Bee's Knees Cocktail

From a popular phrase used that describes something as excellent, the Bee's Knees is a perfect name for this delicious and brightly flavored classic. The refreshing Prohibition-era cocktail is especially delightful on sunny spring and summer afternoons and very easy to make at home, featuring a simple three-ingredient mix of gin, lemon juice, and honey syrup.

With today's variety of gins, the Bee's Knees is a cocktail with many possibilities. Each gin has its own blend of botanicals, all of which will be accented quite nicely by the lemon and honey. It's a fun cocktail to play around with and every drink offers a unique experience.

Origins of the Bee's Knees

Renowned bartender Frank Meier is credited with creating the Bee's Knees cocktail at the Hotel Ritz Paris in the 1920s. Switching from sugar to honey led to a slightly richer version of the gin sour. Some stories claim that the substitution was made because honey was better at masking the often unpleasant taste and aroma of the gins being made during the heyday of the speakeasy.

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Why Bother Making Honey Syrup?

Straight honey is very thick and doesn't mix easily into cold cocktails. Honey syrup fixes that issue by diluting honey with water to make the natural sweetener more fluid. The typical ratio is 2 or 3 parts honey to 1 part water, stirred to a uniform consistency. It stores as well as simple syrup and you can make as much as you like at one time.

Tips for Making the Very Best Bee's Knees

Because there are only three ingredients, fresh lemon juice is essential for the Bee's Knees. Bottled varieties are often sweetened and will throw off the drink's delicate balance of flavors. Feel free to adjust the sweet and sour ingredients to your personal taste.

You'll likely want to tweak the ingredient ratios with each new gin you pour. For instance, a juniper-forward London dry gin is often best with a little less citrus (as in the recipe). When pouring a softer gin, you might want to boost the tartness with more lemon juice.

Finally, a fresh lemon twist makes an excellent garnish. Gently squeeze it over the cocktail to express the oils and give it a bright pop of flavor.