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Gin · Sours · IBA official

Bee's Knees

Honeyed and bright, with lemon keeping the sweetness in check.

Coupe
  • 60 ml2 ozgin
  • 20 ml0.75 ozhoney syrup
  • 20 ml0.75 ozlemon juice

Garnish: lemon twist

Method
Shaken
Strength
~22% ABV
Difficulty
●●●

Method

  1. Add gin, honey syrup and lemon juice to a shaker with ice.
  2. Shake well.
  3. Strain into a chilled coupe.
  4. Garnish with a lemon twist.

The story

Prohibition-era bartenders leaned on honey to mask the rough taste of bathtub gin, and this drink is the sweetest, most elegant result of that trick. It somehow turned a cover-up into one of the better-loved gin sours around.

Flavour

Sweet
Sour
Boozy
Citrus
Herbal
Rich

Quick answers

Bee's Knees questions

How do you make a Bee's Knees?

Add gin, honey syrup and lemon juice to a shaker with ice. Shake well. Strain into a chilled coupe. Garnish with a lemon twist. You need 60 ml (2 oz) gin, 20 ml (0.75 oz) honey syrup and 20 ml (0.75 oz) lemon juice.

What's in a Bee's Knees?

Gin, honey syrup and lemon juice, garnished with lemon twist.

Is a Bee's Knees shaken or stirred?

Shaken. Shaking chills, dilutes and aerates the citrus or cream.

What glass is a Bee's Knees served in?

A coupe, with no ice.

How strong is a Bee's Knees?

About 22% ABV once it is diluted, about as strong as a glass of fortified wine.

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