Light and Drizzly Recipe

By
Kevin Liu
Kevin Liu
Kevin Liu is a cocktail nerd and the co-owner of The Tin Pan, The Jasper, and Carytown Cupcakes in Richmond, VA. He is also the author of Craft Cocktails at Home: Offbeat Techniques, Contemporary Crowd Pleasers, and Classics Hacked with Science.
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Updated April 02, 2025
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Kevin Liu

A tasty, low-alcohol take on a Dark and Stormy. Here, allspice syrup replaces the spice of Gosling's dark rum. A spicy homemade ginger syrup works best in this recipe to replicate the distinctive burn of alcohol. For a completely booze-free mocktail, leave out the cayenne tincture.

Recipe Details

Light and Drizzly Recipe

Prep 15 mins
Cook 20 mins
Active 10 mins
Total 35 mins
Serves 1 serving
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Ingredients

For the Spicy Ginger Syrup:

  • 3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

  • 28 grams vodka (optional)

  • 450 grams fresh ginger, peeled

  • 475 grams water

  • 440 grams sugar (about 2 cups)

  • 13 grams citric acid

For the Allspice Syrup:

  • 50 grams allspice (about 1/2 cup)

  • 6 black peppercorns

  • 10 whole cloves

  • 1 cinnamon stick

  • 1/2 a whole nutmeg

  • 500 grams water

  • 300 grams sugar

For each Drink:

  • 30 grams spicy ginger syrup (about 1 ounce)

  • 15 grams allspice syrup (about 1/2 ounce)

  • 30 grams fresh juice from 1 to 2 whole limes (about 1 ounce)

  • Seltzer, chilled

Directions

  1. To make spicy ginger syrup: If you're going to include the alcoholic tincture, combine the cayenne pepper and vodka for 5 minutes. Strain out the cayenne pepper, or just let the solids sink to the bottom of the bowl. Slice peeled ginger in centimeter-long slices and simmer in 475 grams of water for 20 minutes. Strain out the ginger solids. Add sugar and citric acid and stir until dissolved. If you're using the spicy tincture, add 3/4 teaspoon of the tincture to your ginger syrup. Adjust to taste. Store extra syrup sealed in the refrigerator, about 1 week.

  2. To make the allspice syrup: Combine allspice, peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, and 500 grams water in blender and blend on low speed for five minutes. Strain through a fine mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth. Combine with sugar and let rest to create the syrup. Store extra syrup sealed in the refrigerator, about 1 week.

  3. For each cocktail: Add ginger syrup, allspice syrup, and lime juice to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake until well-chilled, about 10 seconds. Strain into an ice-filled rocks glass. Top with seltzer water.

Special equipment

blender, cocktail shaker

This Recipe Appears In

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
3481 Calories
10g Fat
885g Carbs
12g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving
Calories 3481
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 10g 13%
Saturated Fat 4g 18%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 152mg 7%
Total Carbohydrate 885g 322%
Dietary Fiber 23g 81%
Total Sugars 767g
Protein 12g
Vitamin C 51mg 257%
Calcium 517mg 40%
Iron 7mg 40%
Potassium 2509mg 53%
*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.)

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