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Cocktail History
The Burns & The Bees is a modern cocktail that was created by Alex Sukopp, former bartender of Sips From Scripts, to accompany a jenga-style party game called Tipsy Tiles. In the description of her game, the creator Kirsten Schulz explains that its creative rules came to be over “many tequila-infused nights,” so this recipe calls for a poblano-infused tequila for the base, sweetened it with honey, and topped it with a spray of mezcal so it would be sweet, spicy, and a little bit smoky—just like the game.
Cocktail Ingredients
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:
Poblano Pepper-Infused Tequila: This is a type of tequila made with poblano pepper, unaged agave, and water. I used El Jimador Tequila Silver.
Triple Sec: This is a liqueur made with bitter oranges, lemons, sugar, and alcohol. I used Cointreau.
Raspberry Liqueur: This is a liqueur made with raspberries, sugar, and alcohol. I used Chambord Liqueur.
Lime Juice: This is the liquid juice of a lime. I used freshly squeezed lime juice.
Honey Syrup: This is a sweetener made with honey and water. I made mine using this stovetop recipe.
Hot Pepper Bitters: This is a spirit made with peppers, botanicals, herbs, and alcohol. I used Infuse Bitters Tres Amigos Bitters.
Mezcal: This is a spirit made in Mexico with agave, sugar, and alcohol that is aged in an underground pit lined with wood. I used Del Maguey Vida Mezcal.
Lime Slice: This is a slice of lime that has been cut into a half wheel 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.
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Tasting Notes
This cocktail has the following flavor profile:
• Appearance: Faint yellow color
• Aroma: Mezcal and pepper
• Taste: Noticeable sweet honey flavor balanced by salt, lime, and fruit
• Finish: Spicy pepper notes with lingering mezcal smokiness
Kendall’s Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
Kendall’s Take: “Although it uses an unexpected mix of somewhat disparate flavors, I enjoyed this take on a tequila cocktail. I especially liked the twinge of spicy pepper that The Burns & The Bees left on my tongue and the way the fruit and honey mixed with the agave spirits.”
Recipe
The Burns & The Bees
The Burns & The Bees is a modern cocktail that was created by Alex Sukopp, former bartender of Sips From Scripts, to accompany a jenga-style party game called Tipsy Tiles. In the description of her game, the creator Kirsten Schulz explains that its creative rules came to be over "many tequila-infused nights," so this recipe calls for a poblano-infused tequila for the base, sweetened it with honey, and topped it with a spray of mezcal so it would be sweet, spicy, and a little bit smoky—just like the game.
Ingredients
Method
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Add tequila, triple sec, raspberry liqueur, lime juice, honey syrup, bitters, and cubed ice to a shaker.
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Shake for 10-20 seconds.
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Strain into a cocktail glass.
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Spray mezcal over top.
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Garnish with lime slice.
