Dark and Stormy: All Weather Rum Cocktail
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A Dark and Stormy cocktail tastes great regardless of the weather. However, those who don’t follow this cocktail’s rule could hit bumpy water. Discover that rule in our easy Dark and Stormy recipe while you learn how to craft the classic cocktail in just two minutes.
A Dark and Stormy cocktail isn’t technically (and maybe legally) a Dark and Stormy unless it’s crafted with Goslings Black Seal rum. Gosling Brothers Ltd. trademarked the name Dark ‘N Stormy and, not surprisingly, expects the cocktail to be crafted with its rum.
While it’s unlikely that the company will sue home mixologists, we’ve chosen to abide by this rule and buy a new bottle of rum to add to our ever-growing liquor collection. In our book, that’s a good thing since it helps to complete our expanding bar.
What Is a Dark and Stormy Cocktail?
It would be easy to call a Dark and Stormy cocktail a Moscow Mule imitation crafted with dark rum instead of vodka, but that would be incorrect.
The Dark and Stormy likely pre-dates the Moscow Mule by over a century.
Plus, mixologists typically use lowball or highball glasses when crafting Dark and Stormies instead of copper mugs.
History of the Dark ‘N Stormy Cocktail
We’d love to share a story about how the Dark and Stormy cocktail was invented on a dark and stormy night. That epic story would involve princesses and pirates… and would be fiction.
Instead, the Dark and Stormy traces its roots to Bermuda and a rum company.
Gosling Brothers Ltd. trademarked the drink in the 20th century, a century after the Goslings crafted the original Dark ‘N Stormy cocktail. Or did they?
It’s possible that the Dark and Stormy was invented by sailors who added ginger to rum for medicinal purposes. Legend has it that one of those savvy sailors named the drink after its ‘dark and cloudy’ appearance.
We prefer this story even though it doesn’t involve either pirates or princesses.
Ingredients
As is the case with most classic cocktails, the Dark and Stormy recipe only requires a handful of ingredients:
Ingredient quantities are detailed in the printable recipe card below.
How to Craft a Dark and Stormy Cocktail
The first step in this recipe is to fill a rocks glass half-way with ice. You can use a highball glass if you want to add more ice to your Dark and Stormy cocktail.
Measure the ginger beer and pour it directly into the glass. For this step, we use a Japanese jigger to ensure accurate measurements and avoid spillage.
Buy a Japanese jigger from Amazon if you need a jigger or want an inexpensive upgrade.
Use the same jigger to measure the rum.
While you can pour the rum directly into the glass, we like to float our rum using the back of a bar spoon. The result is an appearance that looks as dark and stormy as the drink’s name implies it to be.
If you don’t do this optional step, the drink will still taste great but will look more dark than stormy.
Pro Tip
Floating rum sounds difficult but it’s actually easy.
Add a spritz of fresh lime juice and garnish with a wheel or wedge cut from the same lime.
Now it’s time to commence your dark and stormy night. How many Dark and Stormy cocktails you imbibe is up to you.
Variations
Don’t give up if you don’t have a bottle of Goslings Black Seal rum on hand. Instead, try one of the following Dark and Stormy variations:
Discover 10 essential bar tools for the home mixologist.
Dark and Stormy Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 ounces Goslings Black Seal rum
- 4 ounces ginger beer
- spritz lime juice (freshly squeezed)
- ice
- 1 wheel or wedge lime (garnish)
Instructions
- Fill rocks glass half way with ice.
- Pour ginger beer into the glass.
- Float the rum on top using a bar spoon or other implement.
- Squeeze a spritz of fresh lime juice into the glass.
- Garnish with a lime wheel or lime wedge.
Notes
- Cut the wheel or wedge before you squeeze the lime.
- You can use a different rum, but you won’t be crafting an official Dark ‘N Stormy cocktail.
- You can use a highball glass if you want to add more ice.
Nutrition
💡 Frequently Asked Questions
Rum, Ginger Beer, Freshly Squeezed Lime Juice, Ice and a Lime Wedge or Wheel
Goslings Black Seal Rum is the only rum to use in this recipe. Otherwise, your cocktail won’t be an official Dark and Stormy cocktail.
The original Dark ‘N Stormy recipe used Barritt’s Ginger Beer but you can use any ginger beer in our recipe.
Neither. There’s no need to shake or stir a Dark and Stormy cocktail.
We like to serve this cocktail in a lowball glass, but you could use a highball glass if you want to add more ice to your cocktail.
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