Dark and Stormy
This Dark and Stormy Recipe is a classic cocktail made right at home! It’s made with sweet and spicy ginger beer topped with dark rum and garnished with fresh mint or lime.
Easy Rum and Ginger Beer Cocktail
There’s something so fun about recreating classic cocktails right at home. It’s like you’re going out on the town but you don’t have to change out of your pajamas!
This Dark and Stormy is one of my favorites. It’s made with two main ingredients, ginger beer and rum, served over ice and garnished with fresh mint or a slice of lime.
The rum is poured over the top of the ginger beer, which gives it a cool layered look. That is supposedly how the drink got its name. A sailor said that it resembled a stormy sky on the high seas.
And although it does look great, it tastes even better!
How to Make a Dark and Stormy Cocktail
This simple dark and stormy drink recipe is ready to drink in no more than 5 minutes!
Scroll to the recipe card below for ingredient amounts and full instructions.
- Add ice to the serving glass of your choice, then pour the ginger beef over the ice.
- Use the back of a spoon to float the dark rum over the ginger beer to achieve the layered look, then garnish with fresh mint or lime and enjoy.
Tips and Notes
- Use good-quality ingredients. This is particularly important when a cocktail has so few ingredients. The better the quality of your ingredients, the better your drink will be.
- To layer your drink, pour the rum gently over the back of a spoon into the drink. Since the ginger beer has more sugar, it’s heavier and will stay at the bottom while the lighter rum will float on the top.
- Stir before sipping. The layering of the drink definitely looks cool, but for the most balanced flavor I recommend stirring your drink gently before drinking it. If you sip it while it’s layered, you’ll get a whole lot of rum flavor without the flavor of the ginger beer.
- Add more ginger. Stir in a tablespoon or two of ginger simple syrup for even more ginger flavor!
Storage
This drink is best enjoyed immediately. If it sits too long, the ice will melt and dilute your cocktail.
What is the Difference Between a Moscow Mule and a Dark and Stormy?
Both drinks are made with ginger beer, but the difference is in the booze!
A moscow mule is made with vodka topped with ginger beer while a dark and stormy cocktail is made with ginger beer topped with dark rum.
What is the Best Rum for a Dark and Stormy?
If you want to get totally traditional with it, then you should use Gosling’s Black Seal Rum. The company owns the rights to the cocktail, so if you’ve had a dark and stormy at a bar or restaurant before, then that’s the rum you probably had with it.
However, you can really use any good-quality dark or spiced rum you like! I don’t recommend white rum because the flavor profile isn’t the same.
What Does this Cocktail Taste Like?
A Dark and Stormy cocktail taste like a mix of sweet, spicy, and smoky flavors. It has a strong flavor of dark or spiced rum and the sweetness from the ginger beer. The lime juice adds tartness to balance the sweetness.
Can You Use Ginger Ale Instead of Ginger Beer?
Yes, ginger ale works in place of ginger beer. Ginger ale is much sweeter than ginger beer and has a milder flavor, but it still works well for this drink.
More Cocktail Recipes You’ll Love
Looking for more tasty cocktails you can make at home? Here are a few of my favorites!
Ingredients
- Ice, to fill the glass
- 8 ounces ginger beer, We used Goslings brand.
- 3 ounces dark rum, or spiced rum
- Mint, or lime to garnish
Instructions
- Pour the ginger beer into a glass over ice.Ice8 ounces ginger beer
- Use the back of a spoon to float the rum over the ginger beer.3 ounces dark rum
- Garnish with mint or a lime wedge and enjoy!
- Scroll up and see the post for tips, FAQs, and storage information.