Believe us when we say this classic cocktail is the Bee's Knees!
Jul 8, 2021
Hands up, who loves a classic cocktail? Then it’s time to introduce our shiny new franchise called ‘A-Z Cocktails’ where we share classic cocktail recipes that are easy to follow and even greater to taste. First up, we had the Alexander cocktail and this month we have a blissful, bold beauty: welcome the Bee’s Knees.
It’s refreshing, brightly flavoured, with just the right amount of sweetness and doesn’t take long to make - making it very deserving of its name!
But first, let’s begin with some history on the cocktail…
This cocktail first caused a buzz in the Roaring Twenties, becoming the tipple of choice in American speakeasies. Prohibition had ushered in an age of bathtub gin and moonshine, and this honeyed drink helped mask the harsh flavours of poorly distilled alcohol (but we promise this recipe uses brilliant gin!).
The cocktail soon earned its moniker the Bee’s Knees – a slang phrase that meant the height of excellence in the 1920s.
So where does this yummy classic cocktail originate? One article from 1929, in the Standard Union, claims that a survivor of the Titanic called ‘the unsinkable Molly Brown’ – the wealthy widow of an American gold miner – invented the drink in a women-only bar in Paris.
Meanwhile, another popular theory suggests that Frank Meier, a bartender at the Ritz in Paris, was the true originator. He would go on to serve the likes of Ernest Hemingway and became a key member of the Resistance during World War II, passing fake IDs to Jewish regulars of the Ritz.
Either way, both figures are well worth toasting with this brilliant cocktail!
Traditionally, a Bee’s Knees is made with London dry gin. However, we love to use Kirkjuvagr Beyla Honey & Raspberry Old Tom Gin from Orkney Distilling in this recipe. It has a wonderful bouquet of Orcadian honey and Scottish raspberries that just work so well with the honey and citrus juices in this serve.
Give it a go!
We love how the fragrant honey complements the juniper of the gin and the orange flavours of the fruit juice. The zingy lemon then lifts everything wonderfully. One sip and you’ll see…
50ml Kirkjuvagr Beyla Honey & Raspberry Old Tom Gin
2 tsp runny honey
20ml fresh lemon juice
10ml fresh orange juice
Twist of orange peel, to garnish
Add the gin to a cocktail shaker and stir in the honey. Add the lemon and orange juice and fill with ice. Shake well, then strain into a coupe glass, garnish and serve.
