20+ Different Ways To Make A Dark 'N Stormy Drink

by Randy Woodward April 30, 2021


Do you know that you might get a lawsuit if you make a Dark N Stormy using dark rum other than Gosling's? Actually, the registered patent for the cocktail is Dark ‘N Stormy in the late 1970s. However, the company is explicit that anyone can mix any dark rum with ginger beer and lime but give it a different name.

This drink is called the world’s most litigious cocktail. Gosling’s have filed numerous infringement cases of using Gosling’s Black Seal Rum with other ginger beer brands or any dark rum and ginger beer to make Dark ‘N Stormy. Picaroons Dark and Stormy Night Beer were even taken off the market in September 2017 for this same reason, despite being in production for 11 years.
Disclaimer: This article is a roundup of all Dark N Stormy versions on the internet. There is no intention to infringe the trademark of any kind.

Bar Tools You Need

  • Highball glass - classic glass used for serving Dark & Stormy
  • Jigger - a bar tool used to measure the ingredients for cocktails

Ingredients

Steps to Make

  1. Fill a highball glass with large chunks of ice.
  2. Fill the glass with 4 oz of ginger beer.
  3. Top with Gosling’s Black Seal Rum.
  4. Garnish with a lime wedge.

Dark N Stormy Recipe Variations

1. Kraken Dark and Stormy

Ingredients

Steps to Make

  1. Add the juice into a highball glass .
  2. Add the ginger beer.
  3. Top with the spiced rum and espresso.
  4. Garnish with a grilled lemon slice.

2. The Perfect Storm

Zubrowka has a bit of a reputation after it was banned in the US due to its coumarin content, the very same toxic element found in tonka beans. However, to continue marketing it, the makers made a coumarin-free version. The blade of bison grass in the bottle identifies the liqueur at sight.

Here, it is mixed with Blackstrap rum made from blackstrap molasses. The combination of the 4 different flavors makes this cocktail a perfect substitute for the classic Dark N Stormy.

Ingredients

  • 75oz Lime juice
  • 1 ½ oz Zubrowka
  • 4 oz Ginger beer
  • Splash of Blackstrap rum

Steps to Make

  1. Fill a highball glass with ice.
  2. Add in the lime juice and Zubrowka.
  3. Top with ginger beer and stir.
  4. Float the Blackstrap rum on top.

3. Kraken Perfect Storm

Another cocktail having the name of the perfect storm is made with Kraken rum and extra spicy ginger beer with a hash of lime juice and aromas of mint. This one does not call for layering, instead, this cocktail is stirred.

Ingredients

Steps to Make

  1. Fill a double old-fashioned glass with large chunks of ice.
  2. Add the Kraken rum and top with ginger beer syrup mixed with some water.
  3. Squeeze the lime wedges and drop it in.
  4. Spank a sprig of mint leaves and drop it into the glass for garnish.

4. Stormy Weather

A Dark and Stormy version with Shiraz thrown in? Color me impressed!

Ingredients

Steps to Make

  1. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice.
  2. Add the lime juice and simple syrup into the glass.
  3. Add the dark rum and Shiraz.
  4. Shake well.
  5. Transfer into the tumbler glass.
  6. Top with ginger beer and some lemon wedge as garnish.

5. Rhubarb Dark N Stormy

Adding rhubarb bitters to the Dark and Stormy is one way to add character and distinction to this classic cocktail. Using spiced rum with hints of vanilla and nutmeg with notes of orange and raisin makes this version of Dark and Stormy a favorite.

Ingredients

  • 1.6 oz. Dead Mans Fingers Rum
  • 5 dashes Rhubarb bitters
  • 2 Lime Wedges
  • Old Jamaica Ginger Beer

Steps to Make

  1. Fill a tiki glass ⅔ full of ice.
  2. Add the rhubarb bitters.
  3. Add the ginger beer.
  4. Add more ice and add in the mint leaves.

6. Pineapple Dark N Stormy

Introduce a new flavor to Dark & Stormy by adding pineapple juice and orange bitters. So easy to make, just pour everything in. No need to stir.

Ingredients

Steps to Make

  1. In a lowball glass , add the dark rum, pineapple juice, orange bitters, and ginger beer.
  2. Top with ice.
  3. Garnish with pineapple slice or dehydrated lime wheel .

7. Jamaican Dark N Stormy

Add a taste of Jamaica to the classic Dark and Stormy by topping it off with Coruba Rum. It has a strong funky smell that takes some getting used to but it also has a good amount of caramel, apple, and cantaloupe aromas which balances the smell. It cannot be drowned by citrus flavors so it is one way to add depth to a cocktail.

Ingredients

Steps to Make

  1. Pre-chill a highball glass by adding ice to top
  2. When the glass is chilled, about 1 minute, remove the ice and replace with a large chunk of ice.
  3. Add the ginger beer and the Gosling’s Black Seal Rum
  4. Float a splash of Coruba Jamaican Rum.
  5. Garnish with a lime wedge.

8. Harvest Dark and Stormy

This is a great cocktail to serve during Thanksgiving or during harvest festivals, more specifically the applejack harvest festival in Nebraska. And yes, we’re definitely hinting that. Might as well really enjoy your apple harvest.

Ingredients

For the apple ginger puree:

  • 2 Granny Smith apples, diced ½ inches
  • 2 tbsp Minced fresh ginger
  • 1 ½ cups Water
  • 1 ½ cups Sugar

For the cocktail:

Steps to Make

  1. Make the apple ginger puree.
    1. Measure ingredients into a saucepan.
    2. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer for about 5 minutes, or until apples are very tender.
    3. Remove pan from heat and let cool to room temperature.
    4. Once cooled, pour contents into a blender and blend until smooth.
    5. Store refrigerated for up to 7 days.
  2. Make the cocktail.
    1. Measure the rum, puree, and juice into a mixing glass.
    2. Fill with ice. Cap and shake vigorously.
    3. Pour drink into a highball glass. Top with ginger beer and give a quick stir.
    4. Garnish with the candied ginger and apple slice.

9. Spiced Dark N Stormy

Make your own spiced rum with just one spice you can buy from the grocery store. All it needs is to shake, sit, and strain and your ordinary dark rum become a delicious spiced rum.

The mixture of star anise, cloves, Chinese cinnamon, Szechuan peppercorns, and fennel seeds gives your dark rum a stronger kick that does not have anything to do with alcohol. A definite must-have for any rum lover.

Ingredients

For the spiced rum:

For the cocktail:

Steps to Make

  1. Make the spiced rum.
    1. Add a teaspoon of Chinese 5-spice to a bottle of dark rum.
    2. Shake for a bit.
    3. Let it stand for at least 1 hour.
    4. Strain using a cheesecloth or coffee filter.
  2. Make the cocktail.
    1. Fill a Collins glass with ice.
    2. Add the spiced rum then top with ginger beer.
    3. Garnish with a lime wedge.

10. Pineapple Kombucha Light & Stormy

Ingredients

Steps to Make

  1. Add the ginger, pineapple, and lime juice into a highball glass . Muddle.
  2. Fill with glass with large chunks of ice.
  3. Add the dark rum and ginger lemon kombucha and stir.
  4. Garnish with a pineapple wedge, lime wedge, and mint sprig.

11. Charred & Stormy

This cocktail gets its shimmery glitter from the Phoenix Tears Rum which for some reason the makers claim to be real tears of a phoenix. Obviously a tongue-in-cheek claim as in similar to the company's other products - Mermaid Tears Vodka and Unicorn Tears Gin Liqueur.

No harm in some fun! This rum is really delicious, even if it's a bit pricey. We bet it barely covers the expense they have to go through just to collect the phoenix tears.

Ingredients

  • 1.6 oz. Phoenix Tears Spiced Rum
  • Ginger beer
  • Lime
  • Crushed ice

Steps to Make

  1. Add a handful of crushed ice into a lowball glass.
  2. Add the rum and ginger beer.
  3. Squeeze a lime wedge.
  4. Stick a cocktail umbrella into a lime wedge and drop the wedge into the drink.
  5. Light the umbrella to evoke the phoenix’s rise from the ashes and give the cocktail a slightly smoky aroma.

12. Mount Gay Rum Black & Stormy

Ingredients

Steps to Make

  1. Fill an old-fashioned glass with ice.
  2. Add the black barrel rum and ginger beer.
  3. Squeeze a lemon wedge into the glass.
  4. Drop in the squeezed lemon wedge.

13. Squeal & Stormy

Ingredients

Steps to Make

  1. Chill a highball glass.
  2. In a cocktail shaker, add the pineapple juice, organic ginger juice and the black rum.
  3. Add ice and shake.
  4. Remove the ice from the highball glass and replace it with new ice

14. Dark and Stormy Death Punch

Ingredients

For the ginger syrup:

  • Heavy syrup from 1 20-oz can lychees
  • ¼ c Fresh ginger, thinly sliced

For the lychee-cherry eye:

  • 1 cup Cherries
  • 2 cups Brandy
  • 1 20-oz Can lychees, syrup removed

For the punch:

Steps to Make

  1. Make the brandied cherries.
    1. Put the cherries in a bowl and add the brandy, letting all the cherries soak in it.
    2. Cover and let sit on the counter for at least 2 hours. Drain.
  2. Make the lychee-cherry “eye”.
    1. Drain the canned lychee. Set aside the lychees.
    2. Make the lychee-ginger syrup by boiling together the heavy syrup and the sliced ginger. Let cool.
    3. Fill the lychee cavity with the brandied cherry.
    4. Arrange the lychee-cherry in a muffin tray.
    5. Fill the muffin tray with just enough lychee-ginger syrup that the upper half of the lychee-cherry is visible.
    6. Freeze for up to 4 hours or until the water is frozen solid.
  3. Assemble the punch.
    1. Mix the sugar and lime juice together until all the sugar is dissolved.
    2. Add the dark rum into the sugar-lime juice mixture.
    3. Arrange the “eyes” in a vintage-looking bowl.
    4. Add the ginger beer into the bowl and the rum-lime juice-sugar mixture.
    5. Serve in a tumbler glass filled with ice.
    6. Garnish with the lychee-cherry “eye”.

15. Pineapple Dark N Stormy 2

Ingredients

Steps to Make

  1. In a Tiki glass or highball glass , pour in the spiced rum.
  2. Cut half of the lime in three wedges.
  3. Squeeze in the glass and drop the squeezed wedges in.
  4. Add a dash of Angostura bitters , pineapple puree and ginger beer.
  5. Add ice to the top.
  6. Garnish with a pineapple wedge and a pineapple spear.

16. Dark N Stormy Night Halloween Cocktail


Dark N Stormy Night Halloween Cocktail by Weight Watchers

What is Halloween without a Jack-o-Lantern and a pumpkin pie? What is common in these two? Pumpkin! You got it, genius!

Let’s introduce this Halloween version of Dark N Stormy by spicing it up with pumpkin pie spice. Savor the flavors and aroma of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, and ginger with the addition of this spice.

Ingredients

Steps to Make

  1. Dissolve the pumpkin spice in the rum.
  2. Drain using a coffee filter.
  3. Add ice into a double old-fashioned glass.
  4. Fill with ginger beer, leaving enough space for the rum.
  5. Add the rum.
  6. Garnish with Halloween toppers or Halloween lollipops.

17. Dark and Stormy Christmas Eve

Ingredients

Steps to Make

  1. Add the cinnamon stick into a large beer mug , at least 16 ounces.
  2. Add the spiced rums and top with ginger beer.
  3. Fill the beer mug with ice.

18. Citrus Dark and Stormy

Ingredients

Steps to Make

  1. Muddle together the orange, lime, mint leaves, and sugar.
  2. Add the rum. Shake.
  3. Strain into a glass.
  4. Top with ginger beer.
  5. Garnish with a lime wheel and a mint sprig.

19. Angostura Dark N Stormy

Ingredients

Steps to Make

  1. Fill a double old-fashioned glass with ice.
  2. Add the rum and lime juice.
  3. Top with ginger beer.
  4. Finish off with 2 dashes of Angostura bitters.
  5. Garnish with a lime wedge.

20. Ancho-Vanilla Dark & Stormy

Add more spice and aroma to the classic Dark and Stormy by adding Ancho Reyes, a chili-infused liqueur and ginger elixir. The lactic acid is added to add a tangy zesty flavor. Enjoy this adventurous cocktail.

Ingredients

Steps to Make

  1. In a mixing glass, add the vanilla rum, liqueur, lime juice, lactic acid and ginger elixir.
  2. Add ice and stir until mixing glass is cold to the touch.
  3. Double strain into a highball glass.
  4. Add more ice.
  5. Garnish with lemon zest and 2 spritzes of ginger aromatics.

21. Dark & Stumbly

If you feel that the Dark & Stormy is a bit tame for your taste, swap the regular ginger beer with the alcoholic ginger beer - Crabbie’s - and prepare to stumble! Drink with caution.

Ingredients

Steps to Make

  1. Fill a beer mug with ginger beer and top off with the rum.
  2. Squeeze a lime or lemon wedge and drop the rind in.
  3. Garnish with a lemon wedge.

Dark N Stormy Drink Food Pairings

Dark rum goes well with most food except for red meats. Thus, Dark N Stormy pairs well with Asian and fried foods so the choice is endless.

Chicken Liver and Gizzard in Liver Sauce

Chicken liver and gizzard in liver sauce is a very rich dish that goes well with the tangy Dark & Stormy.

Chicken Noodle Stir Fry

Pasta and noodles also work well with Dark and Stormy. The oily stir-fry is balanced by the citrusy cocktail.

Spicy Prawn & Crab with Red Garlic Butter Sauce

Treat yourself with some decadently delicious seafood. The buttery sauce and the rich taste of the crabs and shrimp is a very good treat for you.

Cod Fish Fritters

Finger foods like fish fritters also go well with Dark & Stormy. Eat your heart out and indulge in good conversation with friends at an intimate but fun party.

Meatless Tacos

Want some vegan or vegetarian choice? You can never go wrong with meatless tacos.

Dark N Stormy Drink FAQ

1. How to layer a Dark N Stormy?

The first thing to remember when layering drinks is to add the one with the highest proof or ABV since it is lighter. In the Dark N Stormy, the rum has a higher ABV so it should go last.

The trick to layering drinks is the back of the bar spoon or a cherry. Position the spoon over the top of the ginger beer and slowly pour the rum over it.

2. Why is it called Dark N Stormy?

The name has a few stories behind it. One story is that of an irate sailor who was conned into drinking ginger beer. When he found out, he asked for a stronger liquor and ended up adding a dark rum into the ginger beer.

The resulting cocktail looks like the storm clouds in the night sky. It was said that these kinds of clouds will surely result in death or capsizing of the ships.

Another is of a British navy officer who realized that drinking a mixture of ginger beer and dark rum helped to cure the seasickness of the sailors. Since the seasickness was more pronounced when it is stormy, hence, the name.

3. Where is Dark N Stormy from?

It was said that the Dark and Stormy was invented in Bermuda. Bermuda is reputed to be the shipwreck capital of the world with 300 unidentified shops lying in the bottom of the North Atlantic Ocean.

However, James Gosling made it ashore in 1806 and decided to settle in the islands. During his lifetime on the islands, he distilled rum which was later named Gosling’s Black Seal Rum, owing from the black tar seal that used to seal the champagne bottles recycled by Gosling to bottle his rums.

4. What is the best rum for Dark N Stormy?

This is an altogether dangerous question to ask unless you want a lawsuit! Dark ‘N Stormy is a trademarked cocktail made with Gosling’s Black Seal Rum and Gosling’s Ginger Beer. So no, there is no best rum for Dark ‘N Stormy since Gosling’s Black Seal is the only rum allowed by law.

5. Is dark rum the same as spiced rum?

No. Dark rum, also known as black rum, is the longest aged rums and is the darkest in color. Spiced rums, on the other hand, aside from the long distillation process are added with spices and caramel colorings. This is sweeter than the dark rum.

Conclusion

The Dark and Stormy is a drink that has been around for decades. It's made with two ingredients: ginger beer and dark rum. The original recipe calls for the use of Barritt's, which is a Jamaican ginger beer brand. However, people have come up with many variations to this popular cocktail over the years!

Let us know which Dark and Story recipe is your go-to-drink. Share your thoughts in the comments.

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