Delicious African Cocktails to Try Today in 2024

Recipes for 8 Cocktails from Africa

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South African Cocktail Recipes

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South African Cocktails #1: The Ama-lekkerlicious

Ingredients

Orange sherbert (to rim glass)
25 ml brandy
12.5 ml peach syrup
50 ml cranberry juice
1 teaspoon of lemon juice
3 splashes of bitters
A slice of orange rind to garnish

Directions

1. Take a whiskey glass and dip the lip into orange sherbet.
2. Combine brandy, peach syrup, cranberry juice, lemon juice and bitters in a metal shaker.
3. Shake and strain contents into the sherbet-lipped whiskey glass.
4. Garnish the lip with an orange rind twist.

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Popular Cocktails in South Africa #2—Basilicious Cocktail Africa

Ingredients

50 ml vodka
Juice of 1 lime
20 ml simple syrup
4 basil leaves (keep one aside for garnish)
Small pinch of Robertsons Barbecue Spice
Ice cubes

Directions

1. Place the simple syrup and 3 basil leaves in a metal shaker.
2. Fill the shaker with ice cubes.
3. Add the vodka and lime juice.
4. Shake and strain contents into a tumbler.
5. Top with a sprinkle of Robertsons Barbecue Spice.
6. Garnish with a basil leaf.

READ ALSO: Bombay vs Bombay Sapphire & Other Gin Comparisons

Africa Cocktail #3: Cape Snow

Ingredients

30 ml brandy
30 ml Van Der Hum Liqueur
2 tablespoons vanilla ice cream
Slice of orange to garnish

Directions

1. Flash blend ingredients until drinkably creamy.
2. Pour into a wine glass.
3. Garnish the lip with a slice of orange.

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African Cocktail Mixture #4. Elephant’s Reverie

Ingredients

60 ml Amarula Cream
30 ml Frangelico hazelnut liqueur
15 ml pouring cream
Crushed ice
A pinch of chocolate powder and fresh cherries to garnish

Directions

1. Combine the Amarula Cream, Frangelico, pouring cream and ice in metal shaker (shake) or blender (brisk blend).
2. Pour the mix into a highball glass.
3. Garnish with a sprinkle of chocolate powder and fresh cherries.

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5. The Fynbos

Ingredients

50 ml brandy
50 ml rooibos tea
25 ml simple syrup
12.5 ml ginger liqueur
1 teaspoon honey
A dash of bitters (optional)
Lemon/lime peel to garnish

Directions

1. Combine the brandy, rooibos tea, cooled sugar syrup, ginger liqueur, honey and bitters (optional) in a metal shaker.
2. Shake and strain contents into a pre-chilled martini glass.
3. Garnish with a slice of lemon or lime.

READ ALSO: Making Your Own Cocktails

East African Cocktails Recipes

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6. Dawa (Kenya) – One of the Most Popular African Cocktails

Dawa is one of the most popular African cocktails.

In fact, when I asked people what came to mind when they thought of African cocktails, as I was preparing to write this post, the first cocktail off everyone’s lips was a Dawa.

Personally, Dawa is one of my favorite cocktails, so much so that I even wrote a whole post about it.

Never heard of Dawa before? No problem. Click here to find out what it is, why it is so popular and how to make it.

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7. Ruksa (An African Cocktail from Tanzania)

Ruksa is a Swahili word that means ‘permission granted’.

This Tanzanian cocktail is made with a Tanzanian clear spirit called K-Vant.

Here’s how to make a Ruksa:

Ingredients

50 ml K-Vant Premium Spirit
Mango puree
Pilau masala mix (pilau masala is a spice blend normally used to make a Swahili spiced rice called pilau)
Sugar
Water
Limes
Tabasco
Tonic water
Whole cinnamon
Ghost pepper

Directions

1. Make a syrup out of water, sugar, limes, and pilau masala mix. To make the syrup, follow this recipe but add pilau masala mix to taste while cooking.
2. Let the syrup cool to room temperature.
3. Pour 50 ml of K-Vant Premium Spirit in a clean glass.
4. Add 2 – 3 drops of Tabasco sauce.
5. Add 25 ml of mango puree and 20 ml of pilau masala syrup.
6. Add ice to your drink.
7. Add 50 ml of tonic water soda.
8. Garnish your drink with whole cinnamon and a whole ghost pepper.

This recipe makes one glass or 250 ml.

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Southern African Cocktail Recipes

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8. Pumulani Cocktail (Malawi)

A Pumulani is the signature cocktail of Pumulani Lodge in Malawi. To get right to the point, here is how to make it.

Ingredients

½ shot Blue Curaçao
1 shot Malibu
1 can of ginger ale
Some coconut shavings and cherries for garnish.

Directions

1. In a cocktail shaker, combine the Blue Curaçao and Malibu and give it a good shake.
2. Fill a tall glass with crushed ice and pour the cocktail mixture over the ice.
3. Top up with ginger ale.
4. Sprinkle coconut flakes on top and serve immediately.

Do you know of any other good African cocktails you would like to recommend to others? If so, share the recipe in a comment below.

I can’t wait to hear what you recommend!

Traditional West African Cocktails

Traditional West African cocktails often draw inspiration from local ingredients, flavors, and cultural practices.

While the concept of cocktails as we know them today might not have originated in West Africa, the region has a rich history of using indigenous ingredients to create beverages with unique flavors.

Here are a few examples of traditional West African cocktails or cocktail-like beverages:

1. Palm Wine Cocktails: Palm wine is a traditional alcoholic beverage made from the sap of various types of palm trees. It’s often consumed as is, but in some West African countries, it’s used as a base for cocktails. Mixed with ingredients like fruit juices, honey, or other local flavors, palm wine cocktails offer a refreshing and distinct taste.
2. Bissap Cocktail: Bissap, also known as hibiscus tea, is a popular beverage in West Africa. It’s made from dried hibiscus flowers and is known for its deep red color and tangy flavor. Bissap can be turned into a cocktail by adding rum, vodka, or other spirits, along with sweeteners and possibly some citrus for balance.
3. Ginger Beer with Rum: Ginger beer is a common non-alcoholic beverage in many West African countries. It’s made from fresh ginger, sugar, and water, and sometimes fermented to create a slight fizz. This spicy and sweet beverage can be enhanced with the addition of rum to create a flavorful cocktail.
4. Sobolo and Akpeteshie Mix: Sobolo, also known as “sorrel” in other parts of the world, is a beverage made from dried hibiscus petals, ginger, and other spices. Akpeteshie, on the other hand, is a strong locally brewed spirit. Mixing sobolo with akpeteshie and perhaps some fruit juices can result in a potent and flavorful cocktail.
5. Millet Beer Cocktails: Millet beer is a traditional fermented beverage made from millet grains. It’s popular in various West African cultures. While not as commonly used as a cocktail base, millet beer could potentially be incorporated into cocktail recipes, adding a unique earthy flavor to the mix.
6. Fruit-Infused Spirits: West Africa is abundant in tropical fruits like mangoes, pineapples, and coconuts. These fruits can be used to infuse local spirits like rum or palm wine, creating cocktails with vibrant and authentic flavors.

It’s important to note that the concept of cocktails may vary across cultures, and the ingredients and methods used in West African cocktails might differ from the traditional Western notion of cocktails.

Furthermore, due to the cultural diversity of West Africa, cocktail recipes and practices can vary widely from one region to another.

When exploring traditional West African cocktails, it’s a good idea to consider the local ingredients available to you and experiment with creating your own unique combinations that pay homage to the rich culinary traditions of the region.

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Cócteles de Inspiración Africana

Aquí tienes algo de información sobre cócteles de inspiración africana.

Ingredientes Clave

1. Frutas: Muchos cócteles de inspiración africana utilizan frutas tropicales como mango, papaya, maracuyá, piña y guayaba.
2. Especias: Las especias comunes incluyen jengibre, canela, clavo y cardamomo, que añaden un calor y complejidad distintivos.
3. Hierbas: Hierbas frescas como menta, albahaca y romero se usan a menudo por sus cualidades aromáticas.
4. Licores Locales: Los licores tradicionales africanos como Amarula (un licor de crema hecho con fruta de marula), Konyagi (un gin tanzano) y Waragi (un gin ugandés) pueden usarse como bases.
5. Tés: El té rooibos y otros tés de hierbas africanas pueden aportar sabores únicos a los cócteles.

Ejemplos de Cócteles de Inspiración Africana

1. Amarula Colada:

• Ingredientes: Licor de crema Amarula, crema de coco, jugo de piña.
• Perfil de Sabor: Cremoso y tropical, con un toque frutal de la fruta de marula.

2. Mojito de Jengibre:

• Ingredientes: Jengibre fresco, hojas de menta, jugo de lima, azúcar, ron, agua con gas.
• Perfil de Sabor: Refrescante y ligeramente picante con el toque del jengibre fresco.

3. Martini de Rooibos:

• Ingredientes: Té rooibos, vodka o gin, jugo de limón, miel.
• Perfil de Sabor: Terroso y ligeramente dulce con un toque cítrico.

4. Ponche de Fruta de Baobab:

• Ingredientes: Polvo de baobab, jugo de naranja, jugo de piña, agua con gas, ron (opcional).
• Perfil de Sabor: Ácido y refrescante, con un sabor cítrico de la fruta de baobab.

5. Margarita de Hibisco:

• Ingredientes: Té de hibisco, tequila, jugo de lima, jarabe de agave.
• Perfil de Sabor: Floral y ácido con un color rojo vibrante.

Técnicas y Presentación

• Infusiones: Infusionar licores con especias y hierbas africanas puede crear sabores únicos como base para cócteles.
• Adornos: Usar frutas frescas, hierbas o incluso flores comestibles nativas de África puede mejorar tanto el atractivo visual como el perfil de sabor.
• Vasos de Servicio: Usar vasos tradicionales africanos o cristalería colorida puede añadir un toque auténtico a la presentación.

Mezclando estos elementos, los bartenders y mixólogos crean cócteles que celebran la rica y diversa herencia culinaria de África.

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K Vant & Other Commercially Produced African Drinks

• Uganda Waragi
• Konyagi (Tanzania)
• K Vant (Tanzania)
• Double Kick (Tanzania)
• Amarula
• Zanzi
• Chibuku Shake-Shake
• Kenya Cane
• Stoney Tangawizi (non-alcoholic)

K Vant Alcohol Percentage

To find out how strong K Vant is, click here.

African Seaweed Cocktail

Cocktail in Swahili

The Swahili word for cocktail is quite simply kokteli.

African Drinks

Other than cocktails, Africa has its share of local drinks. Here are a few off the top of my head:

Traditional African Drinks Alcoholic & Non-alcoholic (Including South Africa Drinks)

• Umqombothi (South Africa)
• Witblits (South Africa)
• Haragi/Kasese (Uganda) – traditional very strong distilled spirits, very different from bottled Uganda Waragi
• Obushera (Uganda)
• Tej (Ethiopia)
• Enkonyagi (Tanzania)
• Mageu/amaHewu (South Africa)
• Leite Azedo (Angola)
• Sobia (Egypt)
• Osang tea (Equatorial Guinea)
• Café touba (Senegal)
• Zobo (Nigeria)
• Oshikundu (Namibia)
• Muratina (Kenya)
• Amasi (South Africa)
• Mazagran (Algeria)
• Rooibos (South Africa)
• Maghrebi Mint Tea (Maghreb/Morocco)
• Rubisi (Tanzania)
• Palm Wine (West and Central Africa)
• Bissap (Ivory Coast)
• Gnamakoudji (Ivory Coast)
• African Milk Tea/Chai (East Africa)
• Ethiopian coffee
• Amakamo (Uganda)

African Drinks Recipes: How to Make Non Alcoholic Dawa

You may have been confused to see me share the recipe for a Kenyan Dawa as a cocktail.

Perhaps, you know Dawa to be a healthy non-alcoholic beverage that helps boost immunity and that is fantastic for you when you’ve got a cold.

Yep, that drink is also called a Dawa. Here’s how to make it:

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In the comment sections of my posts about Soho’s and Mercury Lounge, some readers and I shared our views on the quality of cocktails served at some of Nairobi‘s most popular bars and nightclubs.

In that discussion, Mercury Lounge and Casablanca were named as establishments that were thought to serve good cocktails, while Hidden Agenda and Soho’s came up as places to avoid when in search of a good cocktail.

Lately, I have not been too impressed with what I’ve been seeing  many establishments pass off in the name of certain cocktails.

Because it is trendy to serve (and be seen drinking) cocktails, I find that a lot of East African establishments are great at having all the right cocktail names on their beverage lists, but do an extremely poor job when it comes to actually making these cocktails.

In my opinion, the cocktails served are often overpriced, too little (in quantity), and  barely have any alcohol in them.

One place that I have been to recently, though, that does not disappoint me when it comes to cocktails is Coral Beach Hotel in Masaki, Dar es Salaam.

I’ve tried a couple of their cocktails, and each time, I have been pleasantly surprised.

My favorite cocktail there, the El Presidente (Tsh. 7,500), is a delicious blue drink that packs a real punch (you’ll have to sip this one slowly! 🙂 )

Coming to think of it, there’s absolutely no reason for you to limit yourself to drinking your favorite cocktail only when you are out on the town, when you are not completely sure what you’ll get when you order your favorite cocktail and yet will probably still be charged a pretty penny for it.

Do you know that it’s quite simple (and very cost effective) to make your favorite cocktail in the comfort of your own home?

READ ALSO: TZS 468 LN 0129 Konyagi & 2 Other Interesting Tanzanian Spirits

A number of years ago, a friend of mine and I, decided to get together once a week at either of our homes for a fun girls night in, where we’d learn how to make a new cocktail of our choice, followed by a nice gab fest and sampling of said cocktail. 🙂

Although we didn’t keep it up for too long—we both love going out way too much—the experience taught me how simple it is to make even the most complicated sounding cocktail.

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Photo Credits: FoodBusinessAfrica.com, Flavours of Africa, K-Vant, Leigh van den Berg, AnthonyTrivet.co.ke