THE TASTIEST AND MOST REFRESHING COCKTAIL THAT IS SO, SO, GOOD ANY TIME OF THE YEAR!
Easy cocktails are the best - for the obvious reason yes, they are easy to make but I LOVE easy cocktails for another reason. When learning how to make cocktails, I first learned how to make the classic ones. Then, when I started recipe developing it was the classic ones that were the most fun to play with to make my "own versions."
Take the Dark and Stormy - it has all of the ingredients to make a A++ cocktail as is. Add in a few additional flavors that you love and WOW, with the right proportions you may have just created the next best thing! Humble me won't accept that, but something tells me you might feel like I've done just that when trying this Maple version for the first time.
The secret not-so-secret ingredient is not maple syrup. It's FRESH GRATED GINGER. Ginger beer is the key ingredient in a Dark and Stormy and the extra ginger adds such a nice flavor but not too strong as we've also added maple syrup. So, we're getting the ginger flavor without it is too getting too overpowering, thanks to the addition of maple syrup. What's the result? An incredibly balanced cocktail that is fabulous beyond.
I love this one and especially because it is so wonderful all year round. I personally think they are the ideal drink for this time of the year. It's spring and you feel all of the feels BUT it is still way too cold in most parts of the country. With this maple gingery concoction, you've got the perfect solve. It is warming and comforting BUT also refreshing and makes you feel like booking a tropical vacation stat!
Enjoy, friends! :)
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INGREDIENTS
DIRECTIONS
In a cocktail shaker, directly grate in your ginger. I used about 1/2 inch piece to get 1/2 tablespoon worth of grated ginger.
Then add in your maple syrup, muddling to break up the ginger well.
Then, add in your rum and shake for 10-15 seconds.
In a highball glass, add in ice to fill the glass to the top. Pour in your ginger beer.
Then, slowly pour in your rum-maple-ginger mix into the glass. The key is to do it slowly to ensure the layers.
Lastly, garnish with a lime wedge and/or soft maple sugar candy. If using a lime wedge, I recommend squeezing it in your glass before enjoying your Maple Dark and Stormy. :)
~ Serves 1
Notes
A few things I'll like to note when it comes to ingredients for this one. For classic cocktails like the Dark and Stormy, it is highly recommended to use quality ingredients. While that sounds simple enough, ginger ale is not a great substitute for ginger beer. When using less ingredients, my reco is to always try to get the real thing vs. taking shortcuts. The flavor is worth it I promise!
On that note, I personally think a Dark and Stormy gets a bad rep because often the wrong type of rum is used. Goslings is the OG, but I LOVE this one with Old Monk for a verified 10/10 Indian twist. When someone tells me they didn't like a Dark and Stormy, I often quickly follow that with- do you know if yours was made with dark rum? Dark rum is excellent in this and while spiced and dark rum can be interchanged often, for this one - leave the spiced rum out on this one and opt for dark rum!
You can most definitely make this without the maple or grated ginger - but I love these adds to create a rounder more pronounced flavor that is so well worth it. I know I keep on saying "it's worth it" but I really do mean it!