Dark 'n' Stormy
Dark rum floated over spicy ginger beer and lime. A tall drink that takes two minutes.
- Time
- 3 min
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Glass
- Highball
- Strength
- 2 UK units
How to make a Dark 'n' Stormy
- Fill the glass. Fill a highball glass with ice to the top.
- Add lime and ginger beer. Squeeze in the lime juice, then pour in the ginger beer until the glass is about three quarters full.
- Float the rum. Pour the rum slowly over the back of a bar spoon so it sits on top. You should see a dark layer over the pale ginger beer.
- Garnish and serve. Add a lime wedge. Drink it before the layers blend, or stir once if you prefer it mixed.
- Glass
- HighballNo highball? Any tall tumbler.
- Ice
- Ice cubes
- Garnish
- Lime wedgeOr: A thin slice of fresh ginger.
What you need to make a Dark 'n' Stormy
Bottles we'd use
- Gosling's Black Seal rumThe official rum for this drink, and the name is protected. Its rich, caramel-dark flavour is what the drink is built around.Find it on Amazon
- Strong ginger beerFentimans or Fever-Tree Premium Ginger Beer both have a proper kick.Find it on Amazon
Links to Amazon are affiliate links: if you buy through them, Bar Bandol may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
The Dark 'n' Stormy story
Dark 'n' Stormy is a registered trademark of Gosling's, and the official recipe uses Gosling's Black Seal rum. The drink is generally traced to Bermuda, where Gosling's rum and ginger beer were being mixed in the early twentieth century, though the exact details of who made it first are not documented.
The drink works because of the contrast: sweet, molasses-dark rum against sharp, hot ginger beer. The ginger beer matters more than the rum. A weak, sugary one makes the drink taste flat. Look for one that is spicy and not too sweet, and add lime to lift it.
Dark 'n' Stormy: your questions answered
What is in a Dark 'n' Stormy?
A Dark 'n' Stormy is made with 100 ml spicy ginger beer and 50 ml dark rum. Garnish: lime wedge.
How strong is a Dark 'n' Stormy?
Made to this recipe, a Dark 'n' Stormy contains about 2 UK units of alcohol per drink. That is worked out from typical bottle strengths, so it changes with the bottles you use. UK guidelines advise not regularly drinking more than 14 units a week.
What glass do you serve a Dark 'n' Stormy in?
Serve a Dark 'n' Stormy in a highball over ice. No highball? Any tall tumbler.
