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The Bee’s Knees cocktail is a classic drink made with gin, lemon, and honey syrup, which brings a unique, rich sweetness. It’s a crowd pleaser!
Here’s a classy, classic cocktail that’s refreshing and sweet-tart: the Bee’s Knees! It’s got a cute 1920’s name and a smooth flavor to match. This recipe uses honey syrup, a simple syrup made with honey instead of refined sugar, adding a rich depth to the drink.
Combine it with lemon and gin, and you’ve got a refreshing cocktail that goes down easy. This is one of my top gin cocktails to make!
What Is a Bee’s Knees Cocktail?
The Bees Knees is a Prohibition-era cocktail that first appeared in cocktail books in the 1930’s. There’s no clear origin story, but “the bee’s knees” was a phrase used at the time to mean “the best.”
Likely, some bartender came up with this clever play on words to feature the drink’s unique ingredient: honey syrup! Using honey syrup instead of simple syrup brings a rich sweetness to this drink. The ingredients in a Bee’s Knees cocktail are:
- Gin
- Lemon juice
- Honey syrup
Optional: Add Orange Juice
The Bee’s Knees is a cocktail on the list of the International Bartender Association’s IBA official cocktails, meaning it has an official definition. Interestingly, the IBA definition of a Bee’s Knees calls for equal parts fresh lemon and orange juice. Most sources you’ll find use only lemon juice, including historical mentions of the drink in cocktail books.
Orange juice adds another hint of nuance and roundness to the drink’s flavor. It’s a fun addition! But if you prefer to stay simple, straight lemon juice is classic.
How to Make Honey Syrup
Honey syrup is a simple syrup that’s made with honey instead of granulated sugar! It’s easy to whip up a batch, and you can use it in place of simple syrup in any cocktail recipe. Here’s what to do:
- Add equal parts honey and water to a saucepan and heat over medium heat.
- Stir until the honey is dissolved, about 1 to 2 minutes. Cool to room temperature before using. It keeps in the refrigerator for 1 month.
There are several cocktails that use honey syrup as a sweetener! Try the Gold Rush, Brown Derby, and Penicillin.
How to Make a Bee’s Knees Cocktail
The Bee’s Knees is very easy to whip up! Once you’ve made the honey syrup, it’s just a matter of shaking it up in a cocktail shaker. Here are the basic steps (or jump right to the recipe):
- Shake: Add the gin, fresh lemon juice, and honey syrup to a cocktail shaker. Fill it with ice and then shake until very cold.
- Strain: Strain the drink into a cocktail glass.
- Garnish: Add ice and a lemon twist.
What Type of Gin to Use
The general rule around gin cocktails: the better the gin, the better the drink. What is a high-quality gin for this Bee’s Knees cocktail? I don’t recommend buying the cheapest gin you can find. Try to invest in a mid-price range gin; the drink will only taste as good as the gin you invest in! Here are a few notes:
- Malfy, Aviation, Beefeater London Dry have a developed, botanical flavor that blends well in cocktails.
- Locally distilled gin is a great option! In Indianapolis, I like 8th Day Distillery, Hotel Tango, and Big Heart Gin.
- Steer clear of strong-flavored sipping gins in cocktails. This includes brands like Tanqueray gin (very floral) and Opihr gin (spice-forward). These types of gin can overpower the subtlety in many mixed drinks.
How to Make a Lemon Twist
The lemon twist makes a sophisticated Bee’s Knees cocktail! It’s not required, but it adds a nice touch. Use my method for making a lemon twist garnish using no special tools.
Don’t want to try the twist? Use a simple lemon peel, or slice a lemon wheel, then cut a notch in it and add it to the rim of the glass.
When to Serve It
The Bees Knees cocktail is a sweet tart, retro cocktail that’s great for sipping as a:
- Summer drink
- Happy hour drink
- Dinner party drink
- Guys or girls night drink
- Cocktail hour drink
Bee’s Knees Cocktail
The Bee’s Knees cocktail is a classic drink made with gin, lemon, and honey syrup, which brings a unique rich sweetness. It’s a crowd pleaser!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 drink 1x
- Category: Drink
- Method: Shaken
- Cuisine: Cocktails
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 2 ounces gin
- 1 ounce* fresh lemon juice
- ¾ ounce honey syrup
- For the garnish: lemon twist or lemon peel
Instructions
- Add the gin, lemon juice, and honey syrup to a cocktail shaker. Fill with a handful of ice and shake until very cold.
- Strain the drink into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.
Notes
*To convert to tablespoons, 1 ounce = 2 tablespoons.
Thank you for the great recipe and tips. Have you tried this with the Malfy Limone?
We haven’t tried the limone yet but I bet it would be great!
Use a good bourbon or American whiskey (Dickle 12yr) with the OJ and makes for a quality cocktail
Hello! I love the honey lemon combo and interesting drinks, but I don’t drink alcohol. How would you suggest turning the bees knees into a mocktail?
You could play with replacing the gin with ginger beer, added to lemon honey mixture.