Bees Knees Cocktail

The Bees Knees is a super simple and delicious classic cocktail. Made with lemon juice, honey, and gin, it's one of those drinks you can whip up anytime without much prep work!

This Prohibition-era cocktail was created in 1921 by Frank Meier, a bartender in Paris (here's the Wikipedia page for more history).

Nowadays, the catchy name makes it easy to recognize on a bar menu. It's a great drink for warm weather, but the honey also gives it a nice warm flavor that is delicious year-round.

If you're looking for more honey cocktails, try out the Gold Rush whiskey cocktail, or the Rum Hot Toddy!

For more classic cocktail recipe ideas, check out my Classic Margarita and Last Word cocktails. They are both just as easy to make and delicious as this one!

Ingredients

There are only a few ingredients in this simple drink. Here's what you'll need to have on hand to make a Bees Knees:

• Gin
• Lemon
• Honey syrup
• Floral or lemon bitters (optional)

Equipment

This cocktail is shaken, so you'll need to grab a cocktail shaker and strainer, a knife and cutting board for the lemon, and a citrus juicer.

For the serving glass, a stemmed glass is traditional for this one. I used a Nick & Nora style glass, and this drink will fit perfectly in a 4 or 5 ounce glass.

I highly recommend all of the cocktail tools from A Bar Above, and you can get a 10% discount by using my code, LKDrinks, at checkout. (Plus they're dishwasher safe!)

Instructions

This drink is so easy to put together! Start out by cutting your lemon in half, then juice one half of it and add the juice to your cocktail shaker.

Measure out your honey and water and add it in. If you're using homemade honey syrup, use ounce of syrup for each drink.

Although they're not in the classic recipe, I like to add some bitters to mine too. Floral bitters are a great choice. I think the bees would approve! These lavender bitters go perfectly with this drink.

Once everything is added, give it a stir before shaking to make sure that the honey dissolves. Then add ice, shake in your cocktail shaker, and strain it into your cocktail glass.

For a little something extra, cut a piece of lemon peel to use as a garnish.

Hint: You can use just a regular cocktail strainer (aka a Hawthorne strainer), or double strain, as I've done here. Double straining is just a nice extra if you want to make sure there's no pulp or crystallized honey left in the drink.

Honey Syrup

Click here for my full Honey Syrup recipe with printable instructions!

If you're planning on making a bunch of these cocktails, I highly recommend stirring up a batch of honey syrup beforehand.

Since honey is so thick, it can sometimes take a while to fully dissolve and mix with the water (especially if it's a little crystallized).

To make this syrup, just add equal amounts of water and honey to a small saucepan. Heat the mixture on medium, stirring occasionally, until all the honey is dissolved.

Let the mixture cool completely, and store it in an airtight container in the fridge. It'll keep for a few weeks, but throw it out at any sign of mold.

Variations

There are a ton of ways to modify this drink, but here are a few of my favorites:

• Highball - Mix up the drink, then add it to a tall highball glass filled with ice, and top with tonic or seltzer.
• Floral - Add some fragrant flowers, like lavender or chamomile, to your honey syrup as it heats. The flavor will infuse the syrup and the drink.
• Switch up the spirit - This is a great cocktail try out different gins, since it is so simple. You can also substitute in vodka for a more straightforward honey flavor.
• Try a different type of honey - There are all sorts of different honey types you can try. Buckwheat honey and wildflower honey both have a much stronger flavor than the standard clover honey.