Bee's Knees
Gin, fresh lemon juice and honey syrup, shaken and strained. A simple, bright, golden Prohibition-era cocktail, sweet with honey and sharp with lemon.
Making Bee's Knees Ahead
Best made to order. The honey syrup keeps in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Making Bee's Knees
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Make the honey syrup by stirring 1 tablespoon of honey with 1 tablespoon of warm water until the honey has dissolved. Let it cool.
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Chill a coupe glass in the freezer for 5 minutes, or fill it with ice water while you make the drink.
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Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add the gin, lemon juice and 15 ml of the honey syrup and shake hard for 12 to 15 seconds.
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Empty the ice water from the glass and strain the drink into it through a fine strainer.
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Twist the lemon peel over the drink to release its oils, drop it in and serve at once.
Tips for Success
- Dilute the honey with warm water before you use it. Straight honey sinks to the bottom of the shaker and does not blend into the drink.
- Use a light, floral honey, such as clover or orange blossom. A dark, strong honey overwhelms the gin and the lemon.
- Choose a dry gin with a strong juniper flavour. The gin should stand up to the honey and not vanish behind it.
Behind the Recipe
The Bee's Knees is a Prohibition-era cocktail, and the name is slang from the 1920s for something that is the best, in the way that someone might say the cat's whiskers or the cat's pyjamas. It is a variation of the gin sour, made with lemon juice and honey in place of sugar, and it is simple enough to make that it has lasted for a century. The story is that it was made to cover the harsh taste of bathtub gin, the poor quality spirit made illegally during Prohibition in the United States, and that honey and lemon were used to mask the rough edges of the gin. Whatever the truth, it tastes excellent with good gin too. The honey adds a soft, floral sweetness and a little body, the lemon gives it freshness, and the gin gives a clean, dry, herbal backbone. The key to the drink is the honey syrup. Honey is too thick to mix directly into a cold drink, because it sinks to the bottom of the shaker and stays there, so it is diluted first with an equal amount of warm water to make a syrup that blends at once. The type of honey matters. A light, floral honey, such as clover or orange blossom, gives the best result, while a dark honey takes over. Shake the drink hard with plenty of ice, strain it into a chilled coupe and garnish with a twist of lemon peel. It is a good drink for a hot afternoon.
Serving Ideas
Smoked salmon · Cucumber sandwiches · Salted almonds
Quick Answers
How long does Bee's Knees take to make?
About 4 minutes in total — 4 minutes of preparation and of cooking. The recipe serves 1.
What are the key tips for making Bee's Knees?
Dilute the honey with warm water before you use it. Straight honey sinks to the bottom of the shaker and does not blend into the drink. Use a light, floral honey, such as clover or orange blossom. A dark, strong honey overwhelms the gin and the lemon. Choose a dry gin with a strong juniper flavour. The gin should stand up to the honey and not vanish behind it.
What should I serve with Bee's Knees?
Smoked salmon; Cucumber sandwiches; Salted almonds.
How should Bee's Knees be stored?
Best made to order. The honey syrup keeps in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Is Bee's Knees suitable for a special diet?
This recipe is vegetarian, dairy-free, gluten-free, low-carb and keto. Those labels are checked against the ingredient list, so a dish is only marked when nothing in it contradicts the claim.
How many calories are in Bee's Knees?
About 164 kcal per serving, with 0 g protein, 8 g carbohydrate and 0 g fat. The figures are calculated from the ingredient list and are an estimate.
The Numbers per Serving
Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.
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Written and tested by Turab
One person, one kitchen — no test kitchen, no team. How every recipe on this site is checked before it goes up.
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