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How to make a Dark N Stormy: you add Ice, Dark Rum and Ginger Beer to a Highball glass and garnish with a slice of lime.
Wanna know how to make a Dark N Stormy? Great! We got ya covered!
From its interesting history to its super simple recipe, we have everything you need to know about the cocktail.
Let’s get mixing!
Origin of the Dark N Stormy
Our story begins in 1806 when a chartered English ship arrived on the shored of Bermuda, after 91 days at sea.
Aboard that ship was James Gosling and his family. The Goslings would become prominent on the island and in 1857 they entered the Rum business.
Some accounts suggest that it was in 1860 that Gosling family started to experiment with rum. The result was a dark, full-bodied rum that would later be sold as Goslings Black Seal Rum.
Ginger Beer
Because there was a heavy British Royal Navy on the island and because the British love it so much, Ginger Beer was also brewed on the island.
By the British Royal Navy. Or, more accurately, in a factory operated as a subsidiary to the Royal Naval Officer’s Club (among other places).
Enter The Dark N Stormy
Bermuda isn’t that big and with these two prominent drinks being crafted on the island, it was only a matter of time before someone combined the drinks together to make something amazing.
How the Dark N Stormy Got Its Name
But it wasn’t until after World War 1 that the Dark N Stormy got its name.
According to legend, the name was coined by a sailor who was enjoying the cocktail one day. He said, “[the drink looked like the] colour of a cloud only a fool or a dead man would sail under.”
Now let’s get into how to make a Dark N Stormy.
How to Make a Dark N Stormy
Before we dive right into the Dark N Stormy cocktail recipe, let’s take a look at what we’ll need to make a Dark N Stormy.
What do you Need to Make a Dark N Stormy?
You can’t make a Dar N Stormy without a good Rum. But which Rum is the best to use when making a Dark N Stormy?
What’s the best Rum to Make a Dark N Stormy?
As you might’ve already figured out, a Dark N Stormy is made from Dark Rum.
So which Dark Rum is the best to use for a Dark N Stormy? Well, the rum that birthed the Dark N Stormy of course: Goslings Black Seal Dark Rum.
What’s the best Ginger Beer to Make a Dark N Stormy?
The same rule for a great Moscow Mule applies for the Dark N Stormy: the more firey the ginger beer, the better. Ginger Beer does represent the stormy aspect of the cocktail’s name after all.
In my opinion, there can be only one choice: Old Jamaican Ginger Beer.
Don’t get me wrong, Bundaberg and Fentiman’s come close, but not close enough for my liking.
Old Jamaican provides the stormy fire this cocktail craves.
What Glass is the best for a Dark N Stormy?
Traditionally, the Dark N Stormy is served in a Highball Glass. We recommend:
Dark N Stormy Cocktail Recipe
Ingredients
- Dark Rum 45ml / 1.5oz.
- Ginger Beer 100ml / 3.4oz.
- a slice of lime
Recipe
- Add Ice, Dark Rum, and Ginger Beer to a Old Fashioned Glass.
- Garnish with a slice of lime.
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Email to a FriendDark N Stormy Variations
Whilst the traditional recipe of the Dark N Stormy consists of Dark Rum and Ginger Beer, there are a couple of variations to the mixture.
One is the variations is the addition of Lime Juice to the mixture, which is of no surprise. Ginger Beer and Lime Juice go well together, but for me, this isn’t the true Dark N Stormy recipe. Also, it’s veering dangerously close to a Jamaican Mule which is a completely different animal.
Another variation to the cocktail is to add Simple Syrup. This is basically just a sweetening agent. I can’t possibly understand why you’d need this to be that much sweeter – perhaps whoever does this doesn’t use the right Ginger Beer.
Related ArticleThe Ultimate Moscow Mule Recipe
Dark N Stormy FAQs
Now that we’ve covered how to make a Dark N Stormy, let’s take a look at some Dark N Story Faqs.
Are you Supposed to Mix a Dark N Stormy?
Traditionally, no. You pour Dark Rum and Ginger Beer in a highball glass, over ice.
How Many Calories Are in a Dark N Stormy?
Summary
Let’s sum up what we’ve found out in this article.
- How to make a Dark N Stormy: add Ice, Dark Rum and Ginger Beer to a Highball Glass.
- The only Dark Rum to use for a Dark N Stormy is Goslings Black Seal Dark Rum.
- The best Ginger Beer to use is Old Jamaican Ginger Beer.
- The Dark N Stormy was invented when both Dark Rum and Ginger Beer were produced in Bermuda.
- The cocktail only got its name after World War 1.
- Legend has it, the cocktail was named when a sailor said “[the drink looked like the] colour of a cloud only a fool or a dead man would sail under.”
- There are 135 calories in a Dark N Stormy.
Want More Cocktail Ideas?
Now that you’ve learned how to make a Long Island Iced Tea, do you want more cocktail inspiration? I got ya covered! Check out our cocktail recipe page.
Here you’ll find over 100 different cocktail recipes for you to try, for free.
ALSO, we have an entire page dedicated to rum cocktails. And I’m talking rum cocktails of all kinds:
- White Rum.
- Spiced Rum.
- Dark Rum.
You name it, we’ve got it! See for yourselves and check out our rum cocktail collection here.
