Bee’s Knees Cocktail Recipe
Bee’s Knees is the ultimate classic cocktail from the Prohibition period. Made of only three ingredients, it’s also one of the simplest yet freshest cocktails out there. And if you’re looking for the best Bee’s Knees recipe, you’ve landed on the right page.
In this article, we’ll share all you need to know when making this classic cocktail. First, we’ll start with a short overview of how the cocktail came to be, and then we’ll dive into the juicy part of making the drink.
Bee’s Knees Cocktail Recipe Background
Bee’s Knees is a famous Prohibition period cocktail with a rather original name. At the time, “bee’s knees” was slang for something outstanding and excellent, meaning that people recognized its simplicity and delightful taste right away.
All credit for creating the drink goes to Frank Meier, an Austrian bartender who worked at the famed Hôtel Ritz in Paris in the 1920s. He added a variation to the Gin Sour that involved gin, lemon, and sugar and replaced the sweet ingredient with honey. By doing so, he created a richer, more savory drink that masked the subpar gin taste prevalent at the time.
Today, you can choose from many high-quality gins and get the most out of each cocktail ingredient. For example, try the London dry to emphasize the juniper or any modern bottles with citrus or floral notes to bring out the honey and lemon flavor of the cocktail. Feel free to go with any gin you like, as it’s a key ingredient in the cocktail.
As for the honey, it typically comes in the homemade syrup form. This is a combination of water and honey that adds sweetness and texture to the drink. The lemon juice will complement the sweetness with its fresh acidity and bring balance into the cocktail.
Bee’s Knees Recipe Ingredients
- 2 ounces of gin
- ¾ ounces of freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ½ ounces of honey syrup
- Lemon twist for garnish
To make honey syrup, put ½ cup of honey and ½ cup of water in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir to dissolve the honey and let the mixture cool. You can adjust the amount of honey to taste.
Are you more of a whiskey fan? The Bee's Knees cocktail becomes the Gold Rush but swapping out the gin for whiskey. You'll exchange some of the herbal flavors of gin for the smokey and complex flavors of whiskey. We recommend using rye whiskey, but any whiskey will do. You can use bourbon whiskey for a slightly sweeter drink.
Bee’s Knees Recipe Instructions
If you’ve made different cocktails before, you know the recipes are all about mixing the ingredients. Bee’s Knees is no different, and the process is super simple.
You can find detailed instructions below.
- Add gin, honey syrup, lemon juice, and ice into a shaker.
- Shake until the ingredients are well-chilled.
- Pour the drink into a cocktail glass.
- Garnish the glass with the lemon twist.
To get the most out of your cocktail, we recommend chilling the cocktail glass before pouring the drink. You can do so by placing the glass in the freezer or fill it with ice until it cools.
Mastering the Bee’s Knees Cocktail Recipe
Bee’s Knees is the ultimate refreshing cocktail that’s super easy to make. Since it only involves three ingredients, it’s a great solution to make at parties or other crowd-serving events. All it takes to shake up a drink or two for the guests is a gin bottle, some honey syrup, and a few lemons.
Overall, you can make Bee’s Knees every time you’re up for a refreshing, short prep time cocktail. This article provided you with the best Bee’s Knees cocktail recipe, and now is your turn to put it into action. Enjoy!
