By Sola Onitiri

And, I’m back! Is it me or has it been forever? It certainly feels that way. After hiking in Colorado and suffering every traveler’s worst nightmare in Las Vegas (read, bed bugs), I’m so happy to be in sunny California. More over, I’m so happy to have access to a beautiful kitchen with natural light so I can bring you another cocktail and syrup recipe.

In the last post, I talked about missing out on fall weather. Well, I spoke too soon because, fall weather is alive and well here in the Bay Area, and it’s 10 times better. Here’s why. This is as cold as it’s ever going to get! There’s no mid-November switch up where suddenly winter is knocking at your door and at your electric bill. Low 60’s is all we’re getting and I’m not mad at it at all. So in honor of an endless summer switching to an endless fall, Let’s Get Drinking.

“Mark my words. This fall cocktail Will make you a tailgating superstar.”

First a little Rum Talk

Ah, the Dark and Stormy. For those of you who are not familiar with this cocktail, the Dark and Stormy is a rum cocktail made with ginger beer and garnished with a lime. Traditionally made with dark rum, the Dark and Stormy is all about sweetness and spice. For added flavor, some people prefer to used spiced rum instead of dark rum. Spiced rum is a mild rum with added ingredients like vanilla for extra flavor. Dark rum (also known as black rum), on the other hand, spends more time in wooden caskets and that’s where the magic happens. The rum get’s darker in appearance and smokier/bolder in flavor.

Because we’re using a Chai syrup, this recipe calls for a dark rum instead of a spiced rum. But as usual, don’t forget to scroll down to the Make It Your Own Section for modifications.

Chai Syrup Recipe

This recipe takes about five minutes to make and is perfect to have in your fridge for coffee, baking, Old Fashioneds and more. So feel free to double the par if you want to make more.

This syrup is made with Chai tea but if your spice cabinet allows, feel free to combine traditional Chai spices - it won’t drastically effect the flavor.

Steep three (3) Chai tea bags in one (1) cup of boiling water for three minutes. Incorporate one (1) cup of cane sugar until it’s fully dissolved and let cool.

Chai Dark ‘N Stormy

What You'll Need: 
- Your new fave - Chai Syrup
- Club Soda for bubbles
- Limes for garnishin’  
- Ginger slice for garnishin’ part deux
- Dark rum
- Ice ice Baby
- Jigger for measurin'
- Brisk fall breeze

The Build:
- 2 oz of Gosling’s Black Seal Rum
- 1.5 oz Chai Syrup (Recipe Above)
- 5 oz Club Soda
- Pour rum and syrup over ice and top with soda. Give it a stir and enjoy with a lime wedge and fresh ginger slice.


 

Make it your own!

Alrighty, let’s make this recipe yours. Another way to get the Chai spice flavor sans the syrup is infusion. Take a bottle of inexpensive white or even golden rum. With a funnel, add ground ginger, whole cloves, a cinnamon stick, ground nutmeg, cardamon pods, and a pinch of black pepper.

I purposely left the measurements out so you can play around with the build. Making your own infusion gives you freedom to pick which ingredients will be the star. If you like a more gingery flavor add more ginger. If you have a sweet tooth, add fresh vanilla bean. Let your infusion sit for at least two days then strain with a coffee filter. This method is perfect for bartenders who are looking for a two bottle pick up.

If infusion isn’t the ticket but you’re missing the peppery flavor that ginger beer brings to the table of a traditional Dark and Story, add 3 inches of fresh ginger to the boiling water before starting the recipe as printed above.

Enjoy responsibly! 

More Fun Below

#MOREFUN