we love bees
The bee’s knees drink is a classic cocktail whose origin dates back to prohibition. At that time the phrase “bee’s knees” was a slang for “the best.”
Because of prohibition, people started producing homemade spirit made in amateur conditions - bathtub gin. Ingredients such as honey and citrus were added to cover the bad smell and taste of bathtub gin. Even though the initial idea of adding honey was to improve the taste of a strong gin, the result was a fantastic bee’s knees drink that is loved even today.
This fun and delicious cocktail is very easy to make. It requires only three ingredients which you probably already have in your home.
2 ounces gin
½ ounce fresh lemon juice
¾ ounce of honey
Since pure honey might clump together and stick to the sides of the shaker, you can use a simple honey syrup. To prepare it just mix honey and water in ratio 1:1. Bring the mixture to a boil and simmer it for ten minutes. As a final step, remove it from the stove and put it in a freezer for later use.
Add the ingredients to a shaker and stir until the honey is dissolved.
Add ice and shake hard for at least 15 seconds.
Strain the bee’s knees drink into a glass.
Like many classic cocktails, the bee’s knees is a stronger drink so you should be cautious about the amount you drink. It has a high concentration of alcohol which honey and lemon cannot tame down. Since this is a very simple drink, you can experiment with more or less lemon and honey, various gins, and different kinds of honey. There are many possibilities to adapt the drink to your liking. Play with the flavors and have fun!
