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Cocktail History
The Dark ‘N’ Stormy is a classic cocktail that is believed to have been created in Bermuda in the late 1800s when officers in England’s Royal Navy opened a ginger beer plant there and at some point mixed it with Gosling Brothers Black Seal rum. The rum producer later trademarked the drink’s recipe and name, so now the only way to have a true Dark ’N’ Stormy is to make it with their dark molasses rum, ginger, beer, and a few dashes of bitters.
Cocktail Ingredients
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:
Dark Rum: This is a type of rum made with sugarcane, spices, and water that has been barrel aged for the longest period of time of any rum. We used Gosling’s Black Seal 151 Proof Rum because it a has a rich rum flavor. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Caleño Non-Alcoholic Dark & Spicy Tropical Spirit in place of the rum.
Lime Juice: This is the liquid juice of a lime. We used freshly squeezed lime juice.
Ginger Beer: This is a carbonated beverage made with ginger spice, yeast, and sugar. We used Q Mixers Ginger Beer because it has a delicious ginger flavor that is sweetened with agave syrup.
Lime Wheel: This is a lime slice that has been cut into a circular shape.
Bartending Tools
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:
Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. We used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Bar Spoon: This is used to stir ingredients. We used the Barfly Stainless Steel Teardrop Bar Spoon.
Paring Knife: This is used to cut ingredients. We used the OXO Good Grips 3.5 Inch Paring Knife.
Juicer: This is used to juice citrus. We used the ALEEHAI Manual Fruit Juicer.
Tasting Notes
The Dark ‘N’ Stormy features the signature aroma of the Gosling’s spiced rum and the sweet taste of rum cut with the slight spiciness of the ginger beer and balanced by the citrus.
Our Opinion of This Cocktail Recipe: This is one of those drinks that you can’t judge by the name because it’s more sweet and spicy than intimidating.We thought this variation was a very well-rounded refreshing drink that would be easy to sip on a hot day or in a cool sitting room while listening to the rumble of a summer thunderstorm.
Which of our palates is yours most like?
Find out if your palate is most similar to Alex’s or Kendall’s by answering five questions.
Which of our palates is yours most like?
Find out if your palate is most similar to Alex’s or Kendall’s by answering five questions.
Recipe
This cocktail recipe was adapted from The Essential Cocktail Book: A Complete Guide to Modern Drinks by the editors of PUNCH and Megan Krigbaum.
Add rum, lime juice, and cracked ice to a highball glass.
Stir for 5-10 seconds.
Top with ginger beer.
Stir for 3-5 more seconds.
Garnish with lime slice.
Ingredients
Directions
Add rum, lime juice, and cracked ice to a highball glass.
Stir for 5-10 seconds.
Top with ginger beer.
Stir for 3-5 more seconds.
Garnish with lime slice.
Make It a Mocktail: Use Caleño Non-Alcoholic Dark & Spicy Tropical Spirit in place of the rum to try a booze-free version of this drink.
Shop Glassware & Tools
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More Ginger Beer Cocktails
If you like this cocktail recipe, here are a few others made with ginger beer we’ve tried that you may enjoy:
Holiday Gin Mule: A blackcurrant gin cocktail made with apple cinnamon syrup, lime juice, ginger beer, rosemary, and cranberries
Rhubarb Fizz: A sparkling wine cocktail made with rhubarb ginger beer syrup
Winter Gin Mule: A gin cocktail made with winter herb syrup, lime juice, ginger beer, blue curaçao, rosemary, and a cherry
Marmalade Gin Mule: A gin cocktail made with lime juice, orange marmalade, ginger beer, and a lime slice
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