Dark and Stormy Recipe with Goslings Black Seal Rum and Ginger Beer

$Dark \'n\' Stormy cocktail with Goslings Black Seal rum and ginger beer$

Updated: October 2026

Here is our Dark and Stormy recipe: 4 cl Goslings Black Seal Rum, 1 cl lime and ginger beer over ice, with a little Angostura bitters. Further down you will find the history, the trademark and answers to the most common questions.

Overview: Dark and Stormy recipe: The perfect Dark N Stormy

The Perfect Dark N Stormy recipe

For many bartenders, Angostura bitters is their "Go To" bitters as it can give any drink or cocktail that final touch to make the drink perfect. Then stir with the cocktail spoon

Where does Dark 'n' Stormy come from?

The Dark 'n' Stormy can be traced back to the British navy, where ginger beer was drunk instead of water on long voyages as it would keep longer. Gingerbeer was mixed with rum plus lemon to add vitamin C, which could prevent illness.

Ingredients

4 cl Goslings Black Seal Rum
1 cl freshly squeezed lime juice
Top with ginger beer (we use Fentimans Ginger Beer)
Ice cubes

Procedure

Fill the glass with ice cubes.

Pour the rum and ginger beer into the glass. This recipe also has a little Angostura bitters added, which has an intense flavor that adds the finishing touch to your Dark 'n' Stormy.

Find other recipes with rum here

Drink	Dark and Stormy, a highball with dark rum and ginger beer
Rum	4 cl Goslings Black Seal Rum
Lime	1 cl freshly squeezed lime juice
Ginger beer	Top up with ginger beer
Bitters	A little Angostura bitters
Serving	Tall glass with ice cubes

Dark and Stormy history: what do we know?

Gosling Brothers of Bermuda claims the drink was invented in Bermuda right after World War I. Wikipedia does not name a single inventor. According to Wikipedia the original version used Goslings Black Seal Rum and Barritt's Ginger Beer. When the partnership with Barritt ended, Gosling began making its own ginger beer.

The story about the British navy drinking ginger beer with rum and lemon against illness is in the text above. We cannot document it, and Wikipedia does not mention it.

The name Dark and Stormy and the Goslings trademark

Gosling Brothers has held a US trademark on "Dark 'n Stormy" since 1991, Wikipedia says. The company uses it to stop a drink with that name from being marketed in the US unless it is made with Black Seal. So the rum in the recipe is not one to swap out if the drink is to carry the name.

	Ours / official according to Wikipedia
Rum	4 cl Goslings Black Seal / 60 ml Goslings
Ginger beer	Top up / 100 ml
Lime	1 cl juice / Lime wedge as garnish
Bitters	A little Angostura / None

Tips for your Dark and Stormy

Use plenty of ice and a cold, sharp ginger beer. If you want a ginger beer from our range, try Fentimans Ginger Beer. Squeeze the lime just before you use it. See our ginger beer and ale for more. We also carry Angostura Bitters.

Our verdict on the Dark and Stormy

It is a simple drink where the rum and the ginger beer do most of the work. It gets better the sharper the ginger beer is, and the lime and bitters keep it from getting too sweet. Remember that the name belongs to Black Seal.

Frequently asked questions about the Dark and Stormy recipe

What is a Dark and Stormy?

A highball with dark rum and ginger beer, served over ice with lime. It is also written Dark N Stormy or Dark 'n' Stormy.

What goes in a Dark and Stormy?

In our recipe it is 4 cl Goslings Black Seal Rum, 1 cl freshly squeezed lime juice and ginger beer to top up, plus ice cubes.

How do you make a Dark and Stormy?

Fill the glass with ice cubes, pour in the rum and ginger beer, and stir with the cocktail spoon. Our recipe also has a little Angostura bitters.

Which rum is used in a Dark and Stormy?

Goslings Black Seal Rum. According to Wikipedia, Gosling Brothers has held a US trademark on the name since 1991, which it uses to require that the drink is made with Black Seal.

Where does the Dark and Stormy come from?

Gosling Brothers claims the drink was invented in Bermuda right after World War I. Wikipedia does not name a single inventor.

Is it true that the drink comes from the British navy?

That is the explanation our author tells. Wikipedia does not mention the navy, so we cannot document it.

Which ginger beer should I use?

According to Wikipedia the original version used Barritt's Ginger Beer. We do not have Goslings ginger beer online, so we use Fentimans Ginger Beer.

What does Angostura bitters do in a Dark and Stormy?

It gives the drink an extra touch. Many bartenders use Angostura as their go-to bitters.

How do you spell Dark 'n' Stormy?

Gosling's registered spelling has one apostrophe ('N). The International Bartenders Association uses two ('N').

What is the difference between our recipe and the official one?

According to Wikipedia the official recipe is 60 ml rum and 100 ml ginger beer. Ours has 4 cl rum, lime and bitters, and is topped up with ginger beer.

Dark and Stormy Recipe with Goslings Black Seal Rum and Ginger Beer

Overview: Dark and Stormy recipe: The perfect Dark N Stormy

The Perfect Dark N Stormy recipe

For many bartenders, Angostura bitters is their "Go To" bitters as it can give any drink or cocktail that final touch to make the drink perfect. Then stir with the cocktail spoon

Where does Dark 'n' Stormy come from?

The Dark 'n' Stormy can be traced back to the British navy, where ginger beer was drunk instead of water on long voyages as it would keep longer. Gingerbeer was mixed with rum plus lemon to add vitamin C, which could prevent illness.

Ingredients

Procedure

Dark and Stormy history: what do we know?

The name Dark and Stormy and the Goslings trademark

Tips for your Dark and Stormy

Our verdict on the Dark and Stormy

Frequently asked questions about the Dark and Stormy recipe

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Dark and Stormy Recipe with Goslings Black Seal Rum and Ginger Beer

Overview: Dark and Stormy recipe: The perfect Dark N Stormy

The Perfect Dark N Stormy recipe

For many bartenders, Angostura bitters is their "Go To" bitters as it can give any drink or cocktail that final touch to make the drink perfect. Then stir with the cocktail spoon

Where does Dark 'n' Stormy come from?

The Dark 'n' Stormy can be traced back to the British navy, where ginger beer was drunk instead of water on long voyages as it would keep longer. Gingerbeer was mixed with rum plus lemon to add vitamin C, which could prevent illness.

Ingredients

Procedure

Dark and Stormy history: what do we know?

The name Dark and Stormy and the Goslings trademark

Tips for your Dark and Stormy

Our verdict on the Dark and Stormy

Frequently asked questions about the Dark and Stormy recipe

Read more about cocktails

More drinkrecipes

Gin Tonicrecipe

Gin Fizzrecipe

Gin Hassrecipe

Dry Martinirecipe

Njordic Martinirecipe

Mai Tairecipe

More drink
recipes

Gin Tonic
recipe

Gin Fizz
recipe

Gin Hass
recipe

Dry Martini
recipe

Njordic Martini
recipe

Mai Tai
recipe