Rim Runner™ & Bourbon Storm™

What the Mint Julep is to horse racing, Bourbon Storm™ is to the yachting community.

Rim Runner™ and Bourbon Storm™ are not just pretty drinks. They’re storm-glass rituals born from real ocean weather—created by Catamaran Dan, a former U.S. Navy submariner, Bluenose, and Shellback who crossed the equator under sail in 1984. For forty-one years, the recipe stayed private. In 2025, it’s finally being released to the world as the signature ritual of the yachting community.

Born Between Blue Sky and Dark Storm Clouds

Rim Runner™ began on a blue-sky Pacific day in 1984, right on the equator. After years under the surface as a U.S. Navy submariner and Blue Nose, Catamaran Dan was now crossing the line under sail. The morning was calm: deep blue ocean, scattered white clouds, steady wind.

Then the mood shifted. Clouds stacked on the horizon. White turned to gray, gray thickened to a hard band of dark storm. For a couple of hours, the ocean woke up—more wind, more rain, steeper waves. And then, just as quickly, it passed. Blue returned around the edges, high white clouds drifted over a fading smear where the storm had been, and the sea still heaved from the memory.

In that after-storm calm, an idea landed:



Could this exact moment be put in a glass?
‍


That idea became Rim Runner™. For forty-one years—from 1984 to 2025—the recipe remained private. Now, as part of the Nevado Raiders™ / Blue Rim 5™ global adventure sailing expedition, Rim Runner™ and its bourbon sibling, Bourbon Storm™, are being shared with the world.

‍Blue ocean below.
Dark storm clouds above.
Salt and sky at the rim.

The Rim Runner™ Code

Rim Runner™ and Bourbon Storm™ aren’t just recipes—they come with a simple code that’s easy to teach, easy to remember, and quietly centered on respect for the water and each other.

The 1st Drink of the Day: Rim Runner™ or Bourbon Storm™

Face the horizon—or the direction of the nearest water if you’re inland. Raise your glass and say, clearly and fast:

"Better Beachy than Bitchy™"

That’s your attitude check and good-luck sendoff.

If a Second Round...

If you go for a second:

A reminder that tomorrow still matters.

A Built-In Sobriety Test

This ritual has its own line in the sand:

If after a second round you cannot say “Better Beachy than Bitchy™” three times in a row, clearly and quickly without slurring or stumbling, perhaps you should hand your keys over to a sober designated driver.

"Beachy, not busted."

Empty Glass – “Anchor down.”

When the glass is empty, put it on the table with a single tap and say:

“Anchor down.”

Just like an anchor on the seabed, that’s the signal that this run is over.

Three Ways to Ride the Storm

One story, three expressions—classic rum, bourbon-forward, and zero-proof. The ritual stays the same; only the storm layer changes.

Rim Runner™ – Classic Rum Version
The original storm in a glass!

Glass & Rim:

- Heavy, straight-sided rocks glass with a blue rim band rim.
- Mix: 2 parts coarse sea salt, 1 part sugar.
- Lightly wet the outside of the rim with a lime wedge, dip into mix, fill with fresh ice.

Equatorial Blue Base:

- 1½ oz white rum
- ¾ oz blue curaçao
- 1 oz pineapple juice
- ½ oz fresh lime juice
- 1 oz coconut water
- 1–2 dashes ginger or aromatic bitters

Method:

Shake with ice ~10 seconds. Strain over fresh ice into the prepared glass.

Dark Storm Clouds (Float):

½–¾ oz dark rum, gently floated over the back of a bar spoon so it forms a dark band on top.

Bourbon Storm™ – The Bourbon Expression
What the Mint Julep is to horse racing, Bourbon Storm™ is to the yachting community.

Glass & Rim:

Same blue-rimmed rocks glass and 2:1 salt–sugar “cloud” rim.

Equatorial Blue Base:

Same as Rim Runner™:
- 1½ oz white rum
- ¾ oz blue curaçao1 oz pineapple juice
- ½ oz fresh lime juice
- 1 oz coconut water
- 1–2 dashes bitters
- Shake with ice and strain over fresh ice.

Bourbon Storm Cloud (Float):

½–¾ oz bourbon, floated over the back of a bar spoon as a dark storm band on top.

Your bourbon is the star here—the first nose, first sip, and finish are built around that top layer.

Rim Runner™ Zero

No alcohol

Glass & Rim:

Same blue-rim glass. Same 2:1 salt–sugar rim. Fresh ice

Blue Ocean (NA Base):

- 2 oz pineapple juice
- 1 oz coconut water
- 1 oz orange juice or white grape juice
- ½ oz fresh lime juice
- ½–¾ oz blue curaçao syrup (or similar blue NA syrup)
- Shake with ice and strain over fresh ice.

Dark Storm Clouds (NA Float):

½–¾ oz iced tea or cola, gently floated over the back of a spoon for the dark band.

Not since the Shirley Temple has a non-alcoholic drink carried this much story and ritual!