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Bermuda · Bermudian

Dark 'n' Stormy (Dark Rum & Ginger Beer)

Bermuda's national drink and a two-ingredient masterclass — spicy ginger beer poured tall, then dark rum floated on top so it rolls through like a storm cloud. Fresh lime, the right rum, and why the float matters.

By Table & Traditions Editors

Published June 26, 2026

A tall Dark 'n' Stormy over ice with dark rum clouding down through pale ginger beer, a lime wedge on the rim.

Bermuda's national cocktail, the Dark 'n' Stormy is famously tied to Gosling's Black Seal rum — the name is actually a registered trademark, and the 'official' version specifies Gosling's poured over Barritt's-style ginger beer. The drink gets its name from the dark rum clouding down through the pale ginger beer like an approaching storm.

Yield
Makes 1
Prep
3 min
Cook
0 min
Total
About 3 min
Difficulty
Easy

The Dark ‘n’ Stormy is two ingredients and pure drama: spicy ginger beer poured tall, then dark rum floated on top so it rolls down through the glass like an approaching storm. Bermuda’s national drink, and one of the easiest great cocktails to make.

Ginger beer first, rum on top

Build the ginger beer over ice, then float the dark rum gently over the back of a spoon. That order is what gives the drink its name and its look — the dark rum clouding down through the pale mixer.

Use spicy ginger beer

Ginger ale won’t do it. A proper, fiery ginger beer is what carries the drink; the spicier it is, the better the rum’s richness reads against it.

The rum makes it

A rich, blackstrap-style dark rum — Gosling’s Black Seal is the classic — is half the drink and the source of the storm cloud. For ginger beer with vodka instead, see the Moscow Mule. More in the Drinks guide.

Ingredients

Makes
1
  • 60 ml (2 oz) dark rum (Gosling's Black Seal, traditionally) A rich, blackstrap-style dark rum is essential — it's half the drink and gives the 'storm cloud' look.
  • Top, about 150 ml (5 oz) spicy ginger beer Use a proper, fiery ginger beer (not ginger ale) — the heat is what carries the drink.
  • 10 ml (0.33 oz) fresh lime juice, optional
  • lime wedge, to garnish
  • ice

Method

Tap a step’s number to check it off as you go.

  1. Fill a tall glass with ice and pour in the ginger beer (and lime juice, if using).

    Why: Ginger beer goes in first so the rum can be floated on top — building it the other way loses the signature layered look.

  2. Slowly float the dark rum over the back of a spoon so it sits on top and rolls down through the ginger beer like a storm cloud.

    Why: The float is the whole visual identity of the drink — pouring gently lets the dark rum cascade through the pale mixer.

  3. Garnish with a lime wedge and serve un-stirred, so the drinker watches it swirl.

    Why: Leaving it un-stirred preserves the dramatic dark-over-light effect; the drinker can stir or sip through the layers.

A quick, anonymous tap — no review needed.

Variations

  • With lime

    Add a squeeze of fresh lime for a brighter, slightly sharper drink (some purists leave it out).

  • Stronger storm

    Float an extra dab of rum on top for a more dramatic cloud and a bigger hit.

  • Spiced

    Use a spiced dark rum for extra vanilla and warm-spice notes against the ginger.

Serving & Storage

Serve tall over ice and un-stirred so it swirls. Best with a genuinely spicy ginger beer for the proper kick.

Pairs with: Fish tacos, Jerk chicken, Salt-and-pepper shrimp, Coconut curry.

Storage: Make to order — carbonation and the float don't keep. Build per glass.

Nutrition

Per serving (1 cocktail (~220 ml))

Calories
200
Protein
0 g
Carbs
22 g
Fat
0 g
Fiber
0 g
Sugar
20 g
Sodium
15 mg

Estimated using standard ingredient data. Values vary with brands and substitutions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does the rum sit on top?

Dark rum is poured last and gently, so it floats on the ginger beer before slowly clouding down — the 'storm.' It's the drink's signature look, which is why you build ginger beer first and rum last.

Ginger beer or ginger ale?

Ginger beer, always. Ginger ale is mild and sweet; ginger beer is spicy and assertive, and that heat is what makes the drink. The fierier the better.

Does it have to be Gosling's?

'Dark 'n' Stormy' is technically a Gosling's trademark, and the brand's Black Seal is the classic. Any rich, dark blackstrap-style rum gives the right flavour and look, even if you can't legally call it by the name.

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Further reading