Frozen Dark ’n’ Stormy-Style Ginger Rum Slush
A frozen ginger rum slush inspired by the Dark ’n’ Stormy, with dark rum, ginger syrup and lime, topped with ginger beer — sized for Margaritaville machines.
Jump to recipe ↓The Dark ’n’ Stormy name is a registered trademark tied to a specific rum brand, so we call this a Dark ’n’ Stormy-style slush.
Ginger syrup carries the spice into the frozen drink; ginger beer on top adds fizz.
Ginger Rum Slush recipe
Ingredients (3 drinks)
- 4½ oz dark rum
- 2½ oz fresh lime juice
- 2½ oz ginger syrup
- 3 oz ginger beer (to top, not blended)
Plus: a full ice reservoir. Garnish: Lime wedge, candied ginger. Glass: Highball.
Instructions
- Fill the ice reservoir.
- Add rum, lime and ginger syrup to the jar.
- Run the cycle.
- Pour into glasses and top each with 1 oz ginger beer.
How much to make in your machine
Every Margaritaville frozen concoction maker is designed around a particular volume of liquid — the shaver portions ice for it. The table scales this recipe to the margarita liquid volume printed in each model’s manual (Key West DM1000 / DM1946 3 × 12 oz drinks: 9.75 fl oz; Bahamas DM0500 / Fiji DM2000 3 × 12 oz drinks: 13 fl oz; Tahiti DM3000 per 24 oz jar: 8.67 fl oz; Bali DM3500 half chamber: 11 fl oz; Bali DM3500 full chamber: 22 fl oz). Amounts are rounded to the nearest ¼ or ⅓ oz.
| Ingredient | Key West DM1000 / DM19463 × 12 oz drinks | Bahamas DM0500 / Fiji DM20003 × 12 oz drinks | Tahiti DM3000per 24 oz jar | Bali DM3500half chamber | Bali DM3500full chamber |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| dark rum | 4⅔ oz | 6¼ oz | 4 oz | 5¼ oz | 10½ oz |
| fresh lime juice | 2½ oz | 3½ oz | 2¼ oz | 3 oz | 5¾ oz |
| ginger syrup | 2½ oz | 3½ oz | 2¼ oz | 3 oz | 5¾ oz |
| ginger beer (to top, not blended) | 3 oz | 4 oz | 2¾ oz | 3½ oz | 7 oz |
Scaling is our calculation, not a manufacturer recipe. Fruit- and ice-cream-heavy drinks vary more; adjust with the Shave Only / Blend Only controls. The Key West DM1900 isn’t listed because we haven’t verified its manual yet.
Machine notes for this drink
- A carbonated ingredient foams when blended. Pour it into the jar last, down the side, and stay well under the fill line — or blend without it and top each glass with soda instead.
- This batch uses about 9.5 fl oz of liquid for 3 drinks. If your drink comes out watery, the manuals’ first fix is to follow the recipe volumes or manually shave more ice; if it’s too stiff, add liquid and Blend Only.
Why this recipe works
Blending ginger beer loses fizz and foams, so it’s added after.
About coladas, tiki & rum drinks
Tropical rum drinks lean on pineapple, coconut, passion fruit and citrus. Cream of coconut is the secret to a smooth colada; it adds fat that keeps shaved ice silky. Most of these recipes include two or more juices, which makes them lower in alcohol per ounce than they taste — but the rum still adds up across a batch.
Tips for the best texture
- Make ginger syrup by simmering sliced ginger in simple syrup.
- Spicy ginger beer works best on top.
- Use any dark rum.
- Lime wedge garnish.
- Never put anything but ice in the ice reservoir, and don’t fill the jar past its maximum line — both are warnings in every manual.
- Too thin? Hold the toggle in Shave Only for a few seconds, then Blend Only to mix it in. Too thick? Add an ounce of liquid and Blend Only.
Serving & make-ahead
Garnish with lime wedge, candied ginger and serve in a highball. Tropical drinks shine with big garnishes — pineapple wedges, orange wheels, cherries on a pick and a paper umbrella. Hurricane glasses or tiki mugs hold the larger pours. For a crowd, a Tahiti lets you run a colada, a rum punch-style drink and a virgin version side by side.
Variations
- Mule-style: Use vodka (see Frozen Moscow Mule).
- Pineapple: Add pineapple juice.
- Spiced: Spiced rum.
Mocktail swap
Skip rum; blend with 3 oz extra water and top with ginger beer.
Frequently asked questions
Why not blend ginger beer?
It foams and loses fizz.
Ginger syrup?
Homemade or bottled.
Why ‘style’?
The name is trademarked.
How much ice should I put in the machine?
Fill the ice reservoir with ice cubes — the machine shaves the amount it needs for the cycle (dial models size it to the 1, 2 or 3-drink setting). The manuals recommend ice that has been out of the freezer for 10–15 minutes.
Will this work in a regular blender?
Yes — add about 1½–2 cups of ice per 12 oz drink and blend until smooth. The texture will be coarser than shaved ice.
Please drink responsibly. Alcoholic recipes are for adults of legal drinking age (21+ in the US). Never drink and drive.
