Non-Alcoholic Dark and Stormy: What to Buy and How to Make It
The rum alternatives to buy, a one-minute method, and the nearest ready-made can.
A non-alcoholic Dark and Stormy is spicy ginger beer and lime over ice, with a dark rum alternative floated on top so it sits like a storm cloud. It’s built in the glass in a minute, and the one bottle you need is a dark or spiced rum alternative. We don’t have a canned Dark and Stormy; the nearest can is a rum mule. Here’s what to buy and how to make it.
What to buy
- <0.5%
- Never Alcoholized
- Australia
- <0.5%
- Never Alcoholized
- Australia, Spain, United States
See every non-alcoholic spirit →
Make it in a minute
Fill a highball with ice
Tall glass, plenty of ice.
Add lime and ginger beer
½ oz fresh lime, then about 4 oz spicy ginger beer, leaving room at the top.
Float the rum
Pour 2 oz dark rum alternative slowly over the back of a spoon so it settles on top.
Garnish
A lime wedge. Serve unstirred and stir as you drink.
Full method and variations in our non-alcoholic Dark and Stormy recipe. “Float” and other terms are in what the recipes mean.
Choosing the rum alternative
| Bottle | What it’s like |
|---|---|
| Lyre’s Dark Rum Alternative | Molasses and caramel, baking spice; under 0.5% |
| Mommos Spiced Cane | Vanilla, cinnamon, toasted cane; 0.0% |
Want to try several? The rum sampler has four alternatives, light and dark. Here’s what the alcohol labels mean.
Make or buy?
Make it if
- You want the dark layer and real lime
- You’ll use the bottle for other drinks too
- You like it spicier: choose your ginger beer
Buy a can if
- You want it ready, with nothing to mix
- A rum mule is close enough
- You’re heading somewhere without a bar
Things to know
- Ginger beer: we don’t sell it; most supermarkets do. Most is a soft drink, but some ginger beers contain alcohol, so check the can. Ginger ale is milder; see how mixers differ.
- Dark and Stormy or Moscow Mule? Same ginger beer and lime; the Mule uses vodka. See the non-alcoholic Moscow Mule.
- No rum alternative? Ginger beer and lime with two dashes of alcohol-free aromatic bitters on top keeps the look.
More recipes in 25 zero-proof cocktail recipes.
Shop by what matters to you
Common questions
How do you make a non-alcoholic Dark and Stormy?
Fill a highball with ice, add ½ oz lime and about 4 oz spicy ginger beer, then float 2 oz dark rum alternative on top over the back of a spoon.
What's the best non-alcoholic rum for a Dark and Stormy?
A dark rum alternative with molasses and spice, such as Lyre's Dark Rum Alternative, or Mommos Spiced Cane for a 0.0% spiced version.
Is there a canned non-alcoholic Dark and Stormy?
We don't carry one. Lyre's Rum Mule, cane spirit with ginger beer, is the nearest can.
Is ginger beer alcoholic?
Most ginger beer is a soft drink, but some brands make an alcoholic one. Check the can.
