The Bee's Knees is a classic prohibition-era cocktail that has stood the test of time. This refreshing and easy-to-make cocktail combines the sweetness of honey with the tartness of lemon, creating a perfect balance of flavors.
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The full recipe with ingredients/instructions is available on the recipe card at the bottom of the post. Important tips/tricks are also included in the blog post.
There's nothing like a classic and simple cocktail, and this bee's knees cocktail checks all the boxes. It contains only 3 ingredients: gin, lemon juice, and honey simple syrup.
It's one that I like to whip up when I want a quick yet tasty cocktail.
The Bee's Knees cocktail became popular when good gin was hard to find. It used honey and lemon to cover up the bad taste of cheap gin. Now, we don't have that problem anymore. The cocktail tastes sweet, sour, and flowery when made with quality ingredients.
If you like this classic cocktail, you'll love this Hennessy Sidecar Recipe.
Ingredients Needed
- Gin - Gin provides the herbal, botanical base for the cocktail. There are many varieties of gin, I tend to use a London dry gin in this cocktail.
- Honey syrup - A simple mixture of honey and water, this adds a touch of sweetness to balance the other flavors. I use 2 parts honey and 1 part water.
- Fresh lemon juice - Freshly squeezed lemon juice brings a bright, acidic counterpoint to the honey's sweetness.
- Optional Garnish - A lemon twist. A simple garnish that adds a touch of elegance and aroma to the finished drink.
How to make a bee's knees cocktail
In a cocktail shaker, combine the gin, fresh lemon juice, and honey syrup.
Add ice to the shaker until it is nearly full. Secure the lid and shake vigorously for about 10 seconds or until the outside of the shaker feels cold.
Strain and Serve: Strain the mixture into a chilled cocktail (preferably a coupe) glass.
Garnish with a lemon twist or a wheel.
Variations of this cocktail
You can change this cocktail by adding a few ingredients. For instance, you could use strawberry gin or experiment with lavender or honey ginger syrups.
Expert Tips
- This cocktail is best enjoyed fresh, but you can also prepare it up to a day in advance and refrigerate it. Just remember to add the ice and stir it well before serving.
- To prevent unwanted dilution, wait to add ice cubes until you're ready to serve.
- For a big party, make the recipe in a pitcher instead of a shaker.
- The honey syrup can be made ahead of time by combining 2 parts of honey with 1 part of hot water. Stir until the honey dissolves, then cool before using. You can adjust the sweetness by using more or less honey.
- Lemon twists or wedges make a classic garnish for the Bee's Knees.
What is a prohibition-era cocktail?
Prohibition-era cocktails are drinks that were popular during the time in the United States when the production and sale of alcohol was illegal (1920-1933). Due to the difficulty of obtaining quality liquor, these cocktails often used substitutes like bathtub gin or moonshine. They also tended to be sweeter and more flavorful to mask the taste of the inferior alcohol.
I hope you enjoy this bee's knees cocktail as much as we do. Looking for more gin cocktails, try this out:
Classic Bee's Knees Cocktail Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 oz Gin
- ¾ oz Fresh lemon juice
- ½ oz Honey syrup to make honey syrup, mix equal parts of honey and warm water until the honey is dissolved
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, combine the gin, fresh lemon juice, and honey syrup.
- Add ice to the shaker until it is nearly full. Secure the lid and shake vigorously for about 10 seconds, or until the outside of the shaker feels cold.
- Strain and Serve: Strain the mixture into a chilled cocktail glass.
- Garnish with a lemon twist or a wheel.
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