Ingredients
- 60 ml Goslings Black Seal rum
- 120 ml ginger beer spicy, real ginger
- 15 ml lime juice fresh, optional
- 1 wedge lime garnish
Instructions
- Fill a highball glass with ice.
- Pour in the ginger beer.
- Slowly float the Goslings rum over the back of a bar spoon so it sits on top.
- Drop in a lime wedge and serve. Stir before drinking if you want it mixed.
Notes
Where it came from
The Dark and Stormy is the unofficial-then-official cocktail of Bermuda, dating back to the early 1900s. Goslings Brothers, Bermuda’s oldest rum producer, claim the drink was named by a sailor who said the dark rum cloud looked like “the colour of a cloud only a fool or a dead man would sail under.”
Goslings trademarked the name in the 1990s and aggressively defends it. Other rums make a “stormy night” or “dark and rainy”, same drink, different name to avoid the lawyers.
Float vs stir
The classic build is to float the rum on top so the dark layer sits over the gold ginger beer. Some bartenders just stir it. Both are correct; the float is the cocktail-photo version and the stir is the one you actually drink. Either way, by sip three, it’s mixed anyway.
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Ingredient Spotlight
The bottles that make or break this drink.
The rum
- Use
- Goslings Black Seal (the official version)
- Try
- Plantation OFTD or Mount Gay Black Barrel
- Why
- You need a heavily-styled dark rum. Spiced rums work but change the drink.
The ginger beer
- Use
- Bundaberg, Fever-Tree or Bermuda Stone’s ginger beer
- Skip
- Ginger ale, way too mild
- Why
- Real spicy ginger beer is half the drink. Mild ginger ale makes a sad rum-and-soda.
The lime
- Use
- A wedge for squeezing and dropping in
- Skip
- Bottled lime juice, no need
- Why
- Fresh lime brightens the ginger and cuts the rum sweetness.
What if I don't have…
Quick substitutions for when the bottle shop is closed.
Any rich dark rum. Plantation OFTD or Goslings 151 if you want extra punch.
Use ginger ale plus a teaspoon of grated fresh ginger and a dash of bitters. Or skip and order a Mojito.
Lemon works but tastes different. Drink without garnish if you have neither.
Add 30ml more rum or use Goslings 151. The drink takes the boost well.
It’s already vegan. Goslings, ginger beer and lime are all plant-based.
Frequently Asked Questions
Direct answers to what people search for after Googling this drink.
What is in a Dark and Stormy?
Goslings Black Seal rum and ginger beer, with a squeeze of lime. The standard build is 60ml dark rum, 120ml spicy ginger beer and a lime wedge over ice in a highball glass.
Why is it called Dark and Stormy?
The name describes the appearance: dark rum floated on top of golden ginger beer creates a stormcloud effect in the glass. A Bermudian sailor reputedly said it was “the colour of a cloud only a fool or a dead man would sail under.”
Do I have to use Goslings rum?
Goslings owns the Dark and Stormy trademark, so commercial bars using other rums often call it a “Stormy Night” or similar. At home, any rich dark rum works fine. Plantation OFTD and Mount Gay Black Barrel are common substitutes.
What is the difference between Dark and Stormy and Moscow Mule?
The Mule uses vodka, the Dark and Stormy uses dark rum. Both have ginger beer and lime. The rum version is sweeter and more aromatic; the vodka version is sharper and cleaner.
Should the rum be floated or stirred?
Bartenders float the rum on top of the ginger beer using a bar spoon, for the visual contrast. Most drinkers stir before sipping. Both are correct.
How strong is a Dark and Stormy?
About 11-13% ABV in the glass. Roughly the same as a glass of wine.
Can I add bitters?
Yes. Two dashes of Angostura adds spice complexity. Some bars add a half-spoon of falernum for a tiki spin. Both work.
What food goes with a Dark and Stormy?
Spicy food: jerk chicken, Thai curry, fish tacos. The ginger and rum cut through fat and heat. Also great with grilled fish.
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