Rock Shandy is a firm pool-side favourite or 'braai' accompaniment for the people of the vibrant Rainbow Nation.
This combination of lemonade, soda water and bitters is very much a South African invention. Effortless and appetising, mixing it is easy when you consider that it is a three-ingredient classic that can be made in mere minutes. Of course, when entertaining a group, it’s by far the easiest cocktail to whip up as a batch for the whole gang.
Ingredients
- Lemonade
- Soda water
- Aromatic bitters - The essential ingredient of a Rock Shandy.
We use Angostura bitters, which can typically be found in the alcohol or spirits section of a supermarket or liquor store, often near the cocktail mixers or speciality ingredients. THE essential ingredient is the can’t-miss bottle behind the check-out, featuring an over-sized label and distinct yellow cap.
Location: Southernmost tip of the African continent. It is bordered by Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) and Lesotho.
Language: South Africa has 11 official languages, including English, Afrikaans, Zulu, Xhosa, Sotho, Tswana, Pedi, Venda, Tsonga, Swati, and Ndebele.
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By now you’ve heard all the talk around low ABV(alcohol by volume) cocktails making the trends.
HOW TO MAKE ROCK SHANDY (COCKTAIL).
Instructions
- Add your preferred amount of ice to the glass
- Add the equal measures of lemonade and soda water; scalable as long as you keep to equal measures of lemonade and soda water.
- Mix up your soda and lemonade and throw in a tot of Angostura aromatic bitters. Don’t put away your bottle just yet.
Garnish
The best garnish to use in the Angostura Rock Shandy is citrus like lemon and lime, but our bar friends around the country have other ideas. Of course, we’re also all about reducing waste, so why not create your own dried fruit garnish? They are easy to make, plus you’ll have instant beautiful fruit garnish for your Lazy Rock Shandy. Once added, the lemon and lime slices will rehydrate, and the flavour will be even more intense.
How to make a lemon twist:
- Use a standard kitchen peeler to peel a longish ribbon of lemon peel.
- Lay the string flat onto a cutting board and slice a thin strip of peel along the entire length of the ribbon.
Summer is here so you best stock your freezer with as many ice trays as it allows. In the summer heat, there’s nothing better than an ice-cold drink. Why not up the ante this season by adding something extra to your ice trays? Our suggestion… bitters ice cubes. Not only will it keep your drinks cold, but it’ll add a depth of flavour to it. How many dashes would be used in your Lazy Rock Shandy jug? We say, the more the merrier.
There are fancy dehydrating machines you can buy, but we’ve got a hack that you can do in your own kitchen. Simply turn on your oven to its lowest setting, slice your lemon or lime thinly (not too thin, mind you!) and place on baking paper, and place them in the oven.
Variations and FAQs
Can you use anything other than lemonade?
There are some unusual variations out there, such as using ginger ale, ginger beer or Fanta. While these might still taste nice, in our humble opinion, they can't be called a Rock Shandy. They will have a completely different flavour profile.
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Is Rock Shandy the same as Club Rock Shandy?
No, it's not the same thing. These two are easily confused due to the names being so similar. Club Rock Shandy is a soft drink popular in Ireland. You can buy it in cans or bottles. Rock Shandy is a hand-mixed soda drink native to South Africa.
Can I make Rock shandy sugar-free?
You can definitely use zero-sugar lemonade. Angostura bitters lists sugar in its ingredients, but it doesn't specify the amount. However, it's negligible once mixed with soda and lemonade. For a really in-depth analysis, you can read this article by Boston Apothecary on deconstructing Angostura bitters.
Can you make it 100% non-alcoholic?
Yes, there are some bitters out there that contain zero alcohol, like the brand 'All the Bitter' bitters.
What is the alcohol percentage of a Rock shandy? Can it make you drunk?
Angostura bitters, made by The House of Angostura, contain 44.7% alcohol. If you add 5ml of bitters to 250ml of zero alcohol liquid (soda and lemonade) it will make the total alcohol percentage of the drink 0.87647059%. This is a very low alcohol percentage and it's virtually impossible to make you drunk. However, it's still not suitable for kids and teetotallers. Pregnant women should make their own call. As a comparison, a standard beer contains between 3-4% alcohol.
What is the flavour profile of a Rock shandy?
Citrusy with just a hint of bitterness, it doesn't taste bitter per se, but the subtle bitterness plays a quiet role in the background, completing the drink. You might also catch a faint whiff of herbs from the dash of Angostura bitters.
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Please keep in mind that the nutritional information provided below is calculated by a third party and we cannot guarantee the accuracy. We try our best to give you the most accurate information, but we do not take responsibility for errors that may be present. Also, the nutritional value of the recipe may change depending on the exact brands and products used.
