Bee’s Knees Cocktail

The perfect combination of tart, sweet, and refreshing – the Bee’s Knees Cocktail is made with gin, fresh-squeezed lemon juice, and homemade honey syrup!

Today’s recipe is the bee’s knees! Literally. I mean, kind of? Erm, we’re going to be making the Bee’s Knees Cocktail, one of my favorite Prohibition-era drinks!

I mean, we all have ‘em, right??!? J/k!

You’ll find that the Bee’s Knees cocktail recipe is bright, refreshing, and a tasty balance of tart lemon and sweet honey.

Ready to make your new favorite cocktail? Let’s shake this!

Bee’s Knees Cocktail Ingredients

• Gin – use your favorite gin, I use Bombay Sapphire Gin.
• Lemon Juice – bottled is okay, but fresh-squeezed lemon juice is truly best for the Bee’s Knees cocktail
• Honey Syrup – I make a quick, 5 min recipe for honey syrup, then store it in the fridge for all of my honey cocktail recipes.

What is a Bee’s Knees Cocktail

The Bee’s Knees cocktail is a gin-based, Prohibition-era cocktail made with honey syrup and lemon juice.

It’s also a refreshing and summery blend of sweet and tart flavors that balances well with gin.

Put simply, a Bee’s Knees is a Gold Rush made with gin. Or, a Whiskey Sour made with honey and gin.

The History of the Bee’s Knees Cocktail

Although no one is quite sure who invented the Bee’s Knees cocktail, it is said to have been invented by Frank Meier, the head bartender at the Hôtel Ritz Paris in 1921. [1]

Meier was the first head bartender at the Ritz, which later became famous for Bar Hemingway, one of the most well-known bars in the world.

Eight years later, a 1929 news article credits the Bee’s Knees cocktail to American socialite Margaret Brown.

No matter who invented this drink, the name and the concoction remain the same: “Bee’s Knees” refers to Prohibition-era slang for “the best,” similar to “That’s the berries” or “cats meow.” [2]

A funny side note, “quilt” meant a warming drink, and “let’s blouse” meant “we’re leaving.”

Meanwhile, is it said that during the Prohibition, honey and lemon were often used in gin-based drinks to cover up the bitterness and smell of bathtub-made gin (aka bathtub gin). [3]

How to Make a Bee’s Knees Cocktail

First thing you want to do before making a this cocktail is checking to make sure you have honey syrup. If not, make this super simple, 5-minute recipe for honey syrup.

Then, fill a cocktail shaker about halfway with ice.

Next, pour in all Bee’s Knees cocktail ingredients: gin, fresh lemon juice, and honey syrup.

Now, shake the shaker until all ingredients are very well mixed and chilled.

Then, strain this cocktail mixture into a coupe glass.

For the finale, pinch a lemon twist over the cocktail to express the oils over the cocktail.

Hang a lemon twist on the rim of the coupe glass. Then, sip and enjoy the best Bee’s Knees cocktail recipe!

More Recipes

• Penicillin Cocktail
• Honey Syrup
• Gimlet Cocktail
• Greyhound Drink
• Gibson Drink
• Gold Rush Cocktail

Tools You Need

• Gold Cocktail Shaker Set
• Coupe Glasses
• Measuring Jigger
• Coupe Glasses

It’s the Bees Knees!

Be honest, you like “bee’s knees” better that “cat’s meow.” Me too. Heh heh. Either way, if you make this recipe, take a pic and share it on Instagram and Facebook, tagging me at @beamingbaker and #beamingbaker. I can’t wait!

Sending you all my love and maybe even a dove, xo Demeter ❤️

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