Dark ‘n’ Stormy cocktail
The Dark 'n' Stormy (or Dark and Stormy) is a cocktail combining dark rum and ginger beer, garnished with a lime wedge. The ginger makes the drink quite spicy, and the rum its heavy, strong taste.
Dark 'n' Stormy was created sometime after World War 1. When sailors of the time enjoyed the local Gosling’s Black Seal rum with the Ginger Beer which was also popular with sailors of the period.
The Dark ’n’ Stormy is a registered trademark of Gosling Brothers, so an authentic recipe should be made with Gosling’s Black Seal rum.
The Dark ’n’ Stormy is very similar to another cocktail with ginger beer – the Moscow mule except that the Dark 'n' Stormy uses a dark rum instead of vodka.
- Prep Time:
- Total Time:
- Type: Cocktail
- Units: 2
Equipment
- Highball glass
Ingredients
- 60 ml dark rum (Gosling’s Black Seal)
- 100 ml ginger beer (Gosling’s Stormy)
- 25 ml lime juice (optional)
- 1 lime wedge (to garnish)
Instructions
- Fill your highball glass with ice cubes.
- Pour in all the ingredients. Stir gently.
- Garnish with a wedge of lime.
FAQ
What rum is used for the float on a dark n stormy?
Gosling’s Black Seal dark rum should be used to prepare a Dark ‘n’ Stormy as it’s a trademark of the brand.
What vodka cocktails are best?
If you like a vodka cocktail like the Dark ‘n’ Stormy, we also have a roundup of our top ten cocktails with vodka, its not official, but we think you’ll find these cocktails are all worth trying (Gradually!).
What’s in a Dark ’n’ Stormy (Dark and Stormy)?
It’s a mix of dark rum, ginger beer, and lime. The rum is floated on top, giving the drink its dramatic “stormy” look.
How strong is it?
A typical serve (50ml dark rum at 40% ABV topped with ginger beer) comes to about 2.0 alcohol units, the same as a Mojito or Cuba Libre.
Is it the same as a Moscow Mule?
Not quite – the Moscow Mule uses vodka instead of rum. Both share ginger beer and lime, but the Dark ’n’ Stormy has a richer, caramel depth from dark rum.
Which other cocktails are similar?
If you like the ginger spice here, try the Añejo Highball, which adds orange curaçao for extra complexity. Or, for a fresher alternative, the Mojito swaps ginger beer for mint and soda.
Where does it come from?
The Dark ’n’ Stormy was born in Bermuda and is traditionally made with Gosling’s Black Seal rum. In fact, Gosling’s trademarked the name – so technically a “real” Dark ’n’ Stormy must use their rum.