#1 Dark n’Stormy - Barritt’s Ginger Beer and Black Seal Rum.
If the fates should look unfavorably upon you, and you run out of Barritt’s Ginger Beer skip the advice of the bartenders on your Bermuda cruise, and instead of opting for Root Beer, Go instead for Coke or Pepsi (not diet) and have yourself a:
#2 Rum and Coke/Cuba Libre or a slightly weaker (but still quite intoxicating Black Seal and Coke (2 oz Rum, 6 Oz coke (instead of 4 oz in the former)
if you only have diet coke on hand, reach instead for the:
#3 Root Beer - Not exactly the recommended substitute, but a tasty drink in it’s own right. An all natural version would be great - Jones makes one with Sugar Cane! not HFCS 
#4 A Ginger Gale (the Ginger Ale version of the classic made with Ginger Beer - not remotely the same drink, but otherwise made exactly the same way. Some variety here, whether you use one of the supermarket staples, or a spicier or smaller more “handcrafted” offering from the likes of Vernors, Blenheim, Reeds, Blue Sky or Boylan.
#5 If you only have diet soda (and I’ve become a diet soda drinker lately), drink it (the diet soda) straight, over ice or even with lime, but don’t add the rum. please. ;P
future tests (or things to do until I finally break down and crack open my last can of Barritt’s) Mountain Dew and a variety of flavors from “back home” Polar Beverage Company - Orange Dry, and others.
