Bee's Knees (cocktail)

A Bees Knees (or Bee's Knees) is a Prohibition Era cocktail made with Gin, fresh lemon juice, and honey. It is served shaken and chilled, often with a lemon twist.

Bee's Knees
IBA official cocktail
TypeCocktail
Primary alcohol by volume
ServedStraight up; without ice
Standard garnishlemon peel
Standard drinkware
Cocktail glass
IBA specified
ingredients
  • 2 oz gin
  • 3/4 oz lemon juice
  • 3/4 oz honey
PreparationShake with ice and strain into a chilled large cocktail glass

The name comes from prohibition-era slang meaning "the best."[1]

History

The Bee's Knees was invented by Frank Meier, an Austrian-born, part Jewish bartender who was the first head bartender at the Ritz in Paris in 1921, when its Cafe Parisian opened its doors.[2]

Variations
A Bee's Knees cocktail made with gin, 1:1 honey syrup, and lemon juice
  • Barr Hill Gin is sometimes recommended for its honey infusion, though other gins may be used (including Barr Hill's Tom Cat gin).[1]
  • The honey may be diluted 1:1 with warm water to thin the consistency.[3]
  • The honey may be diluted 1:1 with simple syrup instead of water.[1]
  • A sprig of basil may be used for garnish instead of lemon peel.[3]
  • Some variations contain orange juice[4]
  • Add 2 dashes of Absinthe and 2 dashes of orange bitters to make a variation called "Oldest Living Confederate Widow"[5]

References
  1. "Bee's Knees". Post Prohibition Handcrafted cocktails. Baltimore: Post Prohibition. Retrieved 1 September 2016.
  2. https://www.thedailybeast.com/frank-meier-the-paris-ritzs-mysterious-bartender-spy
  3. Westfall, JD. "5 Prohibition Cocktails You Should Try". Q Avenue. Retrieved 1 September 2016.
  4. Puchko, Kathy. "The Origins Of 10 Popular Prohibition Cocktails". Mental Floss. Retrieved 3 September 2016.
  5. Deluna, Dani (10 November 2014). "The Oldest Living Confederate Widow". Home Bar Girl. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
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