredient to make chapman alcoholic for adult 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.
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 it is marketed and distributed by just one company in Nigeria and you can buy it in most major super stores. I got mine from everyday emporium at a very expensive price, a small bottle was sold at four thousand five hundred naira only. Ask for angostura aromatic bitters…that is 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 is 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, you should squeeze in a lime… half lime would be OK. This would slightly affect the true taste of the chapman that you buy from bars and restaurants but it is alright, even a drop of alcohol is not right for a child.
Here are the comprehensive ingredients for making chapman, the popular Nigerian drink. These ingredients would serve two to three 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
The orange and cucumber are used for garnishing; you can use lime, oranges, cucumber, grapes, a combination of two or even just lemon is okey
How to prepare shapman (chapman)
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 block; the different is just the shapes. Most refrigerator are supplied 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 you will be arrested by Chapman himself 😀 So the best approach would be to chill the major ingredients before the preparation.
So here we go with the preparation.
Get a simple wine glass or a giant mug, pour a cup full of grenadine syrup.
Pour in the sprite and fanta into the same jug. Add two to three spoons of the angostura aromatic bitter, alomo bitter is used alternatively in case you can’t find angostura bitter in your location but that would alter the true taste of chapman.
The angostura/alomo bitter kinda dilutes the sweetness from other ingredients a little; you have to be mindful of the quantity of chapman that you consume if you are not using these bitters. This is just to avoid the intake of sugar in excess.
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, go ahead and distribute in glass cups and then throw in the garnishing fruits. Cut the cucumber/oranges into triangular shapes and throw 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.
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.
Subscribe Below to Receive My Free Weekly Recipes.

Comments
- 34 Comments
- 0 Trackbacks
-
January 16, 2014
Chapman!!! OMG, I love this drink so much. I also spend 700 for a glass of Chapman at grandville bar/restaurant. thank God I can now make it for myself. thank you very much Chy for all your recipes. You rock!
-
March 11, 2017
Where can I get dis book
-
-
February 9, 2014
I’m a good cook, as in my food tastes nice but I can’t make certain foods which I wnt to learn. Eating has become a chore because its particular type of food… I want varieties! Thanks for the chapman cocktail drink and for all the wonderful recipes
-
February 12, 2014
I’ve always been a good cook,buh occasionally I love to experiment,as a result I hate to get same taste all the other time( it’s boring to get same taste each time u cook a particular food…u get?). My quest to acheive different tastes led me to the discovery of this site.Having said that,this site has helped me a great deal. Ryt nw when I cook everyone wants to get a taste of it. My husband loves the fact that he can ask me to make jollof rice as much as five times n I’ll end up wiv 5 diff tastes of jollof rice.infact whenever he eats food prepared by any1 other than me,he compares it to my cooking n always says “I Rily give my cooking special attention unlike people that cook anyhow just to fulfill all righteousness in the name of cooking”.lol. Your fried rice recipe helped me a lot,I tried it for the ist time n wow u”ll think ve been a chef all my life.though I added something to it(I made a lill bit of scrambled egg separately and then added n stirred into the rice).thanks for the good work,don’t stop it,just keep it up!!!!pls I need a recipe for chapman drink and vegetable soup.
-
February 18, 2014
Please can you do just to preparation of smoothies and cocktail pinacolanda as you have done to Chapman. Thanks
-
March 6, 2017
Merci.J’aime Chapman
-
-
March 17, 2014
I really love the recipes here.. And wow!! Am so shocked cos I didn’t know that to make Chapman was at the snap of a finger… So cheap ND yet the same thing we get in the bars and the zobo tutorials as well just makes Nigerian juice seems so much fun.. But I would really like to get a copy of your book if possible but if not.. I want your page to be readily available for my use.. Plss do reply.. Tnx chi
-
July 31, 2014
Please where can I buy the grenadine syrup thanks.
-
November 20, 2014
I’ll be hosting very important guests by next week. I wanted something different this time…just thought a glass of chapman will do! Thanks for helping me out with the recipies. Gratitude!
-
November 26, 2014
Lovely Chy,you are doing a wonderful job for the whole univers.When is your next discount on all your books,always yovrs at all time
-
January 2, 2015
Thanks to u Chy, you have saved many from monopoly of Chapman Drink
you rock -
January 5, 2015
Lovely drink, I love it like ki lo deeee
-
January 22, 2015
so amazing I just discover this site now. chy are u in port harcourt?
-
March 1, 2015
I must confess,this site is the best thing that happened to me recently..i was gonna host 60 people to a house party and this cocktail guy charged me 1500 per chapman..i was about to pay when I went online and found this site..im so not needing his services again…P.S..i just mixed my first chapman and nothing beats it right now
-
March 3, 2015
Wow,loving dis chapman receipe.I’ll definitely gv it a try.Thanks Chy
-
April 18, 2019
Wow,this is lovely, thanks for the Chapman recipes and procedure, God bless you.
-
-
March 4, 2015
Pls chy can u email me on how to prepare Chapman 4 150pple I’ll really appreciate, tanks.
-
March 8, 2015
in case whereby one need to serve lot of people wit cocktail asin Chapman can one add zobo as part of d recipe for Chapman to increase the quantity? thank you
-
March 15, 2015
You are doing a great job here.. I love this page, thank you so very much. May God continue to bless you ma
-
March 30, 2015
I love to try new drinks. I will offer it to my guests for Easter brunch. Happy Easter to Nigerian Kitchen. K
-
March 30, 2015
I just made mine. Waooooo loving myself. My kids just hailed me. Hhehe
-
March 30, 2015
I didn’t see the Geraldine syrup.any substitute
-
February 5, 2019
Use Ribena
-