I've been a longtime fan of the Dark 'n' Stormy, a Caribbean concoction of dark rum and ginger beer, ever since I learned it from my dad, who favors Myers's golden Jamaican rum as the drink's operative ingredient. But when I read that Gosling's actually made it ILLEGAL to call it a Dark ‘n’ Stormy with any rum aside from theirs, I emailed the company and requested what they deem proper dark 'n' stormy ingredients for further investigation. A bottle of Gosling's Dark Black Seal Rum and six cans of their ginger beer arrived just in time for a summer tailgate party. We packed our bags and were off.
A pre-concert parking lot is not the place for precision, and the Dark 'n' Stormy is fine for that. Just fill a cup with ice, add a few fingers of rum (reference below), and top it off with a squeeze of lime.
The drinks were super-refreshing, spicily sweet, and gave a nice boost in the late afternoon. I love a splash of lime in mine, however my friend Erik (below) tried another variation with a healthy splash of lemonade on top. I'll call his version the Dark 'n' Sunny. Erik can rock a pair of jean shorts like no man I know, and also grew up sailing, so I think we can trust him on this one.
TIPS FOR LAZY AND CREATIVE BOOZERS
• The Gosling's was outstanding — and not just because it was complimentary. It's way darker and more molasses-like than dad's Myers's (not better — just different), and as far as spiced rums go, makes Captain Morgan look a little sailor boy.
• If you have nutmeg — fresh nutmeg grated with a zester is ideal (not for a tailgate party, but if you're in a kitchen) — sprinkle it on top!
• If you don't have Gosling's ginger beer, I also like Reed's Original Ginger Brew.
Jenni Avins mixes drinks in her New York kitchen, where she also writes about food, fashion, travel, and the arts for various magazines and websites. She makes videos too. Follow her on Twitter @jenniavins