Two sodas, a dark red cordial and a glass full of cucumber, orange and lemon slices. The Chapman looks like a fruit punch, tastes sweet and fizzy with a slightly bitter edge, and in Nigeria it turns up at every wedding, club evening and family party.
4 oz
orange soda such as Fanta
4 oz
lemon-lime soda such as Sprite
¾ oz
blackcurrant cordial or grenadine
2 dash
Angostura bitters optional, contains alcohol (optional)Buy on Amazon →
3 slice
cucumber
2 slice
orange
2 slice
lemon
Garnish: Cucumber, orange and lemon slices · Ice: Ice cubes
Chapman
Sweet, fruity and fizzy, with orange and citrus soda, dark berry notes and a cool freshness from the cucumber. Very refreshing when ice-cold.
The Chapman is Nigeria's best-known mixed soft drink and a fixture at social clubs, restaurants and celebrations across the country. Its roots are usually traced to the members' clubs of Lagos in the colonial era, and the Ikoyi Club is often named in popular accounts. How the drink got its name is not documented; stories about a bartender or club member called Chapman circulate, but none can be confirmed.
The classic recipe combines orange soda and lemon-lime soda with a red cordial (blackcurrant or grenadine), a few dashes of Angostura bitters, and plenty of sliced fruit and cucumber. Because Angostura bitters contain alcohol, strictly alcohol-free versions leave them out, which is how it is given here.
From Nigeria, where it is the most popular mixed soft drink. Its origin is usually linked to the social clubs of Lagos.
The traditional recipe contains a few dashes of Angostura bitters, which contain alcohol. Without bitters, as here, it is alcohol-free.
Any orange soda and any clear lemon-lime soda work. Ribena or grenadine can replace each other as the red cordial.
The perfect sound
A friendly and fizzy family favorite.
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