Proudly South African Drinks: A Beginner's Guide.
It’s no secret that South Africans love a good drink. Whether watching the Springboks dominate the pitch, tackling the town’s nightlife, or sharing a noteworthy glass of wine with the missus, alcohol plays a major cultural impact on our rainbow nation.
Today we’re chatting mixology, not the “on special,” Brandy and Coke at the pub. We’re diving into local, homebrewed drinks that were birthed within Mzansi. If you’re a drink enthusiast or looking for an excuse to impress the dinner party, take a look at some of these South African nightcaps.
The Bergiebomb.
The South African counterpart to a Jagerbomb, the Bergiebomb is a simple combination of two drinks into one. Deriving its nomenclature from the local word “bergie” or homeless person, the Bergiebomb is meant to represent tough times. Even though the drink itself may come across as a tad rude, there’s nothing better than this creation spawned from an empty alcohol pantry and a leftover can of beer.
Ingredients:
- 1 Shot of Old Brown Sherry
- 1 can of Beer (preferably one that’s been sitting in the fridge for a while.
Directions
- Fill a shot glass with Old Brown Sherry.
- Place the shot glass into a cup and fill the surroundings of the shot glass with beer until just in line with the rim of the shot glass.
South Africa going toe-to-toe with the Jagerbomb in their own creation.
Melktertjies.
You’re not really a South African if you’ve never indulged in an entire Spar Melktert by yourself. This local lekker is a combination of that amazing feeling with a boozy boost. Derived from the exact flavors of a melktert, these shots (or drinks if you have a decent sweet tooth) are like diving straight into that delicious delicacy without feeling the calories after the fact.
Ingredients:
- One bottle of Vodka.
- One can of condensed milk.
- Half a can of evaporated milk.
- Ground cinnamon.
Directions:
- Using either a food processor or a whisk and substantial arm strength, mix all ingredients (save for the cinnamon) and give it a decent mix.
- When you’re finished, add the mixture into either a large enough bottle or your cousin’s Tupperware container (either works fine). And let it sit in the fridge for at least an hour.
- When ready to serve, decant your mixture into your choice of either a shot glass or glass and sprinkle some cinnamon on the top.
The Sowetan Toilet.
A drink with quite the name!
The Sowetan toilet is a creamy potable that definitely tastes substantially better than the name suggests. The name of the drink comes into play once the shot is filled, with a dark yellow and orange tinge filling the space in the shot glass and a lovely lump of Amarula cream liqueur sitting politely at the bottom of the shot glass.
This is not for those with a sensitive stomach.
Ingredients:
- 1oz of Banana Liqueur
- 1/4oz of Amarula Cream Liqueur
- 3-4 dashes of Dark Crème de Cacao
Directions:
- Shake the banana liqueur with ice and strain it into a shot glass.
- Slowly add the Amarula into the center of the glass until it neatly congeals in the bottom of the glass.
- At the top of the glass, add a few dashes of the Crème de Cacao.
The Dom Pedro.
Another creamy cocktail? You’ve got that right. The Don Pedro is one of the most well-known South African Cocktails, comparatively similar to an Irish Coffee (just without the coffee. This dessert-based cocktail is perfect on any summer day or, if you’re like the older crowd at your local Dros, the perfect closure to the end of a night scarfing down some ribs.
Ingredients:
- 2-3 scoops of vanilla ice cream (Woolworths knows best here)
- 2 Shots of Whiskey or Amarula. (or one shot of each)
- 50ml of Cream
- Dark chocolate
Directions:
- Combine the ice cream, alcohol, and cream into a blender and blend until smooth.
- If you’re feeling spunky, melt some of the chocolate and pour some into your glass.
- Pour the blended mixture into the glass.
- Grate the dark chocolate on top.
Folks, as always drink responsibly but when you do, make sure it’s worthwhile. Scarfing down alcohol for the sake of it isn’t the best of ideas and hopefully, some of these bad boys will get you thinking about the quality of what you’re indulging in.
