Join the Cool Kids Club With Dark ‘n Stormy
One thing I’ve noticed during my cocktail training is that a lot of bartenders get very excited about Dark ‘n Stormy. Pre-shift, mid-shift, post-shift, Dark ‘n Stormy – or Frothy Boi as I’ve heard they’re called – seems to be the choice of many of my favorite cocktail pros. I’ve always been curious about this because it seems like a somewhat arbitrary preference. Like, out of ALL cocktails, why this one? Do all bartenders have bloating that ginger would be good for? Does the spice help them sleep? Is it because of how (relatively) easy they are to make? Or because the flavor is so strong that you can keep adding soda to them without losing too much or adding extra hydration to the mix? Is it part of the corporate culture – an ingrained conversion for newbies at the bar? This is a mystery to me.
Don’t get me wrong, this is truly a sensational drink. It’s also somewhat bold. Including it on a bar menu without using Goslings proprietary rum could lead to legal action and land you in court. The Gosling brothers own the brand name Dark ‘n Stormy, also known as Bermuda’s national cocktail, and are known to be argumentative and rather irritable about it. There is no company too big, no bar too difficult and obscure. If you think you can mix any rum with ginger beer and call it Dark ‘n Stormy, then hell, you’re asking for trouble.
What is this cocktail?
In its most prosaic form, Dark ‘n Stormy is Goslings rum and ginger beer poured over ice and garnished with a lime wedge (if you’re lucky). But in its most inspiring form, it’s an exceptional highball (or buck) that will make your eyes widen and your taste buds sing.
What do you need to make your work exceptional?
The key is sweetened ginger juice. Not ginger beer, not ginger syrup, not crushed ginger, but real fresh ginger juice sweetened with sugar. It’s time to get out the dusty Breville juicer you bought four years ago when you decided to try juice on an empty stomach or something. Go to the grocery store, buy some ginger and drink the juice. And before you get mad at me for making you work so hard, take comfort in the fact that you don’t have to peel the ginger before juicing it. That’s right: not only can you leave the skin, but it’s actually preferable that you do. We need that maximum sharpness. If you can’t juice your own ginger, then buying fresh ginger juice from the grocery store will work in a pinch, but be aware that effectiveness may be reduced.
After you press the ginger juice, mix three parts sugar and one part ginger juice. Stir (or shake ) constantly at room temperature until the sugar dissolves. There will be a white sticky residue at the bottom. You can either try to scrape it off and include it in the mix, or leave it behind. Store sweetened ginger juice in the refrigerator. It will start to lose its bite after two days, but keep using it for a week. Everything will be fine.
Dark and stormy
- ½ ounce fresh lime juice
- ¾ oz sweetened ginger juice
- 2 oz Goslings Rum (or any black/dark rum; just leave it on the DL.)
- club soda
Add all ingredients, except soda, to a shaker and shake without ice. Pour into a highball glass filled with ice and top up with club soda. You can garnish it with candied ginger if you like, but I rarely do that.