Dark 'n Stormy Mocktail

By
Anthony Baker
Anthony Baker
Anthony Baker
Anthony is a self-employed Cocktail Professor who has been in the industry for over twenty years, and he believes that cocktails are like life, and life is about balance.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 12/9/21
Tested by
Diana Andrews
Diana Andrews
Tested by Diana Andrews
Diana has served as head recipe developer and editor for the Emmy-nominated PBS series Moveable Feast, food editor and test kitchen manager at Fine Cooking Magazine, and recipe developer and product tester at Food Network. 
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Dark 'n Stormy Mocktail

The Spruce Eats / Anthony Baker
Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 5 mins
Cool: 15 mins
Total: 25 mins
Serving: 1
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
142 Calories
0g Fat
38g Carbs
0g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving
Calories 142
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 22mg 1%
Total Carbohydrate 38g 14%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Total Sugars 36g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 7mg 35%
Calcium 12mg 1%
Iron 1mg 5%
Potassium 41mg 1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Here's a great recipe for those who enjoy having a nice gingery cocktail, but would like to cut back on the alcohol.  This nonalcoholic Dark 'n Stormy is not only just as refreshing as the original, it also maintains its classic rum flavor, as well as its lovely “layered” feature.

Actually, the Dark 'n Stormy got its name because of the combination of the dark (as in “dark rum”) layered on top of the stormy (the spicy “ginger beer”). People love this combination because it is very similar to the Moscow Mule, with its refreshing, gingery-rum flavors. 

Maybe you've been celebrating a lot lately and want to take a break from alcohol, but still want to enjoy a nicely crafted drink. Hence, the nonalcoholic Dark 'n Stormy.  And while most versions keep it simple with just ginger beer and rum, this recipe adds some rich simple syrup (a simple syrup with a 2:1 sugar-to-water ratio) and lime juice to spruce it up a bit.  Try it out and enjoy...cheers!

"I love a good Dark 'n Stormy cocktail, but I think I love a good Dark 'n Stormy mocktail even more because I can drink several in a row and not have to worry about the alcohol catching up with me. I had enough of the rich simple syrup left over to make additional mocktails." —Diana Andrews

Dark 'n Stormy Mocktail/Tester Image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

For the rich simple syrup

  • 1 cup granulated sugar

  • 1/2 cup water

For the Dark 'n Stormy Mocktail

  • 1/2 ounce rich simple syrup (2:1)

  • 3/4 ounce fresh lime juice

  • 2 ounces ginger beer, preferably Fevertree

  • 2 ounces Lyre's Dark Cane Spirit

Steps to Make It

Make Rich Simple Syrup

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Combine the sugar and water in a small pot and set over medium heat. Stir until sugar is fully dissolved.

  3. Pour into a container and chill in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. Use right away, or store in a sealed container for up to two weeks.

Mix Dark 'n Stormy

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Combine rich simple syrup, lime juice, and ginger beer in a tall collins glass. Stir and mix together for 10 seconds.

  3. Fill glass with ice and top with Lyre's nonalcoholic Dark Cane Spirit. Garnish with a skeleton leaf or lime wedge.

Recipe Tips

  • If you’re going to make the alcoholic version, use just 0.25 ounces of the rich simple syrup, and top with Myer’s Dark Rum.
  • Any ginger beer is great for this recipe, but Fevertree is not as spicy or as sweet as most.
  • The skeleton leaf can be purchased online just by doing a search.
  • Although this drink is served as a layered drink, you must serve it with a straw to mix everything together.

Recipe Variation

Swap out the ginger beer for Fevertree Cola to make a nonalcoholic Cuba Libré.

What is rich simple syrup?

Rich simple syrup is just like simple syrup, but it’s twice as sweet because of its 2:1 sugar-to-water ratio.  Use this syrup whenever you want to amplify the flavors in a drink. Since the nonalcoholic spirit is less sweet than normal rum, the richer simple syrup helps make up for it in this Dark 'n Stormy mocktail.