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Cocktail History
The Bee’s Knees is a classic cocktail that was created by Frank Meier in the early 1920s when he became the first head bartender at the Ritz Hotel in Paris, France. The recipe is traditionally made with gin, honey, and citrus, and it’s believed that the drink was named after “the bee’s knees” phrase that was used by many flappers at the time.
Cocktail Ingredients
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:
Gin: This is a spirit made with juniper berries, botanicals, and alcohol. I used Suntory Roku Japanese Gin.
Honey Syrup: This is a sweetener made with honey and water. I made mine using this stovetop recipe.
Lemon Juice: This is the liquid juice of a lemon. I used freshly squeezed lemon juice.
Lemon Wheel: This is a lemon slice that has been cut into a circular shape.
Bartending Tools
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:
Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. I used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Boston Shaker: This is used to shake ingredients. I used the Boston shaker from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Hawthorne Strainer: This is used to strain out ice and solid ingredients after the cocktail is shaken. I used the A Bar Above Hawthorne Strainer.
Paring Knife: This is used to cut ingredients. I used the OXO Good Grips 3.5 Inch Paring Knife.
Juicer: This is used to juice citrus. I used the ALEEHAI Manual Fruit Juicer.
Tasting Notes
This cocktail has the following flavor profile:
• Appearance: Pale golden yellow color
• Aroma: Citrus and botanicals
• Taste: Light and airy lemon flavor with rich, sweet honey and gin
• Finish: Slightly spicy juniper notes
Kendall’s Take: “I can see why this recipe has stood the test of time. While not my all-time favorite gin cocktail, the Bee’s Knees is incredibly tasty and quite palatable. I used Suntory Gin, the juniper notes of which are usually light but distinct, however, the sweeter ingredients mask even this gin’s flavor very well. I would say this is a great gateway cocktail if you don’t usually go for gin as a base; it dances so well with the honey and lemon that you might change your mind after a couple of them.”
Recipe
This cocktail recipe was adapted from The Art of Vintage Cocktails by Stephanie Rosenbaum.
Bee’s Knees
Description
The Bee's Knees is a classic cocktail that was created by Frank Meier in the early 1920s when he became the first head bartender at the Ritz Hotel in Paris, France. The recipe is traditionally made with gin, honey, and citrus, and it's believed that the drink was named after "the bee's knees" phrase that was used by many flappers at the time.
Ingredients
Method
Add gin, lemon juice, and honey syrup to a shaker.
Fill shaker with cubed ice.
Shake for 10-20 seconds.
Using a Hawthorne and fine mesh strainer, strain into a coupe glass.
Garnish with lemon wheel.
