Discover 5 Unique Cocktail Recipes from Africa That You Can Make in Your Bar
Africa is filled with an array of unique flavours, ingredients and recipes just waiting to be explored. Bring the spirit of Africa to your bar with these 5 unique recipes; inspired by the local traditions and flavours of different African countries!
Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
1. The Awaited Genie
Inspired by the Kalenjin tribe of The Great Rift Valley in Kenya, Anette Mulama prepares The Awaited Genie using a cultural drink known as ‘Mursik’. Mursik is prepared by lining the inside of a calabash gourd with charcoal made from a Kenyan tree called, “Iteet”, then filling the gourd with fresh milk and leaving it to naturally ferment for 3 or more days. The charcoal and calabash introduce a smoky flavour to the milk, resulting in a thick, smooth and sour beverage with a slightly grey or blue colour.
The Awaited Genie combines Mursik with Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum, cardamom and rosemary to create a delectable, spicy cocktail that’s perfect for bringing a bit of diversity to your menu!
2. Kahawa Chungu
Benjamin Kamau Thiong’o, head bartender at Funky Monkey in Kenya, found inspiration for Kahawa Chungu (meaning “spicy coffee”) from the coastal areas of Kenya, where coffee and tea are a chief export. It’s a common practice in Kenya to brew coffee with spices and herbs to elevate the drinking experience.
Benjamin uses a collection of spices, paired with coffee, dark chocolate and Johnnie Walker Black Label for his creation.
3. Three Summers
For her Three Summers cocktail, Ornella Cadasse takes inspiration from Ghana and its traditional ingredients. She makes use of prekese, a flowering, aromatic plant from West Africa used mainly in traditional stews. Three Summers takes the spicy flavours of Ghanian cuisine and combines them into one cocktail!
Together with popular Ghanaian spices, Ornella uses lime and Tanqueray for her African cocktail creation!
4. The Nyeri Harvest Bliss
Nyeri, a town nestled in the heart of Kenya's Central province, is renowned for its vibrant coffee culture. Raphael Ginthinji sees his cocktail creation, The Nyeri Harvest Bliss as a story of the lush coffee farms and warm hospitality of the local Nyeri people.
Nyeri is a hub for coffee production, where families come together during the harvest season to celebrate the success of their hard work throughout the year.
The Nyeri Harvest Bliss combines the smoky essence of roasted coffee with spicy cinnamon, Smirnoff Vodka, and a sweet honey finish.
5. Heritage Infusion
Sweet potato is a staple in Basotho traditional cuisine, and Lucinda Zinyemba has taken inspiration for her Heritage Infusion cocktail from her own Southern African Basotho roots. The sweet potato holds great significance to Lucinda, who explains, “Whether roasted on an open fire, steamed, or baked into a casserole, the use of this humble ingredient allowed my grandmother’s love to permeate through any prevailing circumstance of our people and bring us together. The undeniable sweetness and warmth of this cherished ingredient will always remain a beloved part of my culinary heritage.”
For Heritage Infusion, Lucinda combines sweet potato and mopane worm, with Don Julio Blanco, jalapenos, orange bitters, lime juice and a simple sugar syrup.
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