Despite its ominous name, a dark and stormy is a simple-to-make cocktail that is snappy and refreshing. Featuring a mix of ginger beer, rum, and a squeeze of lime, this drink goes down effortlessly. 

The dark and stormy recipe comes straight from the Caribbean waters of Bermuda. The sweetness of the rum balances out the spicy kick of the ginger beer. Although the original recipe calls for rum, it is just as delicious as a mocktail. 

You can feel like a sailor riding the stormy seas when you use our non-alcoholic dark and stormy recipe. 

A Dark and Stormy Drink History

You can't hear the words dark and stormy without conjuring up images of rough waters. As the name suggests, this drink has its roots in the ocean. 

In the early 1800s, a liquor seller named William Gosling set sail to start a new life in America. William and his son loaded a ship with over half a million dollars in alcohol to sell in the New World. 

Unfortunately, the trip didn't go too well, and the ship never reached its destination. After days in the ocean, it finally docked in Bermuda. This ended up being a happy accident as Gosling fell in love with the island. 

Gosling set up a liquor shop on the island and, before long, started importing rum. This rum, named Gosling's Black Seal, is known worldwide for its quality. 

Meanwhile, members of Bermuda's Royal Navy were fond of ginger beer to help when they got queasy on the boats. This made rum, often rationed to sailors, and ginger beer common on these Bermudan ships. Somewhere along the way, these drinks mixed together and started soothing the stomachs and lifting the spirits of the men on board.

After World War I, Gosling's Black Seal rum and ginger beer was the drink of choice in Bermuda. As Gosling exported the rum, the cocktail went with it, and the dark and stormy was born. 

This cocktail got its name from its color. People said the dark and stormy color of this drink was the same color as a cloud only a dead man would sail under. 

Ginger Beer's Medicinal Beginnings 

Ginger had a long history as a medicine before showing up to add flavor to drinks. Although ginger has been around for centuries, ginger beer first appeared in the 1700s. This alcoholic drink came from Yorkshire before making its way across the sea to America. 

People made the first ginger beer long ago with ginger, water, and sugar. After getting mixed together, these ingredients would go through a fermenting process. The end product would be a bubbly ginger beer. 

By the 1900s, there were over 300 ginger beer distilleries in America alone! Ginger beer was also a popular drink in Canada and England. At one time, there were hundreds of ginger beer distilleries in both of these places. 

Once prohibition hit, ginger beer switched to the non-alcoholic form we know today. You can now find his fizzy drink made using a carbonation process. Taking away the fermentation keeps ginger beer completely alcohol-free. 

Ginger beer is commonly used as a mixer in cocktails. This slightly fizzy drink adds a spicy bite to different types of beverages.

Rum on the High Seas 

It's no surprise that rum and the sea have a long history that starts in the Caribbean. After all, it was here that rum was born. 

Sailors weren't known for their sophisticated choice in drinks. Despite this, their drinking habits influenced the alcohol consumed in today's world. 

A sailor's life wasn't all that glamorous. Men who sailed on ships were underpaid and had to deal with less than ideal living situations. Wine and beer became part of a sailor's rations to distract them from their miserable lodging. 

The wine and beer would often go bad long before the crew reached their destination. Rations were then switched to rum, an alcohol that was hardy enough to last a long journey. 

Eventually, the sailors started getting less of the rum rations. To make up for the lost rum, sailors would mix some sugar and lime juice with the rum they had. The sugar helped make the low-quality rum taste good, and the lime helped fight scurvy. 

This drink, called a grog, was a hit among sailors everywhere. Before long, the grog recipe found its way in drinks outside of the ships it became popular on. The rum drinks that sailors loved helped drive the sale of this alcohol everywhere. 

If you are looking for rum without the side effects of alcohol, our Biscane non-alcoholic rum alternative is the perfect solution. 

Non-alcoholic Dark and Stormy Recipe

You can whip up this drink in no time and with only a few ingredients. 

Ingredient List: 

• 2 ounces Biscane 
• 4 ounces non-alcoholic ginger beer 
• lime 
• ice

Tool List: 

• highball glass
• cocktail shaker 
• stirrer

Dark and Stormy Recipe

1. Take your cocktail shaker and fill it with ice. 
2. Add the Biscane rum alternative to the shaker and shake vigorously. 
3. Fill your highball glass 3/4 full with ice. 
4. Strain the cocktail shaker into the glass. 
5. Add the ginger beer to the glass. 
6. Stir the cocktail.
7. Add the lime wedge as a garnish. 
8. Enjoy your cocktail! 

Drink Tips 

Are you a fan of the bite of the lime? Alter this dark and stormy mocktail recipe by adding ½ an ounce of lime juice to your cocktail shaker. Your mocktail will take on a slightly more citrus flavor. 

Don't be tempted to switch out your ginger beer for ginger ale. Although the end result won't be unpleasant, it will lack the spiciness that the ginger beer brings. 

Cubed ice is traditional in this drink. You want to use a larger cube so it doesn't melt too fast. Don't skimp on the ice as this mocktail tastes best ice cold. 

If you don't have a highball glass on hand, don't worry. You can serve this non-alcoholic dark and stormy drink in any type of tall glass. 

You'll layer this drink and keep it unstirred to get the layered look of storm clouds. Add the lime juice first, then the ginger beer, and finish with the rum. The rum will sit on the ginger beer and lime mimicking darkened clouds. 

Are you making this mocktail for a crowd? You can make this ahead of time by mixing the lime and Biscane first. Add the ice and the ginger beer right before you are ready to serve the mocktails. 

Dark and Stormy Variations 

Jazz up the original three ingredients by trying a variation of this classic mocktail. 

Rum and Ginger 

This simple version of a dark and stormy swaps the ginger beer for ginger ale. You'll still have a delicious drink with a little less aggressive of a taste. 

Kraken Dark and Stormy 

This variation starts out like a dark and stormy but with the addition of an extra ingredient. One ounce of espresso adds an extra flavor to the original dark and stormy. You'll want to add the juice of one lime to help balance the flavors in this cocktail. 

Stormy Weather

Shiraz wine is the secret ingredient to this version of a dark and stormy. An ounce of shiraz mixes with ginger beer and rum and is finished with a dash of simple syrup and lime juice. 

Harvest Dark and Stormy 

Are you craving an autumn version of this non-alcoholic dark and stormy drink? You'll first need to make an apple ginger puree using diced apples, ginger, sugar, and water. Bring the ingredients to a boil, cool, and blend until it's a puree. 

Add the apple puree to your drink along with lemon juice, rum, and the ginger beer. Garnish your cocktail with crystallized ginger and an apple slice. 

Eye of the Storm 

This red cocktail is an excellent choice for your next Halloween party. Add cherry juice, grenadine, and simple syrup to the original dark and stormy recipe. Finish the drink with a bit of dry ice for a smoking effect that is sure to wow your guests. 

Mojito 

If you like a Dark and Stormy, you'll enjoy the minty freshness of a mojito. Swap the ginger beer for club soda, add fresh mint, and a splash of simple syrup to make this refreshing mocktail.   

Let Your Tastebuds Set Sail With Your Seir Hill Mocktails

You don't need to be near the ocean to appreciate this stormy drink. Landlubbers and sailors alike will be sipping our dark and stormy recipe all year long. 

Here at Seir Hill, we have all your favorite spirits with none of the alcohol. Order a bottle of Biscane today to use in all your rum-based cocktails for flavor without the alcohol. 

A storm of flavor is brewing when you fill up your highball glass with our non-alcoholic dark and stormy mocktail!