Bee's Knees
Gin, lemon and honey. A Prohibition sour where honey smooths out rough bathtub gin.
Shaken · Coupe · Medium · about 3 minutes · about 18% ABV
Ingredients
- 60 ml Gin
- 22.5 ml Fresh lemon juice
- 22.5 ml Honey syrup
- Lemon twist (garnish)
Method
- Chill the glass
- Pour 60 ml gin into the shaker
- Add 22.5 ml fresh lemon juice
- Pour 22.5 ml honey syrup into the shaker
- Add ice
- Shake hard
- Strain
- Garnish
Tip
Make honey syrup with 2 parts honey to 1 part warm water so it mixes easily.
About the Bee's Knees
"The bee's knees" was 1920s slang for something excellent. The drink is usually linked to Prohibition, when honey and lemon helped hide the taste of rough gin. One popular story credits Frank Meier of the Ritz in Paris, but the exact origin is uncertain.
The sour family. Sours are one of the oldest mixed-drink families. Spirit, citrus and sugar go back to the punches British sailors and traders drank in the 1600s and 1700s, and Jerry Thomas printed sour recipes in the first American bartending book in 1862. Egg white came later, for a silky foam. Almost every classic with fresh citrus, from the Daiquiri to the Whiskey Sour, follows this pattern.
Bee's Knees FAQ
What's in a Bee's Knees?
60 ml gin, 22.5 ml fresh lemon juice, 22.5 ml honey syrup, garnished with lemon twist.
How strong is a Bee's Knees?
About 18% ABV once mixed with ice, which is 1.9 Australian standard drinks per serve. That is stronger than a glass of wine.
Should I shake or stir a Bee's Knees?
Shake it. citrus, juice and cream need shaking to mix properly and gain a light, lively texture.
What glass do you serve a Bee's Knees in?
A coupe, about 180 ml. Chill the glass first and serve without ice. No coupe? Use a martini glass or small wine glass.
