Yo-ho-ho, a pirate cocktail for me!

Weathering a hurricane in the middle of the Caribbean, a pirate
watches water rush through the cracks in the hull. A huge cargo of rum,
some ginger beer and cases of lime, are crushed, and leak into the
salty water. The pirate, resigned to his doom, cries out. The mixture
splashes into his mouth. Rum. Ginger beer. Lime. It rises above his
head, and he drinks the first ever Dark ‘n’ Stormy.

Sadly for him, he’s dead. But in the years to follow, Gosling’s, a
Bermudan brand of rum, re-invents the drink as a marketing ploy, and
tags it with the Dark ‘n’ Stormy name, calling it the unofficial
national drink of Bermuda. And we’re calling it the unofficial drink of
this year’s Tall Ships Festival.

A true Dark ‘n’ Stormy is a registered trademark—it can only be
made as follows: Barritts Bermudan Ginger Beer, juice from half a
squeezed lime and Gosling’s Black Seal dark rum. But like true pirates,
all thi’le local spots parry that rule and use Propeller Ginger Beer
instead. The Company House (2202 Gottingen) and jane’s on the
common (2394 Robie) both serve it. jane’s owner Jane Wright says
they actually sell quite a few. Ian Black, bartender at The
Carleton (1685 Argyle) says they serve it, too, and “just like any
drink in that vein, demand comes in waves.”

Follow the handy recipe here and you’ll be a real sailor in no time,
especially if you mix the drink pirate-style with a free pour of dark
rum. –Neal Ozano

Dark and Stormy—Halifax-style

4 oz. Propeller Ginger beer

1 1/2 oz. Gosling’s Black Seal dark rum

Juice of 1/2 lime

Mix rum and lime juice. Add to a glass filled with ice. Top up with
ginger beer. Slowly stir all ingredients. Screech sea shanties.

This article appears in Jul 16-22, 2009.